Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for High School

The environment is something everyone in your audience shares, from teachers to other students. You can write a memorable speech about this topic if you choose to focus on something people care about. Consider these ideas:

• Is climate change caused by human activity?
• What is the best way to reduce food waste?
• Should households be required to recycle?
• What is the best source of energy for the country?
• Should there be a higher tax on gasoline to pay for the environmental effects of driving?
• What is the best way to conserve water?
• Should lower efficiency light bulbs and appliances be illegal?
• Are plastic bags worse than paper bags?
• Should new houses and building meet certain energy efficiency standards?
• Would a "Green New Deal" help or hurt America?
• Should people have a right to stop the construction of a wind farm near their homes?

From animal rights to whether it's appropriate to wear leather, there are lots of great animal-related topics. Some of these are more involved and lend themselves to a longer speech, while others make great one-minute persuasive speeches:

• Should pet owners be allowed to give up a pet they have adopted?
• Should certain dog breeds be outlawed because of a tendency toward violence?
• Is a dog always at fault when it bites a person?
• Should feral cats be euthanized?
• Is it ethical to own a leather jacket?
• Are there some animals that should never be kept as pets?
• Are circuses inhumane?
• What are the benefits of keeping animals in a zoo?
• Should students dissect frogs, fetal pigs, or other animals as part of the high school curriculum?
• Should states reintroduce wolves and other predators to keep the deer population in check?
• Is deer hunting ethical?
• Should animal testing be legal for pharmaceuticals? What about cosmetics?

Technology is a controversial topic, since it involves constant adaptation and change. This controversy is important in persuasive writing, since it helps you can capture people's attention during your speech.

• Has the internet made people less kind?
• Is net neutrality a positive thing? Why or why not?
• What should happen when automation replaces someone's job?
• Will self-driving cars be a positive or negative development?
• Are video games always bad for kids?
• When does online interaction become internet bullying?
• How much should people share about themselves online?
• Should there be an age requirement for seeing certain types of content online?
• Does social media broaden perspectives or isolate viewpoints?
• What is the best way to tell whether something is real news or fake news?
• Should potential employers look up employees online?

School is another universal topic that everyone will care about, so it makes a great choice for a persuasive essay or speech. Try one of these topics:

• Do field trips offer an educational benefit to students, or are they just a distraction?
• Do state-mandated standardized tests offer helpful information about school and student performance?
• Should the school day be shorter and more efficient?
• Should students study art and music in high school, or are these topics a waste of time?
• Should students be able to carry their cell phones during the school day?
• Does a school dress code benefit students?
• Should college be free?
• Should illegal immigrants be able to attend school?
• What is the single most important thing a school can do to stop bullying?
• Should volunteering or community service be a mandatory requirement for high school graduation?
• Should there be separate bathrooms for boys and girls? What about trans or gender fluid students?

If you want more school-related speech ideas, try these unique persuasive speech topics for college.

Draw on current events, politics, and the economy for some really compelling speech ideas. Sometimes called "hot topics," these issues work well for argumentative essays and speeches because people are passionate about them.

• Should city parks close at dark? Why or why not?
• Is social security a good thing for our country?
• Should all citizens receive free health care?
• Should government healthcare cover procedures like gastric bypasses?
• Who was the best president of the past 100 years?
• Should the electoral college be abolished?
• Are taxes a fair way for the government to raise money?
• Should illegal immigrants receive the same privileges as citizens?
• Should the native-born children of illegal immigrants receive citizenship?
• Should there be a way for students to earn free college?

Once you've decided on your topic, it's time to start writing. Learn the steps in writing a persuasive speech so you can make the most of your great idea and support it with evidence. You'll end up with a great grade and a speech everyone remembers.