With a stunning academic record and a flourishing social life, senior Tyler Ly is on top of the world. But if you ask him to spell anything with more than two syllables, he’s somehow at a total loss.
“My teacher told my parents not to correct my spelling, that I’ll learn to sound it out and get better at spelling on my own,” Tyler said.
Spoiler alert: he didn’t. Luckily for him though, he more than makes up for it in his area of expertise, Speech and Debate, a school activity he discovered in the 6th grade.
“He started Speech and Debate, here [at Monte Vista,] actually at the kiddie camp,” freshman Kayla Ly, Tyler’s sister, said. “From there, he just didn’t shut up, he just kept talking and debating and arguing.”
His main event is Congressional Debate, which has its participants simulate the U.S. legislative process. From bills to resolutions, students have to engage in in-depth research to effectively discourse these mock legislation in a series of judged speeches and questioning periods.
“I like in general, being able to have that public policy aspect,” Tyler said. “The fact that it blends both argumentation, but still requires delivery which is more common and realistic, unlike PF [Public Forum] or LD [Lincoln Douglas Debate].”
After immediately advancing to varsity in Congress his freshman year, he went on to attend the California High School Speech Association’s State Competition for Congressional Debate during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. His skill has brought him into the Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational, a prestigious state-wide competition, three years in a row. In last year’s tournament, he placed ninth of 64 entries. If that wasn’t enough, he’s also earned qualifying bids in the national competition of the Tournament of Champions. But what’s made the tournament truly special is being able to advance to the semifinals alongside his teammates at Monte Vista.
“The team is a lot of fun,” Tyler said. “I enjoy being with them and trying to get better.”
Tyler’s commitment to speech and debate extends beyond competitions and into the classroom. For the past two years, he has been a teacher’s assistant in Oral Interpretation, a class that introduces students to the fundamentals of congressional debate, effective delivery, and structured argumentation—all of Tyler’s specialties.
“I enjoy it because…you get to mentor them, and if they listen to you, they get really good, really quickly,” he said.
Through all of the research and debate on legislation, Tyler grew increasingly interested in politics leading him to start his own non-profit. The American Youth Association, which focuses on building a bridge to increase youth representation in the government and advocate for youth issues. He spends a lot of time talking with legislators and government officials to expand the impact of this project.
When he’s not debating legislation or advocating for youth, Tyler likes to hang out with his friends, or at least tries to.
“When push comes to shove, if it’s something you’re serious about, he will pay attention, besides that, you can’t get him to listen to anything,” senior Fiona Anderson said. They’ve known each other since 4th grade.
Senior Helios Lung has been best friends with Tyler since freshman year when they both discovered their love for Speech and Debate.
When asked what he likes about Tyler, Lung said, “This is the first time I’ve been left speechless.” True friendship at its finest.
Regardless of how they’re spelled, Ly’s words continue to make an impact.
“It’s really great when he’s just yelling at 1 AM in the room next to me…” said his sister, Kayla. “From Speech and Debate is where he got a good work ethic… and from there, he inspires me to do better.”
