List of Persuasive Speech Topics for High School Students

To deliver a great persuasive speech, you need to pick a topic. Before you will see the list of persuasive speech topics for high school students, let’s define the main goal of such speeches.

The main aim of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience in a certain statement or point of view. With a persuasive speech you can attempt to achieve one of two goals: change existing beliefs or attitudes, or reinforce existing opinions. The entire text of a persuasive speech should be a message or a call to action. High school is the best time to practice delivering a persuasive speech, so don’t miss the opportunity to learn how to deliver a persuasive speech.

For the case when you can’t decide what to deliver in your speech, we have created a list of topics that you may find helpful. We have accompanied them with leading questions that will help you find the right arguments to persuade your audience. Here you can find persuasive speech topics about school, medicine, society, and just interesting and fun topics that will be interesting to discuss in your class.

Persuasive speech topics for high schoolersa about school

1. Why should schools have field trips? Field trips are necessary to help children learn in a fun way. What other benefits can you list? What kind of field trip is better? What kind of knowledge and experience can students receive?
2. Why do students need to do well in school and in exams? You can express your point of view about the knowledge you gain in school and where it will be helpful after graduation. Also, you can advise some tips to increase productivity and ease the learning process.
3. Why should students not attend college after high school? What will happen if you don’t go to college? As an example, take several persons that have succeeded without college. What do you think was their recipe for success?
4. Why should students be allowed to use cell phones? Many people say that cell phones are distracting. What are the main reasons why it will be beneficial both for students and teachers?
5. Why should school hours be changed? Students need to wake up early, but every human has his own biorhythms. As a result, many students are rushing to school exhausted and hungry. What other reasons can you state? Will it make students more productive and healthy?
6. Why should students use tablets like the iPad in schools? Is the iPad a good analog for textbooks? Will it improve the learning process? How to prevent students from playing games instead of studying at school?
7. Persuade students in your school to help raise funds for the spectacled bears (or other threatened species). Why is this species so special? What can be done to save this animal?
8. Why should colleges provide free textbooks to all students? Over the past years, the cost of textbook has significantly increased. Many students spend too much money on textbooks every year.
9. Why should girls wear makeup at school? Many school teachers shame girls for wearing makeup. On one side, too much makeup doesn’t look good, but still, every person deserves to express themselves. Along with it, girls with imperfect skin use moderate makeup as it gives them a feeling of confidence. What are other arguments for this issue?
10. Why should students listen to music while studying? You can pick several articles from journals (preferably scientific) and pick the facts about benefits from listening to music during studying. Also, mention negative sides, but emphasize on benefits.

Persuasive speech topics for high schoolers on medicine

1. Why should you donate plasma? Plasma is used in many life-saving plasma-based therapies. List at least six reasons why donating plasma is good (e.g. you will save someone’s life, it engorge the practice of a healthy way of living, it’s a safe procedure, etc.).
2. Why do you need to wash hands? Tell about what can happen if you don’t wash your hands. What diseases are caused by dirty hands? In what cases is it advisable to wash hands?
3. Why does red wine prevent stomach ulcers? One research has shown that red wine helps combat fatal food poisoning bugs. Does white wine have the same effect? How much wine do you need to drink?
4. Why do you need to stand up against cancer? Persuade the audience to get involved in the American Cancer Society. You can tell how such a society helps people that suffer from cancer and emphasize on saving lives.
5. Why do you need to eat healthy food? There are many reasons why you need to eat healthily: be in a good mood, decrease weight, become more productive, become healthier, etc. What are the principles of healthy eating? Tell about some tips and hints.
6. Why should government healthcare be free to everyone? Argue for changing the Affordable Care Act to make healthcare freely available for every US citizen. You can take as an example a country where the healthcare system is free.
7. Why do you need to eat potatoes? Emphasize that potatoes can help reduce weight, lower blood pressure, etc. Make some research and add more points.
8. What makes plastic surgery a great invention? You can start with telling the history of plastic surgery and emphasize its benefits for soldiers. Unfortunately, in the modern world, people frequently judge by appearance, which is why many people need to boost self-esteem and plastic surgery can help.
9. Why should you donate your organs? You can choose one article from a reliable source and tell why it’s better to donate organs after your death.
10. Why do you need to join the American Red Cross? The Red Cross has a variety of internships for high-school students. You can list the benefits of joining the red cross and emphasize how this activity can help your audience in the future (e.g. at school or work).

Persuasive speech topics for high schoolers on society

1. Why should juveniles be sentenced as adults? Many juveniles commit crime because they rely on age bias. You can take the position that juveniles are not kids and frequently understand more than it seems.
2. Why should the internet not have full freedom of speech? Can racist, homophobic, and other offensive views be treated as freedom of speech? Should the internet be safe for children?
3. Why should cyberbullying be prosecuted? Nearly half of all children are bullied online and it has an influence on their self-esteem and psychological well-being. This also refers to adults. How can cyberbullying be stopped?
4. Why are IQ tests not the best measurement of human intelligence? You can find several articles from trusted sources and find out what tests are more accurate than an IQ test.
5. Why should same-sex marriage be legalized? You can point out the examples from states where gay marriage is legal. Should same-sex couples be allowed to adopt children? What other arguments can you state for gay marriage?
6. Why in today’s world is there no place for any type of discrimination? State your opinion on different types of discrimination and make an accent on discrimination by age.
7. Why should we continue to utilize incarceration as our go-to form of punishment? Is it an effective way of punishment? What positive and negative effects does it have?
8. Why shouldn’t we deport immigrants from Mexico? Mexican emigrants have come to the US for a certain reason – for a better life. Many immigrants are law-abiding and hard-working members of society. Will it be fair to deport them? Analyze both Donald Trump’s and Barak Obama’s view on this issue
9. Why should women propose marriage? You can take a position that we live in a free country and every person should feel free to propose marriage. You can talk about traditions and how the time has changed.
10. Why do we need birth control? Earth has become overpopulated and many countries try to control birth rates. What methods are the most effective?

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Interesting persuasive speech topics for high schoolers

1. How can knowing a foreign language be helpful? There are many benefits from learning foreign languages: you become more educated, you can get a better job, you will freely communicate with foreigners, etc.
2. Why do electronic devices make kids lazy? Find several articles that describe the influence of gadgets on children and adolescents. You can make an accent on the feeling of isolation, the risk of obesity, and low social contact. What are other consequences of gadgets on kids?
3. Why should you travel? What qualities will you develop? How can new experiences help you? What to do if you don’t have enough money to travel?
4. Why is texting while driving bad? You can start with statistics of accidents on the roads. List the most frequent causes of road accidents. Compare texting while driving and driving under the influence of substances.
5. Why is Bora Bora the best place for spending a holiday? You can tell about the island, the climate and weather, and what tourists can do there.
6. Why do we need to prohibit animal circus performances? Frequently trainers in animal circuses abuse their animals to create a good performance. Also, animals can live in inappropriate conditions. Tell why animals shouldn’t be a tool for earning profits.
7. Why should scientist not create human-animal hybrids? Where is the line between human being and non-human being? What problems will it cause? Will this hybrid be happy to be born?
8. Why should we stop plastic pollution? How long does plastic need to fully decompose? Tell about recycling and using eco-friendly substitutes to care about our planet.
9. Why do we need to use more solar panels? How does it work? Where can solar panels be used? What are the benefits of using solar panels? Tell how it’s good for the environment.
10. Why shouldn’t we use electric cars? You can tell about the pros and cons of electric cars and make the accent on disadvantages. In practice, electric cars don’t cause pollution directly. But the electricity they use comes from power plants that pollute the air. Also, there is the problem of durability of batteries and their utilization.

Funny persuasive speech topics for high schoolers

1. Why do you need to use chopsticks when eating Chinese food? You can briefly tell about history and etiquette of using Chinese chopsticks. You can describe the position that it’s a fun and interesting way to eat Chinese food.
2. Why are UFOs Real? You can take some article from MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) and list the evidence that prove that UFOs are real. You can start your speech with skeptical points and refute them with logical comments.
3. Create a speech from Big Brother. Imagine that you are a Big Brother and you need to record a hate speech. You can pick any country that is at war with another, addressing the citizens to hate citizens from another country.
4. Why do we need to stop tipping waiters? In fact, by giving tips we stimulate employers not paying even the minimum wage to waiters. Take an example of Japan: tipping a waiter will be considered an insult (the waiter will think that he or she poorly performed the job).
5. Why do you need to believe in ghosts? You can list the episodes of evidence like: videos, photo, eyewitness, and historical precedence. Also, some religions believe in the existence of ghosts.
6. Why do you need to spend less than three hours with your smartphone daily? Nowadays people are totally dependent on mobile phones (add some statistical data). What harm do mobile phones do to their owners? What can one do to spend less time with the phone?
7. Why are GMOs not bad? Many people believe that GMOs can cause cancer, autism, and many other illnesses. You can tell that there are more than 900 studies that have shown the safety of GMO products. Break down the most common myths associated with GMOs.
8. Why is abstinence 100% safe and effective against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases? Nowadays, abstinence is more effective than the contraceptives like condoms and birth control. You can list other benefits of abstinence and whether it’s good to abstain before marriage.
9. Why are pit bulls getting a bad name? What is the history of pit bulls? What are the most common misconceptions about pit bulls? Why do pit bulls have a bad reputation?
10. Was the moon landing a lie? List the reasons why people don’t believe that the moon landing was true. You can start with discussing the fluttering flag and end with the question about the person that filmed Neil Armstrong making the first step on the moon.

Speech topics to boost your inspiration

If the previous list of persuasive speech topics for high school students hasn’t captured your attention, consider these hints to boost your inspiration:

1. Street gangs should be considered terrorists.
2. Graffiti should be regulated by law.
3. Teenagers should have a curfew.
4. Public broadcasting.
5. Buying generics is better than brand name products.
6. Choose shopping at small stores.
7. We need musical censorship.
8. Orange juice is good for you.
9. Weed should be decriminalized.
10. Media agenda-setting.
11. Learn CPR to save lives.
12. Drive slower.
13. Larger counties.
14. The movie everyone should see.
15. Read more.
16. Angels are real.
17. Stomach stapling procedure.
18. Public transportation is better than a personal car.
19. Cigar smoking in public is bad.
20. Columbus Day.
21. Binge drinking is dangerous.
22. Live life to the fullest.
23. Darfur crisis.
24. Join the military recruiting.
25. Stop wearing tight pants.
26. Keep public bathrooms clean.
27. Buy security systems.
28. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
29. Cherish relationships with friends and family.
30. Artificial hormones in food.
31. Avoid religious cults.
32. Believe in reincarnation.
33. Join the Greek system.
34. France boycott.
35. Don’t share the road with bikes.
36. We need more strict advertising standards.
37. Fixing potholes is in the people’s hands.
38. We need state lotteries.
39. We need more effective prison alternatives.
40. We need to make a 100% smoke-free environment to reduce secondhand smoke.
41. Be the person you really are.
42. We need strict standards for the internet.
43. Aggressive driving (road rage) should be illegal.
44. Fireworks should be banned.
45. Ticketmaster should be illegal.
46. Shock therapy shouldn’t be used.
47. Sin taxes are not effective.
48. Government should restrict freedom of speech.
49. “Game of Thrones” is the best TV show.
50. Bachelor and bachelorette parties are very important.

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