George Matthew Gutierrez is a student leader, “interper”, and nationally competitive speech and debate student from Harlingen High School South in Texas. Being the President of the South Speech team and a member of one of the nation’s most successful forensics programs, George has earned recognition in multiple speech and interpretation events, including becoming a Humorous Interpretation champion (2024) and Runner Up in both Storytelling (2023) and Duo Interpretation (2025). Beyond competition, he works to expand the reach of speech and debate through social media outreach, mentorship, and community engagement initiatives that connect students to opportunities in public speaking and advocacy.
As the creator of “South Spoken,” a documentary highlighting the experiences, challenges, and successes of his nationally recognized speech and debate team, he uses film to amplify student voices and preserve the stories that shape his community. Through leadership, performance, and media, George advocates for the transformative power of communication, believing that speech and debate can empower young people to tell their stories, challenge perspectives, and create meaningful change.
