Letter from Executive Director, Scott Deatherage
Greetings friends,
Fall is my favorite time of year. It’s a time when debaters new and old can look ahead to a season ripe with opportunity. Although this is the first time in over two decades I will not be busy teaching and preparing for tournaments, I feel a new sense of excitement for the many urban students who will begin debating this fall. Thanks to you, supporters of the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, thousands of urban students will, for the first time ever, participate in the life-changing activity of urban debate.
This September, your support enabled us to launch brand new Leagues in the Bay Area, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, St. Louis, and Tampa. We have also expanded and strengthened extant UDLs in Boston and Detroit. You can read more details of the renaissance in Detroit urban debate below. And, I certainly do not want to forget to mention Dallas - our successful 2007 launch - which is off and running this fall with a new slate of tournaments and expanded participation.
Because of the efforts your support has enabled, this year we are adding over 100 schools to the Urban Debate Network. By the end of this year, we expect an additional 2,000 participating students. With your continued support, over the next three years the NAUDL will add more than 10,000 urban debaters to the Urban Debate Network. Like so many of us, these students will have their lives and futures transformed through participation.
Having now been Executive Director of the NAUDL for six months, I am profoundly hopeful about the trajectory of the urban debate movement. With the dedication of supporters like you, the NAUDL will continue to produce breakthrough results as it brings debate to the many urban youth who need and deserve this opportunity.
Please consider aiding these efforts by giving a tax-deductible donation to the Urban Debate League in your community. This season in particular, they can use your support. In addition, I truly encourage you to consider making a contribution to the NAUDL as we take the urban debate idea to scale around the country. For more information and to make your gift, please visit us online at UrbanDebate.org/support, or e-mail Eric Tucker at EricTucker@urbandebate.org.
This September, your support enabled us to launch brand new Leagues in the Bay Area, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, St. Louis, and Tampa. We have also expanded and strengthened extant UDLs in Boston and Detroit. You can read more details of the renaissance in Detroit urban debate below. And, I certainly do not want to forget to mention Dallas - our successful 2007 launch - which is off and running this fall with a new slate of tournaments and expanded participation.
Because of the efforts your support has enabled, this year we are adding over 100 schools to the Urban Debate Network. By the end of this year, we expect an additional 2,000 participating students. With your continued support, over the next three years the NAUDL will add more than 10,000 urban debaters to the Urban Debate Network. Like so many of us, these students will have their lives and futures transformed through participation.
Having now been Executive Director of the NAUDL for six months, I am profoundly hopeful about the trajectory of the urban debate movement. With the dedication of supporters like you, the NAUDL will continue to produce breakthrough results as it brings debate to the many urban youth who need and deserve this opportunity.
Please consider aiding these efforts by giving a tax-deductible donation to the Urban Debate League in your community. This season in particular, they can use your support. In addition, I truly encourage you to consider making a contribution to the NAUDL as we take the urban debate idea to scale around the country. For more information and to make your gift, please visit us online at UrbanDebate.org/support, or e-mail Eric Tucker at EricTucker@urbandebate.org.
This fall is a thrilling time for us, and the NAUDL staff and I have prepared this NewsBlast to share our progress with you as we launch our 2008-2009 debate season.
All the best,
Scott Deatherage
All the best,
Scott Deatherage Executive Director
NAUDL
NAUDL
Mark your calendars and reserve a table!
National Championship weekend set for April 24 -26
National Championship weekend set for April 24 -26
Thanks to the continued generosity of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, the second annual Chase Urban Debate National Championship and the adjoining Annual Dinner will take place on the weekend of April 24-26. Building on the success of last year's competition, the tournament will bring together outstanding debaters from cities throughout the Urban Debate Network for a weekend of fierce competition and celebration of urban debate.
On the evening of Saturday, April 25, the NAUDL will host its second Annual Dinner. Dinner Chairman Leonard A. Gail invites Dinner patrons to take advantage of this unique opportunity to watch today’s urban debaters in action and to honor the Chase Urban Debate National Champions and Top Speakers.
Dinner attendees from last year will remember its tremendous success. In addition to honoring key figures in the urban debate movement, such as Emory University’s Melissa Wade, and hearing from keynote speaker United States Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the dinner brought together over 300 enthusiastic supporters and guests to celebrate the expansion of the Urban Debate Network. This year promises to be equally inspiring. Stay tuned for further updates on who this year’s special guests will be.
The NAUDL is currently taking reservations for tables and other sponsorship opportunities. Individual tickets will be made available after table sales are completed. We encourage you to consider sharing a table with friends, clients, and former debate colleagues. Please contact Eric Tucker directly at EricTucker@urbandebate.org to make reservations.
Dinner attendees from last year will remember its tremendous success. In addition to honoring key figures in the urban debate movement, such as Emory University’s Melissa Wade, and hearing from keynote speaker United States Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the dinner brought together over 300 enthusiastic supporters and guests to celebrate the expansion of the Urban Debate Network. This year promises to be equally inspiring. Stay tuned for further updates on who this year’s special guests will be.
The NAUDL is currently taking reservations for tables and other sponsorship opportunities. Individual tickets will be made available after table sales are completed. We encourage you to consider sharing a table with friends, clients, and former debate colleagues. Please contact Eric Tucker directly at EricTucker@urbandebate.org to make reservations.
Urban debate revs up in the motor city
The Detroit Public Schools has approved a proposal for the support of a 10-school Urban Debate League for this academic year. Participating schools are: Community Media Arts, Denby, Detroit Academy for Young Women, Martin Luther King, Mumford, Northwestern, Osborn, Renaissance, Southeastern, and Southwestern.The newly-strengthened Detroit UDL will bring a deeper and more rigorous calendar to the urban debate season. A Detroit Urban Debate League Advisory Board that includes Detroit area attorneys and business people has been forming under the leadership of retired Allstate Insurance Vice-President Ron McNeil.
The Detroit UDL and the NAUDL are partnering with Wayne State University, whose deep and historic involvement with urban debate in Detroit stretches back over 30 years. George Ziegelmueller, Wayne State’s legendary Director of Debate, has provided long-term leadership and vision. As part of the revitalization of the Detroit UDL, Wayne State has given even greater commitment to urban debate in Detroit by naming Amy Young, a graduate student at WSU, as a paid part-time liaison.
These developments have been met with great enthusiasm by the Detroit Public Schools, which proudly tout the new public-private partnership facilitated by the NAUDL, as well as the anticipated positive achievement outcomes.
According to Shirley Brown, Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, "DPS is eager to bring the private sector to the business of helping provide a challenging, standards-based public education to the hundreds of thousands of youth in Detroit. The Detroit Urban Debate League is a model program in this regard, and we are expecting very positive outcomes from this newly expanded partnership-based program."
New League Directors hit the ground running
The NAUDL convened eight new Urban Debate League Directors representing the Bay Area, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, and St. Louis for a conference Chicago on September 11-12 to discuss the opportunities and challenges that their respective UDLs would face in the coming year. Bringing a wide range of professional and personal experiences to the table, the Directors, along with the NAUDL staff, addressed such varied issues as the logistics of hosting a debate tournament; publicity, development, and advocacy; and the socioeconomic complexities of building an Urban Debate League. Not only did the Directors receive training in key areas of running a UDL, but they were also able to meet and form professional relationships with their fellow incoming Directors, thereby creating a nation-wide support network among new UDLs.
The Directors returned to their respective cities prepared and excited to begin the 2008-09 urban debate season. They are working day in and out to bring urban educators into the activity and ensure students in their respective cities have access to debate. Below, are short biographies about each of our talented new recruits.
Bay Area – Blake Johnson
Mr. Johnson directs the Bay Area Urban Debate League. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Political Science and Philosophy, Mr. Johnson comes to the Bay Area UDL with a successful record as a debater and debate coach. His most notable accomplishments include coaching the University of Oklahoma to a National Debate Tournament qualification and the Kinkaid School to the Texas State Championship.
Boston – Steve Stein
Mr. Stein brings fifteen years of experience working with urban debate programs to his new position as the Director of the Boston Urban Debate League. Beginning as a co-founder of Atlanta’s middle school debate league, Mr. Stein has since worked at numerous UDL summer institutes, consulted with Leagues in Atlanta, Chicago, and Milwaukee, and conducted many coach training and professional development workshops. As a teacher and a debate coach, Mr. Stein led multiple successful campaigns to expand student participation and significantly boost recruitment for debate programs.
Dallas – Kason Kimberley
Mr. Kimberley became the Director of the Dallas Urban Debate League and Executive Director of the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance in the summer of 2007 after gaining experience in debate administration with the Chicago Debate League. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Board of the Wiley College debate program, and organizes public debates for the City of Dallas. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Mr. Kimberly has debated all across the US and Europe.
Denver – Jessica Clark
Ms. Clark, the Director of the Denver Urban Debate League, previously worked for the New York Urban Debate League. She was the founding Program Director of the Brooklyn Debate Resource Center, where she served as a full-time mentor for coaches and students in the New York UDL. Ms. Clark received her Master of Fine Art in Dramatic Writing from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and her Bachelor of Arts at the University of New Mexico, where, as a debater, she qualified for the National Debate Tournament four times.
Houston – Ken Ogden
A lifelong Houstonian, Mr. Ogden brings a wealth of experience and commitment to the Houston Urban Debate League. He has been a successful high school debate coach for 15 years in the Houston area, and his students consistently made it to the eliminations at the state tournaments in Texas and on the national circuit (including winning the policy championship at St. Mark’s Heart of Texas tournament.) Mr. Ogden also spent five years teaching at alternative schools in the Spring Branch Independent School District. He was a successful college debater at the University of Houston.
Los Angeles – Brett Flater
Mr. Flater became Director of the Los Angeles Urban Debate League after a successful career in educational reform. He was heavily involved in the Atlanta Urban Debate League's operations, instruction, curriculum development, and college-prep training. Mr. Flater has taught at Summer Institutes for students in the Baltimore and the Southern California Urban Debate Leagues. He also taught with Teach for America and the Inner City Education Foundation and was a Site Manager with Jumpstart. Mr. Flater received his Masters of Secondary Education from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Emory University.
Memphis – Sarah Meltzer
Ms. Meltzer accepted the position as Director of the Memphis Urban Debate League after a successful career in the legal profession. She is a graduate of Emory University and the University of Chicago Law School and subsequently worked in the corporate insolvency and litigation department of K&L Gates LLP. Ms. Meltzer brings to the Memphis Urban Debate League a unique perspective of the importance of using urban debate to diversify the legal profession.
St. Louis – Ravi Rao
Mr. Rao comes to the St. Louis Urban Debate League as their Director after having completed a Certificate in International and Comparative Law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law. He began working with the St. Louis Urban Debate League in 1998 when, as a student debater at Washington University in St. Louis himself, he was hired as an assistant debate coach. He subsequently worked as an instructor at three UDL Summer Institutes before taking over as a policy debate coach at the Chaminade College Preparatory School.
The Directors returned to their respective cities prepared and excited to begin the 2008-09 urban debate season. They are working day in and out to bring urban educators into the activity and ensure students in their respective cities have access to debate. Below, are short biographies about each of our talented new recruits.
Bay Area – Blake Johnson
Mr. Johnson directs the Bay Area Urban Debate League. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Political Science and Philosophy, Mr. Johnson comes to the Bay Area UDL with a successful record as a debater and debate coach. His most notable accomplishments include coaching the University of Oklahoma to a National Debate Tournament qualification and the Kinkaid School to the Texas State Championship.
Boston – Steve Stein
Mr. Stein brings fifteen years of experience working with urban debate programs to his new position as the Director of the Boston Urban Debate League. Beginning as a co-founder of Atlanta’s middle school debate league, Mr. Stein has since worked at numerous UDL summer institutes, consulted with Leagues in Atlanta, Chicago, and Milwaukee, and conducted many coach training and professional development workshops. As a teacher and a debate coach, Mr. Stein led multiple successful campaigns to expand student participation and significantly boost recruitment for debate programs.
Dallas – Kason Kimberley
Mr. Kimberley became the Director of the Dallas Urban Debate League and Executive Director of the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance in the summer of 2007 after gaining experience in debate administration with the Chicago Debate League. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Board of the Wiley College debate program, and organizes public debates for the City of Dallas. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Mr. Kimberly has debated all across the US and Europe.
Denver – Jessica Clark
Ms. Clark, the Director of the Denver Urban Debate League, previously worked for the New York Urban Debate League. She was the founding Program Director of the Brooklyn Debate Resource Center, where she served as a full-time mentor for coaches and students in the New York UDL. Ms. Clark received her Master of Fine Art in Dramatic Writing from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and her Bachelor of Arts at the University of New Mexico, where, as a debater, she qualified for the National Debate Tournament four times.
Houston – Ken Ogden
A lifelong Houstonian, Mr. Ogden brings a wealth of experience and commitment to the Houston Urban Debate League. He has been a successful high school debate coach for 15 years in the Houston area, and his students consistently made it to the eliminations at the state tournaments in Texas and on the national circuit (including winning the policy championship at St. Mark’s Heart of Texas tournament.) Mr. Ogden also spent five years teaching at alternative schools in the Spring Branch Independent School District. He was a successful college debater at the University of Houston.
Los Angeles – Brett Flater
Mr. Flater became Director of the Los Angeles Urban Debate League after a successful career in educational reform. He was heavily involved in the Atlanta Urban Debate League's operations, instruction, curriculum development, and college-prep training. Mr. Flater has taught at Summer Institutes for students in the Baltimore and the Southern California Urban Debate Leagues. He also taught with Teach for America and the Inner City Education Foundation and was a Site Manager with Jumpstart. Mr. Flater received his Masters of Secondary Education from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Emory University.
Memphis – Sarah Meltzer
Ms. Meltzer accepted the position as Director of the Memphis Urban Debate League after a successful career in the legal profession. She is a graduate of Emory University and the University of Chicago Law School and subsequently worked in the corporate insolvency and litigation department of K&L Gates LLP. Ms. Meltzer brings to the Memphis Urban Debate League a unique perspective of the importance of using urban debate to diversify the legal profession.
St. Louis – Ravi Rao
Mr. Rao comes to the St. Louis Urban Debate League as their Director after having completed a Certificate in International and Comparative Law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law. He began working with the St. Louis Urban Debate League in 1998 when, as a student debater at Washington University in St. Louis himself, he was hired as an assistant debate coach. He subsequently worked as an instructor at three UDL Summer Institutes before taking over as a policy debate coach at the Chaminade College Preparatory School.
These directors are on the ground, working to make sure students and teachers in their cities have access to debate. Please join us in welcoming them.
Urban debaters take up America’s energy policy using the NAUDL’s argument kit
Rising gas prices and uncertain energy supplies have led to a vibrant national debate over energy policy. In fact, the Presidential candidates have emphasized the issue to the point where a recent analyst dubbed the contest the “energy election.”
Urban debaters across the country are participating in this national dialogue. They are researching, analyzing, and debating the timely resolution – Resolved: that the United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.
To facilitate these debates, the NAUDL has prepared its annual Argument and Research Kit. For the sixth consecutive year, the Kit is being distributed for free use to all UDL coaches and debaters. This year’s version consists of over 600 pages of Core Files, plus Argument Summaries, an Article Anthology, and a Research Guide.
Edited by former Boston UDL Director Andrew Brokos and NAUDL Senior Program Consultant Les Lynn, the packets allow UDL debaters to get off to a quick start on the new topic, provide a model for argument structure and use of evidence, introduce the broader literature on the topic, and help build the research skills of debaters.
This year’s Core Files affirmative cases include ones advocating a Renewable Portfolio Standard, safer nuclear energy, expanded biofuels, and a Cap and Trade climate regime. Negative arguments include the implications of these policies on energy prices, oil producers, government budgets, business investment, and the environment itself. Global warming, of course, is one of the central issues.
Rising gas prices and uncertain energy supplies have led to a vibrant national debate over energy policy. In fact, the Presidential candidates have emphasized the issue to the point where a recent analyst dubbed the contest the “energy election.”Urban debaters across the country are participating in this national dialogue. They are researching, analyzing, and debating the timely resolution – Resolved: that the United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.
To facilitate these debates, the NAUDL has prepared its annual Argument and Research Kit. For the sixth consecutive year, the Kit is being distributed for free use to all UDL coaches and debaters. This year’s version consists of over 600 pages of Core Files, plus Argument Summaries, an Article Anthology, and a Research Guide.
Edited by former Boston UDL Director Andrew Brokos and NAUDL Senior Program Consultant Les Lynn, the packets allow UDL debaters to get off to a quick start on the new topic, provide a model for argument structure and use of evidence, introduce the broader literature on the topic, and help build the research skills of debaters.
This year’s Core Files affirmative cases include ones advocating a Renewable Portfolio Standard, safer nuclear energy, expanded biofuels, and a Cap and Trade climate regime. Negative arguments include the implications of these policies on energy prices, oil producers, government budgets, business investment, and the environment itself. Global warming, of course, is one of the central issues.
Urban Debate in the news
UDLs across the country have been receiving recognition in the news this fall. Here are links to just a few examples of pieces featuring urban debate:
UDLs across the country have been receiving recognition in the news this fall. Here are links to just a few examples of pieces featuring urban debate:
- From the Baylor Line, the magazine of the Baylor Alumni Association – NAUDL Executive Director and seven time national championship coach Scott Deatherage was interviewed recently about what inspires him in urban debate and how he sees the future of the NAUDL. [Read More]
- From PBS, from on Sept. 19, 2008 – a show entitled “Women, Power and Politics” featured a segment on a group of diverse high school girls competing in a debate tournament for the chance to participate in the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute. Congratulations go out to the Associated Leaders Of Urban Debate, whose partners were featured in the story. See clips of the show here.
- From the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Sept. 21, 2008 – "Normally weekends mean hanging out together and watching TV for Denise Richard and Markettia Morrison. But on Saturday, it was all about U.S. energy policy as the two Trezevant High School freshmen matched wits and traded verbal jabs with teams from other Memphis City Schools in the district’s first scholastic debate in almost 40 years…." [Read more]
- From the Houston Chronicle, Aug. 27, 2008 – "Once upon a time, only a generation ago, debate teams were a fixture at almost every Houston high school. From these teams came figures such as the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan and many other civic and business leaders. Over the years, however, the number of teams dwindled until debate – which has been called “the smart sport” – resided at only a few elite campuses such as Bellaire and Lamar…" [Read More]
- From the Tri-State Defender, Sept. 25, 2008 – "High school debate returned to Memphis last weekend for the first time in nearly 40 years. The venue was Overton High School and the Scholastic umbrella was the Memphis Urban Debate League. In the first of six scheduled tournaments, students were pitted against each other with U.S. energy policy sandwiched in between…" [Read More]
- Recently the Houston Chronicle ran a letter to the editor from Dr. Elwyn C. Lee, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Houston. Dr. Lee discussed the role that former UH debates are playing in the new UDL in that city. Dr. Lee wrote: “The core members of the Houston Urban Debate League Board are former UH debaters. …The University of Houston is committed to the success of its collegiate team, but also to providing a place where high school debaters can continue their participation in an activity that is in Mayor Bill White's word: transformative.”
- From the Kansas City Star, Oct. 10, 2008 – Students from the Kansas City area were treated to a special Great Debate Forum centered around the film The Great Debaters, in which Denzel Washington portrayed Melvin B. Tolson. Nate Parker, a star of the film, was present at the event, along with Tolson’s nephew and his son, Melvin B. Tolson, Jr. Mr. Parker was the keynote speaker and has been active with the urban debate movement, having attended the 2008 Chase Urban Debate National Championship.
- From Fox News Memphis – The local Memphis station has a video report of the Memphis UDL’s first tournament. [Watch the Segment]
- The Jersey Urban Debate League will host its annual College Bridge Tournament on November 7th and 8th at Rutgers University’s Newark campus. This is the fifth year of the event, which is a joint debate tournament and college recruiting event. Recruiters from 24 colleges and universities will meet urban debaters from Baltimore, New York, Rhode Island, Boston, and New Jersey.
Sean Easterwood, Top Speaker at the first Chase Urban Debate National Championship, is now a student and debater at the University of Missouri Kansas City. Sean, a graduate of Kansas City Central High School, debates at UMKC with his former high school partner, Deshawnta Brunson. Part of the recognition that Sean received for winning the Top Speaker Award was a $2,500 college scholarship provided through the generosity of Holland & Knight LLP.
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