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In this Edition!
KIPP WINS 1ST IN MIDDLE SCHOOL!
BRONX & BROOKLYN WIN 1ST IN HIGH SCHOOL!
PS 278 WINS AND WINS!
FDA WINS TOP SPEAKER AWARDS!
BARD & POLY WIN PFD!
ICE WINS POLICY DEBATE!
BROOKLYN TECH WINS IN EVERY DIVISION!
CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS!
Summer Debate Camps
Lincoln Douglas Debate
Bronx Grant
Volunteers Needed!
Summer Debate Camp
NYC Debate Centers
Debate Curriculum
Sign Up Now!
Debate Calendars
2013-2014 Topic
Join Our Mailing List
2012-2013 NYC LOCAL DEBATE TOURNAMENT CALENDAR
 
Below is our schedule of local NYC debates that we host. All grade levels - Elementary School, Middle School, and High School divisions. Everything is free (registration, breakfast, lunch). Debaters should arrive 9:00am, registration closes at 9:30am. 

9/15 - Mini Debate Camp 

10/13 - Tournament #1 

11/10 - Tournament #2 (Institute for Collaborative Education). 

12/1 - Tournament #3
Park Slope Collegiate HS, John Jay Campus. 
Click here for invitation
Click here for Park Slope HS information.

1/5 - Tournament #4 (Brooklyn Tech)
Click here for invitation
Click here for Brooklyn Tech information.

2/21 - Tournament #5 - 
Click here for invitation
Click here for Institute for Collaborative Education information

3/9-3/10 - New York State Championships

4/5 - 4/8 - All City Debate Championships!
Click here  for registration!

May (TBA) - End of the Year Awards Ceremony & Banquet!
 
7/29-8/10 - New York Debate Institute
Click here for brochure
Click here for application

Trophies
Yale 2012 Tournament
 
2012-2013 
NYC TRAVEL TEAM TOURNAMENT CALENDAR
 
Schools interested in travel to out of state debate tournaments each month can join our Travel Pool program. All travel and housing provided by the NYC Debate League and member schools! Contact [email protected] for more information.

9/21- 9/23 - Yale University  
Click here for invitation.
 
10/5-10/6 - Monticello

11/2-11/3 - Vassar College

12/7-12/8 - Ridge Debate Invitational (New Jersey)
Click here for invitation

1/18-1/21 - Big Lexington Invitational (Boston)
Click here for invitation

 

2/1-2/2 - Newark Debate Invitational (New Jersey)
Click here for invitation

2/15-2/18 -  
Click here for invitation

3/1-3/2 - Lakeland Invitational (New York)
Click here for invitation
 
Georgetown Tournament 2012
Georgetown University 
2012 Tournament
 
2012-2013 
VARSITY NATIONAL CIRCUIT TRAVEL TEAM TOURNAMENT CALENDAR
 
For our top teams in the Travel Program that qualify for the Tournament of Champions, we support to travel to the nation's top tournaments. Contact [email protected] for more information.
 
9/28-9/30 - Georgetown University Invitational  Click here for logistics.
 

10/19-10/21 - New York City Invitational

Click here for more information. 

 

11/2-11/3 -  University of Michigan Invitational 


12/1-12/3 - Scranton Invitational & Round Robin



3/22-3/24 - Novice & Junior Varsity National Championships at Woodward HS, Georgia




5/24-5/26 -
(Philadelphia)

(Birmingham, Alabama)
SHARE YOUR WORK!

Calling all debate students, parents, teachers, coaches, volunteers - if you would like to be featured in our next NYC Great Debaters Weekly Newsletter, please send any photos, articles, poetry - anything debate related to Erik Fogel, [email protected]. Thank you for sharing your wonderful work!

QUICK LINKS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

We could not offer a debate league for all of New Yorkers without the generous support of so many!  And if interested in sponsoring a tournament, awards ceremony, debate trip.  Please contact us at [email protected]

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR GREAT DEBATERS!
 
Bickel & Brewer
Brown Rudnick
Celebration Law Review
Donors Choose
Fish & Richardson
Ford Foundation
Fried Frank
Generation On
Jenner & Block
McCarthy Dressman Foundation
MCU
National Association Urban Debate Leagues
NY General Contractors
NY Council for the Humanities
West Harlem Development Corporation
White House Youth Awards
Women Sports Foundation
YSA 
 
THANK YOU TO OUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS!

Eric Aboafe

Stefan Bauschard

David Budinger 

Caitlin Dean

Buskaret Family 

Fogel Family

Catherine Gardner

Victoria Henderson

David Hung

Demetrius Lambrinos

Marisa Perry

 

THANK YOU TO OUR COLLEGE PARTNERS! 

 

Baruch College

Columbia University

CUNY 

Hunter College

Institute for Urban and Minority Education

New York University

St. John's University

Teachers College

 

THANK YOU TO OUR IN KIND SUPPORTERS!

 

Bid Round Briefs

Champion Briefs

The Forensics Files

Foundation Briefs

PFD Debate

Planet Debate

Victory Briefs

West Coast Briefs

 

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS! 

 

Bella Azbug Leadership Institute

Boston Urban Debate League

Center on US-China Relations

Citizens Committee for New York

CUNY Debate Team

Dallas Urban Debate League

Dream Foundation

Good Shepherds

Harlem Children Zone

Harvard University

Harvard Alumni Association

Institute for Collaborative Education

International Debate and Education Association

Jewish Community Relations Council

KIPP Academy

Math for America

National Association of Urban Debate Leagues

National Forensics League

New Jersey Urban Debate League

New Visions

New York City Center for Charter Schools

New York City Department of Education

St. John's University Debate Team

Urban Assembly of Schools

Women's Sports Foundation

 

THANK YOU TO OUR SCHOOLS FOR HOSTING!

 

Achievement First High School

Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice

Brooklyn Tech High School

East Bronx Academy

Institute for Collaborative Education

John Jay High School

NYC iSchool

Simon Baruch

 

THE NEW YORK CITY
GREAT DEBATERS 
WEEKLY 
"Be Great! Be a Great Debater!"
New York City's Most Rigorous and 
Award Winning Academic Program!

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!
SPECIAL EDITION!
NYC GREAT DEBATERS SWEEP 
NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!
 
KIPP Academy's Alon and Jenea
2013 State Championships, Semifinalists!
Greetings!

Congratulations to all our New York City Great Debaters for sweeping the New York State Championships!!!!!  (Click here for complete results!)  Our teams won 1st Place at every grade level - both in the High School divisions and the Middle School Divisions!!!  And that's not all folks!.....

Congratulations to our debaters who have qualified for the Tournament of Champions and will compete soon in Kentucky!!

Congratulations to our debaters who have qualified for the National Debate Coaches Association Championship and will be competing in Tennessee!  

Congratulations to our debaters who have qualified to the National Forensics League Championship and will be competing in Alabama!

Congratulations to our debaters who have qualified to the Catholic National Forensics League Championships and will be competing in Philadelphia!!

Congratulations to our debaters who have qualified to the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues National Championship and will be competing in Washington D.C.

Indeed, we have had our most historic year yet as our Great Debaters compete against the top schools across the nation!  And we could not do this without your support!  And so thank you to all the Students, Teachers, Principals, Parents, Coaches, Alumni, and Volunteers who have made this year so magical!!!  

BE GREAT! BE A GREAT DEBATER!
 
Sincerely,
Erik Fogel, Executive Director
The New York City Urban Debate League
Twitter: @nycdebateleague
Phone: 917-455-1079
KIPP Academy's Ethan and Augustus 
2013 Public Forum Debate State Champions!
KIPP Academy's Jasonya and Tyshaya 
2013 Policy Debate State Champions!
KIPP Academy's Cyan and Davon
2013 State Championships, Semifinalists!
NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!
 
KIPP AMP MAKES HISTORY AND WINS 1ST PLACE IN BOTH POLICY DEBATE AND PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE AT THE NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!

KIPP AMP made history at the New York State Championships by becoming the first middle school to win BOTH events of Policy Debate and Public Forum Debate!  KIPP also won the Small School Sweepstakes as top school in New York!  Congratulations to top Public Forum Debate Teams of Jenean Taylor & Alon Baptiste as well as Ethan James & Augustus McGee.  Also congratulations to KIPP for taking home both the top 1st and 2nd place speaker awards! Congratulations to 1st Place Winner, Alon Baptiste and 2nd Place Winner, Ethan James.
 
In Policy Debate, KIPP also won the top team and speaker awards! Congratulations to Jasonya Beckles & Tyshaya Pearce as well as Cyan Mumford & Davon Collins.  Jasonya and Tyshaya won 1st Place overall in the policy debate division and Cyan and Davon were Semi-finalists!  KIPP also swept top speaker awards in policy debate. Jasonya Beckles took 3rd place, Tyshaya Pearce won 4th place and Trevor Brown won 5th place!
 
Congratulations to KIPP Academy and Coaches Jonathon and Jessica McIntosh!!!!  KIPP has had an historic season and also our first school to compete in both debate events of policy debate and public forum debate!  Debate format was no issue as the KIPP Great Debaters won in any debate event they participated in!  I guess we'll have to create new debate events next year to challenge KIPP even more! Congratulations Everyone! :)
NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!
 
BRONX AND BROOKLYN CLOSE OUT FINAL ROUNDS OF VARSITY HIGH SCHOOL POLICY DEBATE!

Despite the toughest of competition, NYC teams closed out the final rounds of the New York State Championships!  The Bronx was represented by the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice's  Charles Athanasopoulos & Geordano Liriano.  And Brooklyn was represented by Brooklyn Tech's Jeffrey Chui & Mohammed Hossain.  Shout outs to NYC!!!  The Final Round is scheduled for this Wednesday at the Brooklyn Debate Center!  Good luck to both teams, but no matter what - NYC wins the Varsity Debate Championships!





NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!

PS 278 WINS AND WINS AND WINS AND WINS AND WINS!

The 278 Debate Team WINS BIG!  Congratulations to PS 278 and Coach Loretta Brady! 

 

Belmin Rama and Gabriel Benitez 2nd place in the State of New York! Meredith Ciccone and Tsunami Guerrero placed 4th Place!  And PS 278 brought home the most speaker awards!!...

 

6th place speaker: Meredith Ciccone

8th Place speaker: Belmin Rama

11th place speaker: Marylou Andrades   

12th place speaker: Tsunami Guerrero

17th Place speaker: Gabriel Benitez


Congratulations to the students and Mrs. Brady for a historic showing at the State Championships!!!!  And it is only fitting as PS 278 was one of the first middle schools in the entire state of New York to participate in public forum debate!  Indeed, they started the program two years ago in our After School Debate League where PS 278 took home the most awards!!  And their streak continues this year by taking home so many awards during the regular season as well as the State Championships! Congratulations Everyone!

NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!
 
FREDERICK DOUGLAS ACADEMY WINS TOP SPEAKER AWARDS FOR BROOKLYN!

Congratulations to The Frederick Douglas Academy Debate Team and Coach Katie Vitale.  Siddique Baksh and David Grant captured top speaker awards at the tournament!  Also a huge shout out to the FDA debate program led by Ms. Vitale!  While FDA is one of our newest schools - it is also one of the most active debate schools in New York City.  Whether that's trekking for 2 hours on the subway to attend monthly debate workshops or competing at every single debate tournament this year - the FDA Great Debaters have become one of the largest and most successful middle school debate programs in NYC. Congratulations!!









NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!

NYC High Schools - Bard High School and Poly Prep Sweep Top Speaker Awards and Team Awards!

The Bard High School Early College public forum team of Isaiah Back-Gaal and Eliza Fawcett competed at Horace Mann on Saturday and reached the semi-finals! Eliza placed 3rd Best speaker and Isiah 5th top speaker!  Such achievements make the record books as our first high school public forum debate teams to do so well at the State Championships Tournament!  Congratulations!

Poly Prep also took top awards with Katherine Pazushko taking 1st Place top speaker and Laurence Sulner taking 2nd Place Top Speaker!!!!  Congratulations!!!  And it was no surprise that both debaters were also the top team after reaching the Final Rounds of the New York State Championships!!!!  History in the making for New York City!
ICE
NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!

Institute for Collaborative Education Wins 1st Place Top Speaker and 2nd Place Top Team in Middle School Policy Debate!

The streak continues!  ICE captured 1st place top speaker award at every tournament this year and the State Championships was no exception! Adelaide Gaughran-Bedell took 1st Place Top Speaker and her debate partner, LeeAnn Bael took 2nd place top speaker!  They were also runner up for the New York State Championships Middle School Division!
 
A huge shout out to the the Debate Team at the Institute for Collaborative Education and congratulations to coaches Mr.Romanow and Mr. Dash.  The ICE Team is the largest middle school debate team in New York State!  And their trophy case proves it with top awards at every single tournament this year including their 1st Place finish at the State Championships!  Congratulations!
 
ICE continues to ICE the competition!  Congratulations!
Tech


NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS!

Brooklyn Tech Wins in Novice, Junior Varsity, and Varsity High School Debate Divisions!

Brooklyn Tech!  One of the largest high school debate teams of New York City!!! One of the most successful debate teams of New York City!!! And the New York State Championships Tournament was no exception!!  Brooklyn Technical High School's Debate Team of Imen Boussayoud & Fariya Methila took first place Junior Varsity Top Team Award!!!  In the Varsity Division, Tech's Team of Jeffrey Chui & Mohammed Hossain reached the Final Round and were one of the top seeded teams of the tournament!  The final round will be this Wednesday at the Brooklyn Debate Center!  And congratulations to Tech's Novice Team of Princess Adeyinka & Aisha Thermidor for reaching the Semifinals of the State Championships Tournament!  No other school had greater success in the High School Policy Division - in every level of competition - novice, junior varsity, and varsity - Brooklyn Tech as always was always on top! Congratulations to the Tech Great Debaters, Coach Adam Stevens, and Assistant Coaches Aubrey, Andrew, Willey and all the incredible supporters of the Tech Great Debaters!  Congratulations for an amazing year!
Citizens Committee
CITY DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!
APRIL 5TH-6TH!

Last weekend was the New York State Championships!  Next weekend is the New York City Championships!  That is why scholastic debate is New York City's most rigorous and award winning academic program - nonstop academic action every weekend and every day!  

So!  You are cordially invited to attend the New York City Debate Championships - the most competitive tournament in New York State!  Only the top two teams from every school are invited to compete!  Every school in New York City is invited to compete!  And as always - all our programs are free for all schools!  Click here for registration!  Contact [email protected] if interested in judging!  And come celebrate the achievements of our city's top debaters!
 
Tournament Registration: click here or http://goo.gl/wWDqR
 
Tournament Location: The Institute for Collaborative Education, 345 E. 15th Street, New York, New York
 
Tournament Times: April 5th and 6th, Friday, 3pm-8pm and Saturday, 9am-6pm
 
Registration Costs: Free!

Tournament Meals: Free!

Tournament Admissions: Free!  Only requirement is to support our Great Debaters!
NYCDI - NYC picture
 
JULY 29TH - AUGUST 10TH 2013
APPLY NOW TO OUR 
NEW YORK DEBATE INSTITUTES!
 
The New York City Urban Debate League hosts the longest continuous debate institute in New York State.  We are also the only debate institute that serves all New Yorkers from across the state!  We offer an intense 2 week program from July 29th - August 10th from 9:00am-2:00pm.  Breakfast and lunch are served.  Students are trained in all debate events including Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, public speaking, rhetoric, current events, political science and philosophy.  Our staff includes some of the top debate instructors and debaters in the nation.  Click here for Day Camp brochure.  Click here for our application in Microsoft Word or here for our application as a PDF. Contact us at [email protected] for more information or call 917-455-1079.  You can email completed applications to us at [email protected] or mail them to Attn: Erik Fogel, 244 E. 163rd St., Bronx, New York 10451.  Thanks and see you this summer!

Additional New York Summer Debate Institutes Coming Soon!

The Brooklyn Debate Institute (BKDI)!

The Bronx Debate Institute (BXDI)!

The Manhattan Debate Institute (MDI)!

The Queens Debate Institute (QDI)!

The Staten Island Debate Institute (SIDI)!
 
The Harlem Debate Institute (HDI)!

LD Debate
NYC LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE IS BACK!

For years the JP Morgan Chase Foundation's Lincoln Douglas debates were one of New York's most premier debate events and a flagship program in our local urban debate league. Unfortunately, the debate program ended several years ago.  But that will soon change! Beginning Summer 2013, Lincoln Douglas Debate is back!  The Lincoln Douglas Debate program will kick off at our summer debate institute and will continue with monthly workshops and tournaments.

For those unfamiliar with the Lincoln Douglas ("LD") Debate format - LD debate is one of the three largest debate formats in the United States (Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Lincoln Douglas Debate).  LD debate is distinguished from other debate events in that like the historical debate it is named after between Abraham Lincoln and Steven Douglas - it is one on one, and over bimonthly topics in philosophy.  Whereas policy debate is based on on a year long public policy topic, public forum debate is centered on monthly current events, Lincoln Douglas debate is based on philosophical inquiry, readings, discussions, and debates!  For more on Lincoln Douglas Debate click here or visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln-Douglas_debate. 

For more information on how your school can get started in Lincoln Douglas Debate, please contact us at [email protected].  Thanks! 
We are the Bronx
SUPPORT BRONX NONPROFITS. VISIT WE ARE THE BRONX ONLINE AUCTION!  OR APPLY FOR LOCAL BRONX GRANT!

Visit the Bronx's online auction to bid on items to support a Bronx nonprofit! (http://www.benefitevents.com/auctions/jcrc/bronx/)  The We are the Bronx Fellowship supports Bronx nonprofits by providing a local grant to a Bronx based nonprofit as well as nonprofit training and development to nonprofits in the Bronx.  Click here to apply to the grant!  Applications are due April 3rd. The New York City Debate League was honored this year by being selected for the Fellowship! Its time to give back!  So we hope you can visit the online auction to support our fellow Bronx nonprofits!  Thank You!
Judges_volunteers
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!
As the city's free debate league for all students, we rely on an incredible network of volunteers - students, alumni, parents, teachers, and everyone passionate about education, debate, civics and providing the best opportunities for New York City youth! We need judges for each of our monthly tournaments. No experience required, we provide a training session, breakfast, lunch and incredible debates!  So please contact [email protected] or please complete our judge volunteer form.  We would love to have you at our fourth tournament, January 5th!  Thank you so much for supporting all our students to become Great Debaters!
Summer Camp
SUMMER DEBATE CAMP OPPORTUNITIES!

Why You Should Apply for Summer Debate Camp!

- if you like debate, then no experience beats debate camp!

- learn from the best debate coaches and debaters!

- looks great on college applications!

- fun!

- food!

- friends!

- trophies and tournaments!

 

THE NEW YORK DEBATE INSTITUTE (NYDI)

New York State's only debate camp serving all students from across New York State! This is a 2 week program for all grade levels.  Click here for Day Camp brochure.   Click here for our application in Microsoft Word or here for our application as a PDF. Contact us at [email protected] for more information.  

 

XYLUM DEBATE INSTITUTE 

Xylum debate institute is a summer debate institute for high school students that seeks to offer a unique immersion experience for critical debate learning

XDI brings a unique approach to debate teaching that focuses on persuasion, ethos and word efficiency over incomprehensible speed and pointless technicality.  Our curriculum will engage with the most pressing ethical questions in US foreign policy with Latin America by emphasizing critical research on the histories of the topic countries and US policy.  If critical debate is your friend, love thy friend.  If critical debate is your enemy; know thy enemy.  Click here for more information.

 

HARVARD DEBATE INSTITUTE

The Harvard Debate Council Summer Workshop strives to surround students with the highest quality staff any camp can assemble. In 2011 the Workshop boasted student to staff ratios of 2:1, the best of any debate workshop in the country by a wide margin. Students at the workshop will have the opportunity to work with some of the top debate coaches in the country.  For more information, visit https://www.hdcworkshops.org.  


GEORGETOWN SUMMER DEBATE INSTITUTE
The strength of our institute is our staff. Our teaching staff consists of coaches whose teams have won the National Debate Tournament, The Tournament of Champions, The CEDA National Tournament, the NDCA tournament, the NFL tournament and virtually every other major college and high school tournament in the nation. During the institute our staff are committed to providing the best possible educational environment. Location  For policy debaters there may be no better place to be than in Washington DC. Our proximity to the Capitol give our students access to opportunities no other debate camps can provide. In the summer of 2012 many of our students had the opportunity to be present at the Supreme Court for the announcement of the health care decision. And although we cannot guarantee that events like that happen every summer, we are committed every year to having experts on the topic visit the camp and give our students insight into how policy making works. For more information, visit http://georgetowndebate.wordpress.com.

FOUR STAR LEADERSHIP WITH GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS (50 Full Scholarships Available)

Four Start Leadership is a world-class summer leadership program that allows 50 of the top high school students in the US to have a face-to-face experience with national and international leaders.  Click here for more information.

  

THE DARTMOUTH DEBATE INSTITUTE (DDI)

The Dartmouth Debate Institute is a rigorous program for beginners - advanced high school debaters on the Dartmouth campus in Hanover, New Hampshire. Recognized as one of the top debate institutes in the country.  Features small classes with labs capped at 24 students and 1:8 teacher-student ratio.  Teaching staff are some of the top debate coaches in the country.  Argument diversity - instructors that specialize in policy, critical, and non-traditional arguments.  Elective classes that students can choose.  Skills and Strategy - the DDI's unique competitive lab structure promotes constant strategizing against other labs' arguments before and during the tournament. This year, we're adding even more early and structured skills practice with immediate feedback.For more information, visit http://www.ddidebate.org.  Scholarships available!


EMORY NATIONAL DEBATE INSTITUTE (ENDI)

ENDI takes place at Emory University in Georgia.  The Institute offers 2, 4, and 6 week programs.  Emory is home of the urban debate league movement!  For more information, visit http://emorydebate.com.  Scholarships available!


GONZAGA DEBATE INSTITUTE (GDI)

Located in beautiful Washington State the GDI has trained students in policy debate for over 20 years.  Debaters of various diverse backgrounds and skill levels from across the nation seeking a challenging, rewarding, competitive, and enjoyable summer institute have found that experience at the GDI. These alumni have consistently achieved success at the highest levels in both high school and college debate. Students will engage a rigorous curriculum of skill, theory, and practice from one of the top faculties in the nation while working in state of the art classrooms and facilities.  We hope you'll decide to be part of the GDI experience. Visit the links at the bottom of this page to learn more and to apply for the 2013 GDI.  For more information, visit http://www.gonzagadebate.com/GDI.htm.  Scholarships available!

 

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DEBATE INSTITUTES

Students at the Michigan Debate Institutes are instructed by the nation's most accomplished and experienced workshop faculty. The faculty is comprised of national champion high school and college coaches and outstanding intercollegiate debaters. In the past decade the faculty members of our workshops have coached numerous college and high school national championship teams. Several of our faculty members are Emory University Barkley Forum Gold Key Coaches. Several have coached Tournament of Champions winners and NFL National Champions. The one attribute the members of this faculty share is a commitment to providing a constructive and stimulating educational environment for students of the Michigan Debate Institutes.  For more information, visit http://www.gonzagadebate.com/GDI.htm.

 

THE NORTHWESTERN DEBATE INSTITUTE

The Northwestern Debate Institute is an unequaled living-learning experience for high school debaters.  The institute will provide an intensive and comprehensive summer debate experience that will prepare debaters for next season and beyond.  Northwestern University's Debate Team has an unparalleled record of success based on the foundations, fundamentals and techniques taught at the Northwestern Debate Institute.  Learn the debate principles that led to 13 NDT championships, 15 final round appearances, 6 top speakers a record of success unmatched in college debate.  Come join our program for rising Sophomore, Juniors and Seniors to learn with and debate against the best competition in the country.  Alumni of the Northwestern Debate Institute have gone on to win every major high school tournament.  For more information, visit http://www.northwestern.edu/nhsi/debate/index.html.  Scholarships available!

 

CAL BERKELEY DEBATE INSTITUTE (CNDI)

The Cal National Policy Debate Institute brings together some of the brightest and hardest working high school coaches, college coaches and current college debaters to provide students a variety of educational perspectives. The institute has a strong commitment to maintaining a low student-to-staff ratio that ensures individualized coaching. A special emphasis is placed on helping students refine their speaking and argument techniques through a number of practice debates and speeches, as well as an end-of-camp tournament. Students will be provided with a diverse set of affirmative and negative arguments when they arrive so practice debates and speeches can begin on the first day. Finally, participants have access to the facilities and resources of the country's leading public university to help them develop their research skills.  For more information visit http://caldebatecamp.com.  Scholarships available!

 

STANFORD DEBATE INSTITUTE

The Stanford National Forensic Institute offers a unique national caliber program conducted by the Stanford Debate Society of Stanford University, a registered student organization of the Associated Students of Stanford University.The SNFI Policy camp offers two, three and four week options.  Special Programs within the three week camp includes the Sophomore Scholars lab for rising stars with widely acclaimed instructors  jon sharp and Judy Butler, and the Critical Argument Lab with Dr Shanara Reid-Brinkley. The SNFI Policy camp, in each of the programs, has received extremely positive feedback from past attending students. In particular, over the last three years, over 95% of attending students said that they would recommend the program to others, and more than 90% of students have rated the quality and effort their instructor made on their behalf as a 9 or 10 out of 10 on their end of camp evaluation forms. For more information visit http://snfi.org/camp/category/14/policy-debate.html.  Scholarships available!

 

TEXAS DEBATE INSTITUTE

The University of Texas debate program is a highly competitive program geared towards competing at the National Debate Tournament (NDT) and Cross-Examination Debate Association (CEDA) national tournaments.  The Texas Debate Institute is considered one of the top debate institutes in the country. For more information, visit http://utdebatecamp.com.

boroughs_nyc
DROP BY YOUR DEBATE CENTER!
We offer debate centers in each borough for any students or teachers to drop in for the best debate training, supplies and snacks - for free!  Click here for more information about our debate centers or click on any of the centers below.

When: Wednesdays, 3:00pm-7:00pm
Where: The Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice, 283 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Contact: Ben Crossan, [email protected]
 
When: Mondays, 3:30pm-6:30pm
Where: St. John's University, St. John's Hall, Room 203 
Policy Debate Coach: Tommye Weddington [email protected]
Public Forum Debate Coach: Ming Yang Zhao [email protected] 
 
When: Wednesdays, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Where: 
Columbia University, Teachers College, Zankel 406, 525 West 120th Street
Contact: Jen Johnson or Erik Fogel, [email protected]
 
When: Mondays, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Where: The Urban Assembly School for Law, Government and Justice, 244 E. 163rd St., Bronx, NY, 10451
Contact: Erik Fogel, [email protected]
chabeli
Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Lincoln Douglas Resources and Curriculum Available! 
Our tournaments feature the country's three most popular and rigorous debate formats - Policy Debate, Public Forum debate, and Lincoln Douglas Debate! 

POLICY DEBATE
Policy debate is the oldest American debate format.  It is also the most popular debate format at all grade levels from middle school to college. Harvard, Berkeley, Stanford, NYU, Georgetown, Emory, Dartmouth - are just a  few of the universities with Policy Debate Teams!  Policy Debate engages students in a year long public policy study of a single topic where students earn an equivalent of a masters degree on that topic. Policy Debate is unique in (1) freedom of argumentation (there are no limits in strategies of argumentation - the only rule being there are no rules), (2) quantity of information (debaters research and study thousands of arguments), (3) speed of thinking and delivery (debate rounds can reach over 350 words per minute), (4) evidence based argumentation (points go to not simply how well you speak but how well you read, analyze, question, construct and deconstruct evidence). Click here to access our policy debate resources.

PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE
Our other event of Public Forum Debate is the country's newest, fastest growing debate event, and now the most popular debate event at the high school level.  Public Forum Debate ("PFD") is one of the most real world debate formats at the national level and one of the best means of preparation for a career in politics and leadership. PFD challenges our debaters to be tomorrow's political leaders with topics that change each month based on current events.  Students engage in presidential style debates of researching, writing and delivering speeches on the most pressing current issues of the day. Points go to debaters who best persuade the audience.  PFD is also the best debate format for younger, beginner debaters and new coaches looking for a quick and easy debate format to learn.  Click here to access our public forum debate resources. And email us ([email protected]) for the latest topic resources available each month.
 
LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE
Lincoln Douglas Debate (LD) is our newest addition to our tournaments!  LD is sometimes called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logicethical values, and philosophy.  LD is also different from policy and public forum debate because it features 1 on 1 debating, whereas the other formats of debate you are with a partner.  LD is one of the most rigorous forms of debate because you are essentially the equivalent of a College or Graduate Student majoring in Philosophy!  Whereas most students will never take a philosophy class until college, LD requires you to study, read, think and write about philosophy every day! Click here for more resources on Lincoln Douglas Debate!
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JOIN THE NEW YORK CITY DEBATE LEAGUE!

The New York City Debate League is free for all students and all schools! Sign up for the 2012-2013 debate season! Weekly workshops, monthly tournaments, professional development, summer debate camps, books, materials, curriculum, scholarships - everything you need to start a debate team at your school is free. Don't have a debate team at your school? No problem!  We provide free tournaments, training, materials and everything else you need! Not sure of what type of debate you want to do?  We have all types of debate - policy debate, public forum debate, international debate and more! Whatever you need! Whenever you need! Wherever you need! Just let us know!! We believe that all students should be Great Debaters! Contact Erik Fogel, [email protected], 917-455-1079, or sign up online!
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2012 - 2013 
DEBATE CALENDAR

Visit our website to check out the 2012-2013 Debate Calendars!  All our tournaments feature policy debate and public forum debate and soon we plan to add international debate! 

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2012-2013 POLICY DEBATE TOPIC ANNOUNCED!!!  
 

On January 10, 2013, ballots from 33 states, the National Catholic Forensic League, National Debate Coaches Association and the National Forensic League were tabulated at the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) headquarters to select the 2013-14 national high school policy debate topic. With 70% of the vote the 2013-2014 topic will be, "Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic engagement toward Cuba, Mexico, or Venezuela."  The competing topics were also all foreign policy topics which included IndiaExport Controls, Russia, and Southeast Asia.  For more information on these topics click here or (http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=7349).  Click here for a table of which states voted for the different debate topics (or http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=8374).

  

And don't forget to sign up for the National Forensics League so you can vote for each annual  topic!  The National Forensics League is the nation's largest academic honors society and host to the largest academic competition in the world - the National Championships in speech and debate! Membership is free for all urban debate schools! Contact nycudl@gmail.com for additional details!

 

  

NYCUDL Wins White House Award!  
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OUR CITY'S GREAT DEBATERS! 

 

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"The New York City Urban Debate League is a program that empowers underserved students while immersing them in public speaking, research techniques, civics, law and ethnic studies.  Along with countless debating trophies, the program boasts 10 years of data showing that their alums have higher grade point averages, high school graduation rates, college acceptances and number of scholarships than their peers."

 

-Jim Leach, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, presenting the NYCUDL with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award for the nation's top after school program.  Mr. Leach is a former US Congressional Representative of 30 years of service, Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, Interim Director of the Institute of Politics and Lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, recipient of 13 honorary degrees, and numerous awards.

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