The KIPP AMP Debate team returned from a powerful debate experience in Birmingham, AL.  With 95 schools comprising over 700 entries in speech and debate, it constituted the largest tournament to date. Our students had an amazing experience and demonstrated the power of competitive work and preparation. In the Middle School Division, 8th Grader Trevor Brown was elected the Presiding Officer of his Congress Chamber - earning a gavel for his leadership of the house.  From the Preliminary Rounds - KIPP AMP broke two teams to the TOP 16 schools in the nation!  Trevor Brown and Stephon Carattini broke to the oct-final round as the 9th seed at the Tournament (with a 4-1 record in preliminary rounds).  

Jasonya Beckles and Tyshaya Pearce broke the oct-final round as the 16th seed at the Tournament (with a high 3-2 preliminary record). They debated the top seed at the tournament from LNU, a private debate institute from California. In a resounding upset, the KIPP AMP team beat the number 1 team at the tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals. In a heated debate over the best way to increased disenfranchised groups in policy making, the KIPP AMP team lost on a close decision (2-1), ending the tournament in a tie for 4th in the Nation!

Editor's Note: Congratulations again to the KIPP Academy Debate Team and Debate Coaches Jonathon McIntosh & Jessica McIntosh! They are both among the longest serving middle school debate coaches in New York and their passion and commitment to debate is incredible!  They have led their teams to multiple local, city, state and national championships!  They have broken every glass ceiling from motivating their students to participate in ALL speech and debate events as well as compete in the most competitive tournaments in the entire world!  But most of all it is inspiring to see them every Saturday morning at tournaments leading workshops to teach any new debater from any school in the city - the basics of debate and bringing the passion of debate to new generations!  Thank you Jonathon and Jessica and thank you to ALL our middle school coaches for making us one of the largest and most successful middle school debate leagues in the country!  

One of our goals for next year is to encourage and support as many NYC schools as possible to join the National Forensics League and also to participate in the National Forensics League National Championships.

Membership in the National Forensics League (Speech & Debate) is free for all our members!  The benefits are infinite ranging from one of the largest national high school and middle school honorary societies that includes Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, Governors, Mayors, Journalists, Generals, Chief Executive Officers, Actors, and leaders in every other profession to daily teaching resources to support your debate team!  Click here for National Speech and Debate League member Oprah Winfrey introducing the benefits of membership!  So contact us at nycudl@gmail.com! 

The signature event of the National Forensics League is hosting the National Speech and Debate Tournament which is the largest academic competition in the world and has been held since 1931.  "The National Tournament is an opportunity to bring together middle and high school students from across the country and showcase their speech and debate talents," said Executive Director of the National Forensic League, J. Scott Wunn. "Students put in hours of hard work throughout the school year to qualify, and competing in the Tournament is the culmination of their dedicated efforts."  For additional information about the National Tournament click here or excerpted below:

The Tournament marks the capstone of high school speech and debate activities for nearly 120,000 students around the nation. This year, more than 3,000 high school students from 967 high schools and more than 700 middle school students from 91 schools will participate in the Tournament, in addition to students from 20 international schools located in countries such as China and Korea.

To attend, students must place among the top competitors at one of 109 District Tournaments. Qualifiers compete for $200,000 worth of college scholarships in one of 11 main events-Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Congressional Debate-House, Congressional Debate-Senate, Original Oratory, United States Extemporaneous Speaking, International Extemporaneous Speaking, Humorous Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, and Duo Interpretation-as well as seven consolation and supplemental events.

"The Tournament unites students from diverse backgrounds under the common banner of speech and debate," said Cherian Koshy, assistant National Tournament director and director of development for the National Forensic League. "It's rare to see so many students gather in one place to express their passion for the same activity." 

How to become a Member!

First, become a member of the New York City Urban Debate League by completing our registration form!  Click here!

Second, as a member of the New York City Urban Debate League, membership in the National Forensics League is free!  If you are a high school click here for the registration form and if you are a middle school click here for the registration form!

We are signing up new schools for the 2014 - 2015 school year!!!  The New York City Debate League is for every single school, every single student, every single grade level, and every single age level!  Our sole mission is that every single person can and should be a Great Debater!  And so sign up now for your school to start a debate team, or if you are interested in judging, coaching, teaching, debating or simply learning more about debate!  Please contact us at nycudl@gmail.com.  Remember... "Be Great!  Be a Great Debater!"

Click here to learn more about the New York City Urban Debate League as well as the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues!

Click here to register your school for the New York City Urban Debate League!

See you at Tournament #1 in October or our Debate Institutes throughout the summer or in September!