Minnesota Urban Debate League, THANKS TO YOU: Spring/Summer 2016

THANKS TO YOU

PROGRAMMING UPDATE | SPRING/SUMMER 2016

(Photo courtesy of Armand Hayes Photography)

Minnesota Urban Debate League, a program of Augsburg College

DIRECTOR’S LETTER As we wrap up another school year and plan for summer camp, I am in awe of what our students have accomplished.

Our students are truly amazing –they are, in the words of new Advisory Board member, Malik Bush– “Superheroes out to change the world.”

The need for these amazing superheroes is

I am proud of students like Yossef Elsawy,

greater than ever. Your investment in our

Valedictorian for Humboldt High School –

young people is helping them fly to meet the

who is both a Gates Millenium Scholar (a

challenges of this complex world. We have a

prestigious scholarship that funds seven years

great urgency to prepare the next generation

of undergraduate and graduate study), and

of critical thinkers and civic champions, and

who achieved an Associate’s degree through

with your support, debaters are more than up

St. Paul College, while still in high school. Or

to the task. Thank you for partnering with us!

Chris Oquist from Roosevelt High School, who is an Act 6 Scholar for community engagement, and will be attending Augsburg College in the fall on full scholarship.

In gratitude,

Amy

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Debaters + Rotary Club = Civic Champions (Photo courtesy of rotarympls.org)

Through debate, young people learn how to resolve disagreements and find effective solutions.

The Minnesota Urban Debate League was awarded the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club’s $3,000 New Member Grant! Rotary Club members have volunteered as debate judges, a partnership that is powering debate in the Twin Cities. Through civic involvement to support debate, our community is empowering young people to become active citizens able to give back.

Research shows that debaters are more likely than non-debaters to be concerned with state and local issues, to feel a responsibility to improve the community, and to believe that they have good ideas to offer the community. Debaters are good at helping others, listening to what others say, and finding ways to help people resolve arguments.

These benefits in social competence empower students to be powerful advocates in their own lives, and in the lives of others.

We are thrilled for the partnership between the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club and the MNUDL that is helping students experience the benefits of debate.

Thanks to your support and the support of organizations such our local Rotary Club, young people are becoming powerful civic champions. A special thank you to Scott Benson, former MNUDL Board member, who made it possible for our two organizations to connect over the shared goal of increased civic engagement.

Are you a member of a club or community oriented group?

The MNUDL is happy to provide speakers and civic projects.

Contact Monica Finke for more information: finkem@augsburg.edu| 612-359-6463

VOLUNTEER PROFILES Meet Carlos,Volunteer Judge:

(Photo courtesy of Armand Hayes Photography)

Carlos – An Urban Debater Paying It Forward Johnson High School debater, Carlos, is one of many high school debaters who volunteered for our Middle School debate season. We spoke with him about his experience during a pause in the action at a tournament: How did you become a debater?

I started debate because a lot of people, and teachers especially, convinced me to do debate.

I’m an outgoing person, and it was a way to actually get my voice out.

Judging middle school debate now is a really tough job because you have to listen well, pay attention, and write things down.

Do you have any advice for new judges?

I’ve been in the debaters’ seats, so I think you should think of yourself as one of them, so then they trust in you, and they do a better job and say things better.

What have you learned from being a judge?

Now that I’ve been in both shoes, I can tell that judging can really help you win as a debater and improve, and know what judges might be looking for. Everyone should try being a judge!

To read more from Carlos visit our blog: augsburg.edu/urbandebateleague/blog

Be like Carlos: Become a debate judge.

We’ll Show You How! Our middle and high school debate rounds rely on the judging of talented and attentive people to create a fun and engaging learning experience for students.

Judging is a great way for you to help young people learn and succeed.

To join Carlos as a volunteer judge: Contact Monica Finke finkem@augsburg.edu 612-359-6463

JUDGES PANEL:

Mayor Chris Coleman Saint Paul

James Burroughs

Minnesota Chief Inclusion Officer

Margaret Anderson Kelliher

President & CEO of the Minnesota High Tech Association

Professor Mark Kappelhoff Associate Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School

You’re invited | To buy tickets or sponsor a table: fog.augsburg.edu/udl-mayors-challenge Contact: williamg@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1730 for more information

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES La Voz: Celebrating Language, Leadership, Culture

(Photo courtesy of Alex Brown)

“My parents were happy with Spanish debate because they said it’s good for us to keep our

generation – to their families’ language

traditional language.”

about what they are studying; their history

and culture. Your support means that students are not only learning about policy issues, but they also talk to their parents and grandparents in their home language and heritage is strengthened as language barriers are broken.

By debating entirely in Spanish at three debate tournaments this year, student

Furthermore, students who start the Spanish

voices (la voz in Spanish) are being

Debate Program with conversational

strengthened.

Spanish, and these gains transfer to their other areas of academic study as well.

immersed in English; yet through this process, what is lost? The Spanish debate program increases access for new immigrants, while also connecting heritage Spanish speaking students – 2nd and 3rd

students. By participating in Spanish debate, these young scholars are connecting not only to their families and

Students in an anonymous focus group with MPS researchers praised the

The program offers three debate tournaments for our Spanish-speaking

Spanish skills improve their academic

It is the immigrant experience to be

My teachers and my mom said it was ok to join debate because it’s helping me with my Spanish. It was kind of hard at the beginning because I didn’t write at all in Spanish before. But now I can write it and I can read it outloud.”

culture, but are also empowering their voices to be heard.

Spanish Debate Program:

SUMMER DEBATE CAMP 2016 Scholarships Make Camp A Reality For Excited Students

“Scholarships make debate camp a possibility for so many students in an age when camp is incredibly valuable for students in debate.”

–Alix Dahl, Roseville debate coach and Director of Residential Life for the Minnesota Debate Advocacy Workshop (MDAW) at Augsburg College HELP A CAMPER ATTEND MDAW THIS YEAR ,VISIT: augsburg.edu/urbandebateleague/donate

(Photo courtesy of Augsburg College, by Stephen Geffre)

COMMUNITY COACH PROFILE Debaters Coaching Debaters: Hodan Makes a Difference A motivated and accomplished debater, Hodan knows the power of debate to raise up students’ voices and why your support is important.

Hodan is an Edison High School student and the Community Coach for Franklin Middle School. Our middle school Community Coaches are experienced high school debaters. They bring their skills full circle to benefit younger students and help our middle school teacher coaches lead each debate team.

(Photo courtesy of Sam Hartzell)

“As a student coach, what matters to me, is preparing the absolutely delightful kids I work with for high school by learning the skill of policy debate. My ultimate goal is to be a helpful resource to the students.”

–Hodan By strengthening policy debate in high school, you are creating educational opportunities for middle schoolers in the form of mentorship and guidance of Community Coaches like Hodan!

Sponsor a High School Student Coach: each student coach receives a stipend of $500. To find out more, contact cramhe@ augsburg.edu.

(Photo courtesy of Armand Hayes Photography)

4 Weeks of Fun, 3 Camps to Choose From Summer Debate Camp Starting Soon, Open For Registration: This collaborative effort between the MNUDL, Augsburg College and the University of Minnesota Debate Team provides a high quality summer camp experience to students in the Twin Cities metro area and the upper mid-west region, at an affordable price.

The workshop operates on a non-profit basis and scholarships are available for students. You can be a part of this year’s summer debate camp by sponsoring a scholarship, or volunteering to teach or judge. Your support is invaluable and keeps our debaters learning and having fun this summer!

Start Dates:

• Middle School Day Camp begins on June 20th, running for 1 week

• High School Policy Camp begins on June 26th, and runs for 3 weeks, students may choose to attend for 1, 2, or all 3 weeks.

• Our new social justice and advocacy focused camp, The Advocacy Unit, begins this year on July 11th, running for 1 week

All info for camp can be found online at: augsburg.edu/ urbandebateleague/mdaw or contact Genesia Williams: williamg@augsburg.edu | 612-330-1730

BOARD ENGAGEMENT

Malik Bush: “Debaters Are Superheroes Saving the World” I view debate as a method for young people, and young people of color specifically, to learn to question and think critically in a way that frequently society doesn’t want them to.

What do you think is most impactful about this activity?

Malik Bush recently joined the MNUDL’s Advisory Board and is passionate about using the power of debate to create a new generation of change-makers.

Could you introduce yourself and your professional background?

I am the co-director of the Center for School Change, a St. Paul research and advocacy organization focused on education reform. I’ve been involved in education in some way, shape, or form for nearly 30 years.

Why do you choose to support debate as a member of the Advisory Board?

To have young people confidently stand in front of a person in authority and say “I’ve thought about what you’ve said and the rules you are establishing, and these are the reasons why that rule is wrong,” creates people who are able to change the world. That’s why I want to see urban debate in every single school, and every single district, for every single kid.

What are you most excited about for the MNUDL this next year?

And I can see the glee in their eyes when they get up. It’s so much fun.

There will be adults at the Challenge who haven’t seen debate in a long time.

And their vision of what urban children and children of color are capable of will be changed. In the future, they will see kids on the street and think “That kid could be an urban debater.”

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Debate humanizes in a way that other things can’t. That’s a message that I’m very excited to help spread.

I think that children who learn to debate have super powers and I want them to walk around with a big D on their chest and a cape. I want them to save the world.

I am most excited about seeing the Mayor’s Debate Challenge. I like watching for that moment when one team catches the other team in that moment when they’re like “I gotcha!”

Community Engagement Grant A Win-Win Partnership: Growing Volunteers and Advancing Scholarship Students from the University of Minnesota are putting theory into practice by volunteering at debate tournaments thanks to the Engaged Departments Grant.

The new partnership allows University students and debaters to learn from each other. U of M students will use their studies to provide our young debaters with fair, constructive and fun in-round experiences.

According to Department Chair Ron Greene, volunteering benefits his Communications Studies students by “improving their argumentation skills and holding them accountable for comprehending, analyzing, and evaluating the quality of the arguments delivered by middle school students.”

The first year of the partnership was a big success, with 40 University students providing 270 hours of service!

DEBATE SEASON UPDATES

Sanford Crowned Champions, Barton Wins 2nd Place UDL Champs Trophies (Photo courtesy of Armand Hayes Photography)

This middle school debate season was a success thanks to your support! The debaters went home from the City Championships tired but giddy, looking forward to debate again next year.

Franklin Middle School took 1st place in the Rookie division, with Andersen Middle School winning 2nd.

354 young debaters completed 12 tournaments over three months. They were thrilled to battle it out argument to argument in each debate round – and feast on pizza afterwards!

In Junior Varsity, Ramsey Middle School’s team earned first place honors, while Anthony Middle School took home second place! And in Varsity, Sanford Middle School were crowned the champions, and Clara Barton Open School won 2nd place.

At the City Championships held at Murray Middle School, the last debate rounds of the season took place in classrooms crowded with spectators.

Seward Middle School became 2016’s the Novice champion, and Marcy Open School won 2nd place.

Highland Park & Washburn Face Off in Final Round of State Tournament At the Minnesota State High School League’s 115th State Tournament, top debaters from MNUDL schools, Highland Park and Washburn High School competed for this year’s championship!

During the State Debate Tournament in January, Dan Bannister & Ian Dill of Highland Park, and Never Huber & Grace Klage of Washburn overcame all opposition to face-off to become the State Champions.

Congratulations to Dan & Ian for winning the state tournament championship and to Never & Grace for earning 2nd place! Both teams also advanced to this year’s National Speech and Debate Association national tournament in Salt Lake City in June.

Separately, Highland Park also won first place at the TOC, held in Lexington, Kentucky this year.

The Tournament of Champions (TOC) is a national competition featuring some of the best teams from around the country. Dan and Ian took home the top prize. A first for any Minnesota Team. Congratulations to the debaters and coaches on a great season!

San Francisco: We Came, We Saw, We Debated!

(Photo courtesy of The National Urban Debate League)

Your support for the Minnesota Urban Debate League has launched young debaters to unforgettable experiences at the National Urban Debate Championships.

Never Huber & Grace Klage of Washurn High School, and Chris Oquist & Malik Akintola of Roosevelt High School competed at the National Urban Debate League Urban Debate Championship in San Francisco this spring, one of the most prestigious debate competitions!

All four of our debaters were competing alongside the best urban debate league teams in the country, and Chris & Malik made it into the top 16 teams of the competition!

Congratulations to everyone! Thank you for putting Minnesota’s young people on the national stage!

MINNESOTA URBAN DEBATE LEAGUE Campus Box 26 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454

augsburg.edu/urbandebateleague facebook.com/MNUDL twitter.com/MNUrbanDebate

(Photo courtesy of Armand Hayes Photography)

“For me, the first value of debate is a passion of learning, reading and critical thinking. It makes you ask questions, and it allowed me to raise my hand and engage. It made me a better citizen.”

–Former debater and MNUDL volunteer Sidd Singhal

Because of you, debate can create engaged citizens, who give back to their communities.

THANK YOU.