Debate Team Supplies!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

Our school is located in NYC next to a jail where there is a daily line of inmates coming in and out. On the other side of the street is the criminal courts where there is a daily line of criminal cases. Our area is known more for poverty, crime, drugs, gangs, and failing schools than academic opportunities. However, three years ago our school started a debate team and became the only school in our area with a debate team. It has grown to nearly 100 students from grades 7th-12th. Their academic abilities range from special education to valedictorian. Their background ranges from abuse, mental institutionalization to perfect attendance. Their behavior ranges from regularly suspended to model student. But they are all united by their passion and love for debating. They spend their days learning about debate, evenings in debate practice, weekends at debate tournaments and summers at debate camps. For 100 years debate has been dominated by private schools or wealthy, elite public schools. The Urban Debate League was created to provide the opportunity for public school students to compete. While it has created infinite opportunities, the resource inequalities still exist. My students cannot wear the fancy suits that their competitors wear. We cannot travel in private chartered buses to tournaments. We cannot attend tournaments that charge a lot of money. Our school cannot afford supplies for the Debate Team. We do what we can to fundraise, but the bulk of the money to support the debate team comes from my own pocket and whatever students can contribute. But as our team grows larger and stronger, the need for more supplies, tournaments, travel, and coaching grow. I’ve been told that we should limit the number of students on the debate team but for me that is out of the question. Every student who is interested and excited about learning should never be denied that opportunity. Also, I firmly believe that a civics education grounded in debate, public speaking, oratory, politics, current events, law, government, and discussion is desperately needed in today’s schools. I am applying for this grant to purchase pens, paper, staplers and other supplies for the debate team. Your assistance will help close the achievement gap and assist one of the many wonders of the South Bronx. In a neighborhood known for poverty, drugs, crime and failing schools, there are a number of students dedicated to learning, reading and writing on a college level, debating about the world around them, and learning civic skills. And they devote their days, evenings, weekends and summers to this passion. Thank you for your time and consideration!