Chicago Debates

Last year, Chicago Debates served a record number of students since before the pandemic. To build on our success and ensure every student has the opportunity to participate in debate, we need to raise $50,000 by October 1st. Donate to our fall fundraiser and make a tangible change in the lives of Chicago Public Schools students here: www.chicagodebates.org/donate

Happy Labor Day from Chicago Debates! We'd especially like to thank our coaches, volunteers, and staff for all of their hard work as they change the lives of Chicago Public Schools students through academic speech and debate. We'll be back to serving students with you tomorrow, September 3rd.

Chicago Debates is seeking mission-driven, engaging, and service-oriented candidates with a demonstrated passion for philanthropy to join our Governing and Associate Boards. If you have a passion for debate and want to make a difference in the lives of thousands of Chicago Public Schools students, check out the Governing and Associate Board Opportunity Guides: https://loom.ly/EsJVaf8

Happy first day of school to all of our CPS students, coaches, and volunteers! We can't wait for another exciting year of community and debate in school year 2024-2025.

This year's Chicago Debates Summer Institute would not have been possible without the help of our incredible sponsors! Support from organizations like Relativity, RSM US Foundation, and White & Case LLP helps us make debate programming more accessible to hundreds more CPS students, and we thank you for your patronage!

Chicago Debates Summer Institute 2024 was a blast! Friday's end-of-camp tournament wrapped up our programming with excellent debate and excitement for the year to come. We can't wait to see you all in the 2024-2025 season!

While the debate community may expand far and wide, the connections last forever! Former debaters Joyce Harduvel and Evan McCarty reunited at today's CDSI camp tournament. From 2009 to now, they each continue to hold debate near and dear as a coach for Kenwood Academy and a Chicago Debates Associate Board Member, respectively!

Chicago Debates would like to congratulate several members of our staff for starting new positions! As we continue to build equitable debate programming across the city, we look forward to seeing the impact our team members make in new and exciting ways.

That's a wrap on speech camp! Our middle and high school students participated in an end-of-camp tournament to test our their new and improved speaking skills, and we love watching them raise their voices to discuss the issues they care about. Up next: debate camp!

Today is the first day of the Chicago Debates Summer Institute! This week, students are participating in our Speech track, where they will learn how to become strong and confident public speakers. We're so excited to teach these students valuable life-long skills and have some fun while we're doing it!

Meet the Chicago Debates summer interns! We've partnered with Chicago Public Schools' Academic Competitions to give these students the opportunity to gain real-world professional experience. These current and former debaters will help us to prepare core files, write demo debates, and more!

ICYMI: Executive Director Anthony Bolden discussed equity and debate with Newsweek in the wake of our Activating Equity Award win! "There is no greater opportunity one can give a student than to give them a space to use their voice." Read more here! https://loom.ly/RvfHBDE

Chicago League Wins National Award for Advancing Equity in Debate - Newsweek Chicago Debates Executive Director Anthony Bolden said this award will help keep debate teams competing in underfunded Chicago schools.

This Friday, July 12, is the last day to register for the Chicago Debates Summer Institute! There are still spots open for Public Forum and Policy Debate camp. Visit chicagodebates.org/cdsi to register or learn more!

Chicago Debates wishes you all a fun and safe 4th of July! We will be out of office on the 4th and 5th in observance.

The numbers are in: in the 2023-2024 school year, Chicago Debates had the most volunteers participate in a season since before the pandemic! Over 400 individuals took the time to give back to their community by helping us provide academic debate to Chicago Public Schools students. Are you interested in volunteering? Visit www.chicagodebates.org/volunteer to learn more about how you can help in our upcoming season!

Last week, Chicago Debates was honored to receive the Activating Equity Award from the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) in Des Moines, Iowa. This award is a testament to our commitment to lift up the voices of all Chicago Public Schools students, regardless of who they are or where they come from. Debate has the power to change the lives of thousands of students, and we are honored to be a catalyst for change for nearly thirty years. Thank you to the NSDA for this incredible award!

We are absolutely honored to receive the Activating Equity Award! Thank you to the National Speech & Debate Association for the recognition and for helping us to further our mission through making speech and debate more equitable for all Chicago Public Schools students.

We are excited to announce that the winner of the 2024 Activating Equity Award is Chicago Debates!

We applaud your efforts to make this activity more accessible to all people, especially those who often feel their words or perspectives are neglected. We can't wait to discover how your organization will continue enhancing a culture of equity in speech and debate!

To find out more about Chicago Debates, visit their website » https://www.chicagodebates.org/

Chicago Debates recognizes Juneteenth as a celebration of independence and unity. Our mission is to empower Chicago's youth to become independent future leaders and use their voices to make a difference in their communities. Visit us on www.chicagodebates.org to learn more about the work we do to bridge the educational and opportunity gap for Chicago Public Schools' students.

At last year's Chicago Debates Summer Institute, we served nearly 80 students, and we're on track to nearly double in size this year! Donating to Chicago Debates helps us to provide camp scholarships to students, saving their families anywhere from $175 to $625 while providing quality academic summer programming. Donate at www.chicagodebates.org/donate to help send kids to camp!

We're all smiles for summer! Are you missing debate already? Join us for the Chicago Debates Summer Institute from July 22nd to August 9th to keep those Speech, Public Forum, and Policy Debate skills fresh! Read more or register here: https://loom.ly/dvKpaWA

Chicago Debates would like to thank everyone who made the 12th Annual Make Room for Debate Dinner a resounding success! With your help, we were able to raise over $275,000 to provide academic debate to Chicago Public Schools students. Together, we will change the lives of thousands of students in our city! To make a donation, visit mrfd2024.givesmart.com.

We are so honored to be named a finalist for the Activating Equity Award!

Congratulations to our Activating Equity Award top four finalists! We had a record 35 outstanding nominees and your commitment to enhancing a culture of equity in the speech and debate community stood out among the rest. We know your efforts have and will continue to make a lasting impact on the people you serve.

Stay tuned to find out which of these finalists will win $5,000 and recognition at the National Tournament!

Be the Light Youth Association
The Center for Democracy in Deaf America
Chicago Debates
Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League

We look forward to seeing everyone at tonight's 12th Annual Make Room for Debate Dinner! Check out our online raffle and silent auction before the event at mrfd.givesmart.com.

The 12th Annual Make Room for Debate Dinner is tomorrow night and we can't wait! Be sure to check out mrfd2024.givesmart.com to preview our auction and raffle items and we'll see you all tomorrow!

Chicago Debates would like to thank Board Member Kate Bjorklund for becoming a Bronze Sponsor for the 12th Annual Make Room for Debate Dinner on May 16th! There's still time to donate or sponsor the event by checking out MRFD2024.givesmart.com.

Chicago Debates would like to thank John and Caroline Hammond, Catherine Hammond, and The Walker Family for becoming Access Sponsors for the 12th Annual Make Room for Debate Dinner on May 16th! As a former Chicago Debates Board Member, John Hammond will be given the Legacy Award at tomorrow's dinner, cementing him into Chicago Debates history. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit MRFD2024.givesmart.com.