The Associated Leaders of Urban Debate have a new newsletter, and number 1 volume 1 arrived. Here are some of the stories that I had not covered elsewhere that might be of interest.
Updates from the Associated Leaders of Urban Debate
Your Voice. Your Future. Debate.
November 2006 - Vol 1, Issue 1
Minneapolis Study Shows Debate Key to Success
An independent study examining a group of debaters in the Minneapolis Urban Debate League vs a group of nondebaters found measurable differences suggesting that debate plays a significant role in academic achievement.
The North Hills high test conducted by Dr. Linda Collier built on earlier work done in the field in 2004 in a national study. In this local setting, the study revealed that:
Debaters improved their reading scores by more than 61% in a single year. 87% of debaters were better able to analyze information than their control counterparts. Debaters average 15% higher self-esteem than controls; the longer they debate, the wider the differential. Returning debaters averaged a .13 increase in their GPAs in contrast to returning controls who lost an average of .10 points on a 4.0 scale. Debaters also tested substantially better in terms of post-secondary plans, likelihood to engage in risk- taking behavior and drop out rates.
These statistics bolster ALOUD's claim that the accelerated learning process of debate provides unqiue benefits beyond many other literacy programs.
Austin Inaugurates International Rap Debates
The Hip Hop debate world has now been internationalized and energized through video conferences. These video conferences allow students to exchange ideas and use their higher level thinking skills. Event organizer and Austin ALOUD partner, Michael Cunningham explained that bringing Hip Hop to the International Debate Community was one of the most interesting things that has come to debate in many years. He explained that the Video Hip Hop Competitions will use a modified format. All constructive speeches and rebuttal speeches will be rapped. The only thing that is not rapped are the cross examination questions and answers.
The first of scores of Hip- Hop/ Rap debates will begin with Westchester New York High School and Del Valle High School Nov. 9, 2006. This debate will be followed by Hip- Hop Debates with Tunaskolen in Lulea, Sweden (Nov. 14); Reber School in Tbilisi, Georgia (Nov. 17) and school 1129 in Moscow, Russia (Nov. 17).
Cunningham explained that this format allows for real debate across the curriculum, tying foreign language teachers, English teachers, speech/debate teachers, geography/history teachers, and music teachers together and working together to accomplish something on the international level.
Miami Urban Debate League Participants Honored
ALOUD logo
University of Miami’s President Donna Shalala entered the Whitten Learning Center Room to congratulate a group of promising students. While these students do not attend the University of Miami, they represent a growing educational movement in the center in which U of M plays a significant role. The Miami- Dade Urban Debate League is an arm of this organization, serving students of the Miami-Dade Public School system. Since December of 2005, the University of Miami has hosted a number of MDUDL events, including two summer camps. The Bay Point Schools sent 45 boys to sharpen their skills in policy debate, computer research proficiency, public speaking, and argument construction while exercising critical thinking. They argued the pros and cons of national service, discussing organizations like the military, AmeriCorps, and the Peace Corps. The goal of the Miami Urban Debate League aims to make policy debate accessible for all students despite race, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Baltimore Urban Debate League Develops Comic Book Curriculum
The Baltimore Urban Debate League (BUDL) is proud to announce its Debate Comix Initiative! Educators all over the world are beginning to explore comics as an exciting and effective learning tool. BUDL & Debate Comix are at the forefront.
The goal is the creation of an entire line of educational & fun comics focused on generating interest in and knowledge of debate. With staff guiding the project, BUDL has involved and encouraged students to take the lead as writers and artists. The initial publications have used debate superheroes and villains to achieve this goal; others will be slice-of-life and biographical stories about the debate & life experiences of our students. BUDL got a head start on the debate comics series for the 2006-07 season with a distribution of our first comic “Evidence Man Speaks on the Power of T” at a free comic book and public debate day at Comics Kingdom in Baltimore this Spring. A summer comix retreat brought together students from BUDL and other UDLs for three days of creative story and character development. The comics will be distributed to our students and sold to other interested parties.
Jersey Urban Debate League Hosts 100 Days Forum
The Jersey Urban Debate League in partnership with ALOUD's Campaign for Civic Discourse held a panel discussion on October 26th about the first 100 days of Corey Booker's administration. The event was held at the Paul Robeson Campus Center at Rutgers University. Panelists examined and evaluated performance in each area of Mayor Booker's 100 Days Plan. This event futhered the mission of the Campaign for Civic Discourse which aims to bring together organizations, corporations, foundations, school systems, and individuals working to spur civic engagement, public debate, and reasoned discourse in our schools, religious institutions, and in our larger society.
The panelists includedMs. Vivian Cox-Fraser (President of the Urban League of Essex County), Mr. Rene Daida (Program Officer for the Prudential Foundation), Dean Marc Holzer (Dean of the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration), Mr. Casto Maldonado (President and CEO of FOCUS - The Hispanic Center for Community Development) and a representative from the Newark City Council. Additionally, students from Newark's high school debate teams posed questions to the panelists.
Associated Leaders of Urban Debate
ALOUD
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phone: 212-702-0944
web: http://www.impactcoalition.org
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