The Boston Debate League

The Boston Debate League is a non-profit organization that engages students from 27 of Boston Public Schools in debate and argumentation. As an organization, we are dedicated to ensuring that Boston’s students get access to the quality education they deserve. The After- School Debate League, one of the two programs we run, works with teachers in the school to have an after-school policy debate club. Through participation in this program, students become more engaged with their school work, hone critical thinking and teamwork skills, gain self-efficacy and so much more. Additionally, we are the first league in the US to have a Spanish Language Division where students are able to compete and celebrate their first language. This year, we expect about 1,000 students to take part in the program. However, we cannot run our program without the help of people like you! Six times a year, we host tournaments where students come together from the 27 schools and debate each other. Each round is judged by a volunteer like you. During this direct service activity, you will listen to an academic-based argument and decide who won based on evidence. At the end, volunteers give feedback that is critical to student’s growth as debaters. Additionally, debates are a chance for middle and high school students to own a conversation and be taken seriously by an adult. There is no experience in debate necessary as we will train you before you shift. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer judge, our next tournaments are on December 5 – 6 and 12 – 13 at McCormack Middle School and English High School. The tournaments are broken up into four-to-six hour shifts for the convenience of volunteers. If you are interested in signing up, click here. If you would like to know more, feel free to email me at mbarry@bostondebate.org, or visit www.bostondebate.org I hope to see you at a future tournament.

Mission: To integrate argumentation and competitive debate into Boston's public schools to develop critical thinkers ready for college, career and engagement with the world around them.

Website: www.bostondebate.org

Address: 225 Friend Street, Boston, MA, United States