Fund Debate Camp for Students of Color
Donation protected
For over a decade, the National Symposium for Debate (NSD) has set the standard for elite summer high school debate instruction in the United States. In 2020 alone, every student in quarterfinals of the Lincoln-Douglas division at the national Tournament of Champions (TOC) was an NSD alum.
This year, NSD is holding its inaugural Texas-based 2-week intensive debate institute for high school Public Forum (PF) debaters, to be held online from July 11-25, 2020. The staff includes coaches for two of the most well-known and successful PF debate teams in Texas (Anderson and Strake Jesuit), a former TOC champion, and a team of first-year instructors composed entirely of qualifiers to TOC who have championed major national tournaments and reached elimination rounds at the Texas Forensic Association State Tournament.
The costs of debate-related activities such as travel and summer camp are prohibitive for many students, and particularly for Black students and members of historically marginalized racial minority groups. This has led to a gulf in participation rates between white and nonwhite-identified students nationwide . This disparity is perhaps most readily visible in Public Forum Debate.
In order to promote equity in high school debate, I have created this fundraiser to facilitate access to high-quality debate education and participation in PF Debate for students of color who would not otherwise attend a high-level summer debate camp. The cost of tuition at NSD-Texas PF is $1,495. At first glance, this means that every $1,495 raised pays the tuition needed for one student to attend NSD.
With the cooperation and support of Executive Director Tom Evnen, NSD has agreed to fully match your contributions. This means that if we can raise enough funds for 2 students, two additional students will be invited to attend NSD Texas PF tuition-free. If we can raise enough money to fund 4 students, 4 more students will be able to attend, and so on.
We will award scholarships to students on a rolling basis through an open application process as funding is secured. Scholarship recipients will be chosen from applicants by a race and gender-diverse panel of high school debate educators. Scholarship recipients, once selected, will need to complete the standard National Symposium for Debate application and paperwork in addition to the scholarship application. Scholarship applicants under the age of 18 must receive approval from a parent or guardian to participate. Application details can be found here: https://forms.gle/2X49fzgRoi2EXeUBA
What does the cost of tuition cover?
- two weeks of day/night intensive PF debate instruction including lectures, case building, practice debates, speech drills and redos, everyday one on one mentoring, and curriculum tailored to the upcoming September-October topic area
- access to elective content a week prior to the start of camp from NSD Texas's sister PF institute based in Philadelphia
- an elite staff of instructors composed of top debaters and coaches on the Texas and national circuits, each of whom having undergone training in online interaction and safety, abuse, harassment, and mandatory reporting protocols.
- personalized debate instruction based on differences in individual and regional styles of debate
- in-season support through live Q&A sessions with staff and a complementary topic analysis with the release of every new PF debate topic in 2020-21
We recognize that not every underrepresented debate student identifies as a person of color, and understand the importance of opportunities like this for womxn, LGBTQ+ students, debaters from small schools and rural areas, and economically disadvantaged white students. We have chosen to focus this fundraiser on students of color to specifically highlight disparities in access and participation in debate for Black and Brown students.
Questions regarding the fundraiser or camp can be directed to Miguel Harvey via direct message on this website.
Disclosure: I am a contracted staff member of National Symposium of Debate - Texas PF. This fundraiser is a reflection of my personal dedication to expand access to debate for marginalized students. All net proceeds of this fundraiser will apply directly to scholarship costs for students. There is no financial incentive for me or any NSD-Texas staff member in the creation or execution of this fundraiser. This fundraiser is not sponsored by or affiliated with LC Anderson High School, Austin Independent School District, Strake Jesuit Preparatory Academy, or any other educational entity with which staff members have current or prior affiliation.
Visit the NSD website at http://www.nationalsymposiumfordebate.com
This year, NSD is holding its inaugural Texas-based 2-week intensive debate institute for high school Public Forum (PF) debaters, to be held online from July 11-25, 2020. The staff includes coaches for two of the most well-known and successful PF debate teams in Texas (Anderson and Strake Jesuit), a former TOC champion, and a team of first-year instructors composed entirely of qualifiers to TOC who have championed major national tournaments and reached elimination rounds at the Texas Forensic Association State Tournament.
The costs of debate-related activities such as travel and summer camp are prohibitive for many students, and particularly for Black students and members of historically marginalized racial minority groups. This has led to a gulf in participation rates between white and nonwhite-identified students nationwide . This disparity is perhaps most readily visible in Public Forum Debate.
In order to promote equity in high school debate, I have created this fundraiser to facilitate access to high-quality debate education and participation in PF Debate for students of color who would not otherwise attend a high-level summer debate camp. The cost of tuition at NSD-Texas PF is $1,495. At first glance, this means that every $1,495 raised pays the tuition needed for one student to attend NSD.
With the cooperation and support of Executive Director Tom Evnen, NSD has agreed to fully match your contributions. This means that if we can raise enough funds for 2 students, two additional students will be invited to attend NSD Texas PF tuition-free. If we can raise enough money to fund 4 students, 4 more students will be able to attend, and so on.
We will award scholarships to students on a rolling basis through an open application process as funding is secured. Scholarship recipients will be chosen from applicants by a race and gender-diverse panel of high school debate educators. Scholarship recipients, once selected, will need to complete the standard National Symposium for Debate application and paperwork in addition to the scholarship application. Scholarship applicants under the age of 18 must receive approval from a parent or guardian to participate. Application details can be found here: https://forms.gle/2X49fzgRoi2EXeUBA
What does the cost of tuition cover?
- two weeks of day/night intensive PF debate instruction including lectures, case building, practice debates, speech drills and redos, everyday one on one mentoring, and curriculum tailored to the upcoming September-October topic area
- access to elective content a week prior to the start of camp from NSD Texas's sister PF institute based in Philadelphia
- an elite staff of instructors composed of top debaters and coaches on the Texas and national circuits, each of whom having undergone training in online interaction and safety, abuse, harassment, and mandatory reporting protocols.
- personalized debate instruction based on differences in individual and regional styles of debate
- in-season support through live Q&A sessions with staff and a complementary topic analysis with the release of every new PF debate topic in 2020-21
We recognize that not every underrepresented debate student identifies as a person of color, and understand the importance of opportunities like this for womxn, LGBTQ+ students, debaters from small schools and rural areas, and economically disadvantaged white students. We have chosen to focus this fundraiser on students of color to specifically highlight disparities in access and participation in debate for Black and Brown students.
Questions regarding the fundraiser or camp can be directed to Miguel Harvey via direct message on this website.
Disclosure: I am a contracted staff member of National Symposium of Debate - Texas PF. This fundraiser is a reflection of my personal dedication to expand access to debate for marginalized students. All net proceeds of this fundraiser will apply directly to scholarship costs for students. There is no financial incentive for me or any NSD-Texas staff member in the creation or execution of this fundraiser. This fundraiser is not sponsored by or affiliated with LC Anderson High School, Austin Independent School District, Strake Jesuit Preparatory Academy, or any other educational entity with which staff members have current or prior affiliation.
Visit the NSD website at http://www.nationalsymposiumfordebate.com
Organizer and beneficiary
Miguel Harvey
Organizer
Round Rock, TX
Thomas Evnen
Beneficiary