The purpose of the Community Debate Forum is to create dialogue around the holistic development of urban youth and the importance of a global education.

Two main themes of the event will touch on each point, as follows:

1. Brenda Priestly-Jackson, keynote speaker, will highlight the future of education and how the community-at-large must alter our perspective on life to create effective change. Mrs. Priestly-Jackson will give us a snap shot of what education looks like in 2020.
2. The panel will consists of various key figure heads who will share the significant roles they play in state and local government, as well as their perspective on the benefits of social services. On the other side of the panel, we have the Great Debaters, the majority of which are the recipients of social services.  Their role will be to discuss how debate has afforded them to analyze the Cons/Negatives of social services.

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Jacksonville, Florida – Novice debaters Maia Ambrister and team mate Ebonee Maxey kept their winning streak alive at the first Duval Urban Policy Debate Competition at Florida State College of Jacksonville (FSCJ) this past weekend, just edging out Butler Middle Debate Team, Adrian Lord and Leroy Harrison III who took home the 2nd place trophy.

Twelve teams went head-to-head for three rounds of policy debate on the topic “the federal government should increase funding for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (food stamps) for persons living in poverty in the United States”.

The tournament featured 6 schools from around the inner city of Jacksonville.

“Our young debaters can’t seem to surprise me enough. Their confidence, performance, and passion for is a clear indication that Jacksonville will deliver national contenders in a few years. This last event was a tremendous showing for what’s in store when you raise the expectations and provide students with variants in learning,” said Jermyn Shannon El, DUDL Developer.

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Media Registration Information
for Duval UDL Tournaments and Events

To request a media pass for the Duval UDL tournament and events, please fill out the media registration form (registration required). Media passes are limited, and are granted only to working or freelance journalists, photographers, videographers who intend to cover the event (see media and analyst required credentials below). The information you submit will be reviewed carefully, so please be as detailed as possible when filling out the form. Media credential approval for a prior DUDL conference does not guarantee approval for this event.

If your request for a media pass is approved, you will receive an email message from the tournament organizers, usually less than a week.

A media pass entitles you entrance to tournament ceremonies and sessions, and admission to all on-site extra curricula activities. Private working facilities for the media will also be provided.

You are responsible for your own travel and accommodation costs. For hotel and travel information, please visit our hotel information page. If you have special needs, please be sure to let us know your specific requirements at least two weeks before the tournament begins.

Media and Analyst Required Credentials

Review the credential requirements below, and then apply online.

To qualify for a complimentary media pass for Duval UDL tournaments 2010, the applicant must cover the industry on a regular basis by writing regular reports or publishing articles on related business or education issues.

Freelance Writers and Authors

Persons requesting freelance credentials must provide an article published within the past six months or a letter of assignment from a qualifying editor or publication. Those who freelance occasionally and are employed by non-news organizations are not eligible for media credentials.

We reserve the right to refuse media passes, without cause, during pre-registration as well as on-site media registration. Please be advised that, due to high demand, media passes are limited in number and are reserved for commercial news outlets and major analyst firms.

Please direct any press inquiries to info@dudl.org.

On behalf of the 100 Black Men of Jacksonville and the Duval Urban Debate League we invite Paxon Middle School to participate in the Infinite Scholar College Fair at Hyatt Hotel Downtown Jacksonville. The event will begin this Saturday, January 16th from 9:00am-1:00pm.

We request the attendance of 2-4 debaters to engage in a .45 minute forum, beginning at 11am-11:30am, with several high school students and community leaders to address the importance of staying in school for college graduation.

Please send the attached information slip home with each debater with final names provided by Friday, January 15th.  Parents will be required to bring their students before 10:30am to Hyatt Hotel Downtown Jacksonville and remain their with them until the end of the workshop at 11:30am.

Local debaters prepare for trip to Gator Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Originally uploaded by Blacksonville Community Network

Local debaters are donated more than 70 passes to enjoy the Gator Bowl game in Jacksonville on New Year’s Day.

The organization will have its first competitive tournament in January.

Matthew Gilbert Middle School student Diva Sessions is learning how to develop and deliver an effective argument, but she’s also reinforcing her academic skills.

Diva, 14, is one of about 120 Duval County middle school students participating in the Duval Urban Debate League’s inaugural year.

The organization will host its first competitive tournament on Jan. 23 at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s North Campus. The organization held a mock tournament in November.

Diva and her peers have been practicing four to six hours a week since October to hone their arguments and learn the skill of debate.

“It gives you great speech skills and confidence,” said Diva, who is in the eighth-grade. “At first you’re nervous, but when you get up there and start to speak … it reassures you.”

January’s tournament is one of three competitions before a championship in April.

Diva’s coach and language arts teacher, Emmanuel Fortune, said his debaters are benefiting academically from the league.

The students’ critical thinking skills, ability to organize complex issues and express their thoughts have all improved in the last three months.

Students study about 30 pages of research on a topic and learn to deliver arguments in favor or against a specific policy issue. They compete in teams of two.

This year’s national debate issue asks students to ponder whether the government should increase services for the poor.

The material brings students in contact with research by Harvard University professors and detailed government documents, which Fortune said introduces the students to a level thinking and writing well above what appears on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Darrell Perry, principal at Paxon Middle School, said he has seen anecdotal evidence of the program’s value at his school.

“It contributes to their literacy skills, they’re more attentive and they’re better listeners,” he said.

About 20 Paxon students participate in the league.

Diva said the program has helped her become a better researcher and has forced her to think about new and different issues.

“It’s research like you’ve never seen before,” she said, “because you don’t have time in school to look through government papers about food stamps. It’s really interesting.”

“Laying out an argument for a debate competition is very similar to the skills students need to be successful on portions of the FCAT,” Fortune said.

“I’m very happy to say that there are gains being made in the classroom as a result of what we’re doing in practice,” he said.

“The academic performance of students participating in debate will be tracked over the next five years to evaluate the program’s impact,” said Jermyn Shannon El, league developer and co-founder of the Blacksonville Community Network.

“The program is scheduled to expand to high schools next year,” Shannon El said, “but the league is still looking for sponsors and support to help its growth. Blacksonville is currently the league’s only financial sponsor.”

A fund-raising banquet will be held Jan. 21 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at The Impact Center at 7422 Atlantic Blvd.

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