High School Debate Tournament
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On January 19, the Kappa Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. hosted their first public high school debate, for students in the District of Columbia (DC), for the 2009 year. The debate tournament is part of a one-day full immersion experience where area high schools students have the opportunity to interact with professionals from the DC area and network with their peers from surrounding schools. This experience offers these students the opportunity to engage these other participants to improve their public speaking skills as well as learn tips for academic success.
The debate was spearheaded, by the high school committee chair, Bro. Anthony B. Burley. Bro. Burley was instrumental in engaging several dozen high school students from over seventeen DC schools. The tournament was held round robin style and consisted of four rounds of intense academic debating. The debate topic for this tournament was “Has the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Failed?” (Public Law 107-110). The Kappa Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. awarded nearly $1,000 in prizes to their tournament winners, speakers and coaches. The Kappa Psi Debate award winners are:
Winning Teams
1st Place – Hyde Leadership Public Charter School
2nd Place – Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School
3rd Place – Caesar Chavez Public Charter School
4th Place – Bell Multicultural\ Columbia Heights Ed. Campus
Winning Speakers
1st Place – Markos Batchelor, Thurgood Marshall Academy
2nd Place – Michellay Cole, Bell Multicultural\ Columbia Heights Ed. Campus
3rd Place – Veronica Beverly - Bell Multicultural\ Columbia Heights Ed. Campus
4th Place – Mache Chase, Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School
Winning Coaches
Marielys Garcia & John London, co-coaches from the Thurgood Marshall Academy
The chapter encourages area members of fraternities and sororities, businesses and the surrounding community to volunteer their time and donate financial contributions to this beneficial and worthwhile educational endeavor. Our next debate tournament is tentatively set for May 2009. For more information please contact Bro. Anthony B. Burley at tonyburley@speakeasy.net.