"First Chase Urban Debate National Champion Crowned"

Lane Tech High School, from the host city of Chicago, won the first Chase Urban Debate National Championship.  The championship was hosted by the NAUDL recently at the Northwestern University downtown campus.  Lane Tech’s debate team of Andrew Hobaugh and Nick Locke defeated the team of Minh Lam and John Holland from Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia in the championship's Final Round.

The Final Round was held in the historic Abraham Lincoln Courtroom at the Northwestern University School of Law.  Urban Debate League directors and coaches served as members of the Final Round judge panel, and yielded a 5-0 decision for the victorious Lane Tech.

The Chase Urban Debate National Championship, sponsored by the NAUDL and JPMorgan Chase brought together 34 urban debate teams and their coaches from across the country for a weekend of competition, conferencing and friendship.  Teams from the following UDL’s participated in the Championship:  Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Seattle/Tacoma, St. Louis and Washington D.C.

Ross Smith, the highly accomplished Debate Coach from Wake Forest University, gracious served as the director of the tournament tab room.  Professor Smith’s college team had won the National Debate Tournament the previous weekend.

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley welcomed the competitors to the Windy City: “I commend the students who have traveled here from around the country.  Every one of you deserves to be congratulated for the hard work and commitment that you have demonstrated to qualify for this prestigious event.  You have already accomplished a great deal.”

During the course of the Chase National Championship its participants visited several Chicago’s premier cultural and entertainment centers, including the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum, the National Museum of Mexican Art, and the Navy Pier.

NAUDL Executive Director, Scott Deatherage, said at the conclusion of the tournament: “We were absolutely thrilled to be able to host this event.  The participating students, coaches and administrators showed great enthusiasm not only for the tournament competition, but also for the pedagogical and cultural aspects.  The NAUDL is eagerly looking forward to the planning for, and hosting, the 2009 Chase National Championship.”