Urban Debate: A Wise Investment

A Life-Changing Experience . . .

Debate has proven time and again to be one of the most effective ways to help students to achieve the academic, life, and leadership skills needed for success in high school, college, and beyond. Thanks to the generosity and hard work of supporters like you, the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL) is proud to say that the life-changing benefits of debate are available to thousands of additional urban students.

Reaching More Students than Ever . . .

We’ve come a long way since debate largely disappeared from urban schools after 1960. In ten years, 37,000 students from 350 urban public secondary schools in districts with approximately 87% minority and 78% low-income student populations have participated in Urban Debate Leagues (UDLs). During the 2008-2009 school year alone, new UDLs built by the NAUDL added over 100 schools to the Urban Debate Network.

A Sound Investment in Our Future . . .

In these tough economic times, your support for the NAUDL is a sound investment at a critical juncture. With your support, the NAUDL will continue to increase access to urban debate and ensure that local efforts weather the storm. This map illustrates the progress our supporters have created, from the Existing Urban Debate Network prior to the NAUDL’s Expansion Plan, to the NAUDL Expansion to Date, and finally to our Prospects for Future Growth. Together, we can and will make sure that every urban student in America has the opportunity to participate in debate.