Baltimore Urban Debate League

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Baltimore Urban Debate League
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type =
founded_date = 1999 | founder = Open Society Institute
Fund for Educational Excellence
location = Baltimore, Maryland USA
origins =
key_people =Pamela Spiliadis, "Executive Director"
Chris Baron, "Director of Programs"
Elizabeth Skinner, "Faculty Liaison"
Diana Kerns, "Program Assistant"
Sean Rueter, "College Access Programs"
area_served = Baltimore City Public School System
focus = Policy debate
method =
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers =
num_employees =
num_members =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan =
homepage = [http://www.budl.org/ www.budl.org]
dissolved =
footnotes = The Baltimore Urban Debate League (BUDL, pronounced 'boodle'), is an American, non profit, urban debate league, which is intended as an educational and mentorship program for inner city middle school and high school students in Baltimore, Maryland.

The main focus of the organization, in coordination with the Towson University Speech and Debate Team, is to teach students policy debate. Currently the league serves approximately 51 schools in Baltimore, and has been nationally recognized by several organizations for spreading debate in the city's public schools and increasing awareness nationwide about urban debate. [cite web |url=http://www.soros.org/initiatives/youth/news/case_20030605 |title="Making Their Case" Highlights Growth and Impact of Urban Debate Movement |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month=June |format= |work= |publisher=Open Society Institute |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://www.urbandebate.org/newsStory.py?id=36 |title=60 Minutes Tells the Urban Debate League Story |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month=June |format= |work= |publisher=National Association of Urban Debate Leagues |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

History

The league was started in 1999 by a grant from the Fund for Educational Excellence in collaboration with George Soros' Open Society Institute. Only 8 high schools and 90 students participated in the first year. [cite web |url=http://www.soros.org/initiatives/baltimore/focus_areas/f_urban_debate |title=Baltimore Urban Debate League |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Open Society Institute |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://www.examiner.com/a-525464~Debating_to_the_top.html |title=Debating to the top |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last=Cassie |first=Ron |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2007 |month=January |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Examiner |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Since then the program has expanded to over 35 high schools, 21 middle schools, and numerous students across Baltimore City. Many students in the league have gone on to compete in national and international tournaments held by other debate leagues and associations.

Also, in the 2005-2006 season, BUDL successfully incorporated the high school debate model into several middle schools around the city. Middle school students are able to take advantage of many of the opportunities afforded to high school debaters, including the opportunity to go to their very own debate camp, "B'More Debate", in order to help them with their debate skills and to encourage continued participation in BUDL. The middle school camp happens during the summer months and has a very similar format to BUDL's high school camp, and is held at Towson University. [cite web |url=http://www.budl.org/news_article?id=65 |title=BUDL Launches Middle School Program |accessdate=2007-08-05 |last=Ellis |first=Andy |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher= Baltimore Urban Debate League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Mission

According to its website, BUDL's mission is...

Debate format

High school

At the high school level, students debate according to policy debate guidelines. Each season one resolution is established by the National Forensic League and National Catholic Forensic League. There are three divisions on the high school level: novice, junior varsity (JV), and varsity. The three divisions have the same timing conventions for debate rounds, the only exception being preparation time (novice get ten minutes, JV and varsity get five minutes). Also, the JV and varsity divisions may use any affirmative case they want throughout the competitive year, and so could the novice division at once point. In the 2003-2004 season however, new rules mandated that the novice division could only use one affirmative case per season. [cite web |url=http://www.budl.org/teachersh_article?id=70 |title=Argument Restrictions in Novice Division |accessdate=2007-08-02 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Urban Debate League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Middle school

BUDL uses its own format for the middle school level since there is no national organization that governs or regulates middle school debate competition. They still have the same number of divisions, and follow the basic format of policy debate, but instead of one resolution every year, one topic is chosen every month. The league narrows it down to a pool of topics, and all of the member schools vote on which one they would like to debate. The speech and cross examination times are also slightly altered. [cite web |url=http://budl.org/library/MS_Students/2006-2007/Iraq%20topic/GUIDE%20TO%20MIDDLE%20SCHOOL%20DEBATE.doc |title=The Middle School Guide to Debate |accessdate=2007-08-02 |last=Ellis |first=Andy |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Urban Debate League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Since BUDL has one of only a few middle school leagues in the country, its middle school debaters are only able to debate other middle schools around the city, until they reach the high school level.

Member schools

All high/middle schools that compete in year-round tournaments are apart of the Baltimore City Public School System. As a member school of BUDL, each team can participate in year-round tournaments sanctioned by the league and the high school students can compete in tourneys with the Baltimore Catholic Forensic League. No school has to pay dues to be apart of the league and it covers the cost of BCFL dues so that debaters may participate in their tournaments. The league also pays for travel to out-of-state tournaments along the East Coast. During the summer, BUDL pays for the travel of groups of debaters to go to debate camp as well. At least once a year, BUDL holds inter-league competition with the BCFL and its schools in one big tournament.

BUDL also has a National Forensic League chair, headed by debate coach Steve Sprouse, [cite web |url=http://www.bcfl.net/About.htm |title=About the BCFL |accessdate=2007-08-02 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Catholic Forensic League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] so that BUDL debaters may participate in qualifying tournaments to compete in national tournaments. At the end of each year, BUDL awards season trophies, medals, and certificates for the progress teams and individuals have made on their particular squad.

chools in the league

League champions

The year's champion is decided by how many cumulative wins each school accumulates from each individual team over the season in BUDL tournaments, not including out-of-state or BCFL tournaments. The winners are announced at the league's annual banquet held in May.

At each BUDL tournament, there is also a "top school" award for the squad that has the most wins that day. The schools that have received this award the most are:

Walbrook holds the BUDL record for the most consecutive wins at "top school" (14) and the only high school in BUDL history to hold "top school" for an entire debate season (2002-2003).

Media

BUDL Man

BUDL Man is the official mascot of BUDL and an actual trophy to award sportsmanship to debate teams in BUDL.

The award was created by the Patterson High School team in 1999 to promote sporting attitude, good teamwork, hard work, and other values learned through competition. [cite web |url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Baron_UDLApr%2701.pdf |title=OODLES AND UDLS OF NEW COACHES |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last=Baron |first=Chris |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2001 |month= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

It is traditionally passed from school to school, and whoever has the trophy decides who they would like to award it to based on team spirit, determination, or whatever criteria the team sees fit.

The actual trophy is a stylized action figure, who is a superhero with a book for a head. He has a pen in his right hand and a legal pad in the other. There is also a utility belt with a "B" on it. He is in a plastic case, and has been redesigned at least three times. At the end of the 2006-2007 season, BUDL Man has been passed down an estimated 50 times.

Debate Komiks

In July, 2006 BUDL started their "Debate Komiks" initiative, which aimed at making stories with superhero characters. The only difference being that the main characters would be based on debate arguments, with the main protagonist being "Evidence Man". [cite web |url=https://www.theyoursstore.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=1&categoryId=1 |title=Debate Komiks #1 |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=The Y.O.U.R.S. Store |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In 2007 BUDL released the first issue with two stories called "What's so funny about Nuclear War?" and "Speed Kills", which introduces several new "debate" characters including Evidence Man's partner "Kritik Womyn" who is featured on the cover with him.

Programs

Debate camps

BUDL offers two separate debate camps that operate on different dates in the summer months. Since 2000, BUDL has had the "Towson International Debate Institute" (TIDI), which is primarily for high school students and more recently, since 2006, its middle school debate camp, "B'More Debate", which has a very similar format to TIDI.

TIDI was initially offered only to students in BUDL, but throughout the years has expanded to other other students around the country, and foreign students (through the Southeast Europe Youth Leadership Institute (SEEYLI)). The camp is held at Towson University during the summer months and lasts two weeks. The camp has a tradition of having the students make their own tie-dye shirts at the end of the camp, hence the name "TIDI". [cite web |url=http://budl.org/tidi |title=Towson International Debate Institute |accessdate=2007-08-02 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Urban Debate League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

B'More Debate is held a few weeks after TIDI, and is also hosted by Towson University. [cite web |url=http://budl.org/bmore |title=B'More Debate |accessdate=2007-08-02 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Urban Debate League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Countdown to College

Since 2002, BUDL has offered a college and SAT preparatory program called Countdown to College (C2C). The program is a coordination of league staff, Mother Seton Academy, and St. Ignatius Loyola Academy. The program provides free SAT workshops, college labs, college tours, and invites speakers to come talk to juniors and graduating seniors out of BUDL. C2C operates in the fall, spring, and summer, and thus far has been a huge success with college matriculation in to most 4-year universities in Maryland. [cite web |url=http://www.ndmva.org/Service_Sites/Direct_Service/Site%20Descriptions/Baltimore-BUDL.pdf |title=The Baltimore Urban Debate League |accessdate=2007-08-26 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Notre Dame Mission Volunteers-AmeriCorps |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Hip Hop Congress

In July 2007, BUDL helped the creation Baltimore's own chapter of the Hip Hop Congress, a non profit organization that "uses hip hop music to inspire social activism". [cite web |url=http://www.seattledebate.org/documents/june2007newsletterfinal.doc |title=Seattle UDL Prepares for National Conference |accessdate=2007-07-28 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Seattle Urban Debate League |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Students traveled to Athens, Ohio to compete in "hip hop debates" with students from the Seattle Urban Debate League. The HHC also had a showcase on July 27, 2007 in downtown Baltimore for participants to showcase their talents. [cite web |url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=211885388 |title=Baltimores HHC MySpace Page |accessdate=2007-07-28 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=MySpace |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

cholarships

Erica Brown Scholarship

BUDL has offered a scholarship since 2000 to give students an opportunity to travel to the IDEA Youth Forum and participate in the "International Karl Popper Debate Competition" hosted by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA). Traditionally three different high school seniors are selected to compete, and one teacher is selected to supervise. The award is named after a former senior Erica Brown who attended Walbrook High School. Erica suffered a fatal heart attack in January 2003, and the BUDL administration deemed it appropriate to rename the award in her honor. At the annual awards banquet, Erica's family presents the students with the award and a gift from the league.

"Urban Debate Scholar"

While the organization can be considered to be a fairly new league by comparison of the tenure of the other urban debate leagues, BUDL has fostered notable individuals who have gone on to debate in college successfully and have won "full-ride" scholarships. Since Towson University has such close ties to the league, the speech and debate team offer an "Urban Debate Scholar" award to at least one graduating senior each year in BUDL. [cite web
url = http://wwwnew.towson.edu/speechanddebate/pages/scholarships.html
title = Scholarship Opportunities
accessdate = 2007-01-11 |author = |last = |first = |date = |year = |month = |format = |publisher = Towson University Speech and Debate] This award is full tuition and fees at Towson, and a $500 book award. There are also lesser awards that vary between $2,000 - $4,000.

Accomplishments

BUDL received national media coverage on the news magazine "60 Minutes". The segment featured debaters from Walbrook High School and their coach Angelo Brooks. The students talked about how debate had changed their lives and inspired them to go to get better grades in school and go to college. [cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/05/60minutes/main557188.shtml |title=Making Their Case, Debate Makes A Comeback At Inner-City Schools |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month=June |format= |work= |publisher=CBS News |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In the 2006-2007 season, of the seniors who debated, 99 percent graduated on time. Of the 99 percent who graduated on time, 88 percent were admitted to college. The reading scores of all students improved over the school year, but debate students improved by 25 percent more than non-debaters. The results from debate students also generally improved regardless of how well - or poorly - they were doing in school before they began debating. BUDL students also earned over $100,000 in college scholarships in 2007. [cite web |url=http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/bcpss/Board.nsf/b6d9f0d1f8285b2c85256e7400431d46/7aa1dc5dd87a171c8525730f005326af?OpenDocument |title=BUDL Board Meeting |accessdate=2007-08-02 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2007 |month=July |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://www.wkcd.org/archives/featurestories/budl.html |title=Baltimore's Urban Debaters Prove the Word is Mightier than the Sword |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=WhatKidsCanDo.org |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Local Baltimore news outlets have covered events, speeches, and public debates held by the league. Possibly some of the most notable coverage happened during the 2004 crisis at Walbrook High. The school had recently changed the principal, due to criminal accusations against the old principal Dr. Andrey Bundley, [cite web |url=http://susanohanian.org/outrage_fetch.php?id=253 |title=125 Graduations at West Baltimore School Called Into Question by Audit |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Loh |first=Laura |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month=July |format= |work= |publisher=The Baltimore Sun |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and was replaced by Shirley Cathorne. As a result, multiple fights, fires, one shooting, and overall disrupt of the school environment occurred. [cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-12-baltimore-burning-schools_x.htm |title=Fires burn at struggling Baltimore schools |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month=November |format= |work= |publisher=Associated Press |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10667426656E1BDB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=IN BALTIMORE, A SURGE IN FIRES SET BY STUDENTS |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=KLUG |first=FOSTER |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Associated Press |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] The debate team was featured prominently in news stories to highlight its successes at the school. [cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-103872728.html |title=Walbrook, in spite of problems: Debate team rules |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Hurst |first=Henry |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month=November |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Afro-American |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-103872728.html |title=Walbrook's new fire! |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Hurst |first=Henry |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month=December |format= |work= |publisher=Baltimore Afro-American |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

The league also has a "Public Debate Month" held in May every year. The goal at the end of the month is to have 100 public debates around the city. In February 2004 mayor Martin O'Malley made a commemorative public debate month during their annual fundraiser. [cite web
url = http://www.budl.org/league_article?id=139
title = Mayor O'Malley Proclaims February "Public Debate Month"
accessdate = 2007-01-11 |author = |last = |first = |date = |year = |month = |format = |publisher = Baltimore Urban Debate League ] In May 2005, to commemorate its annual "Public Debate Month", the league held its first "Public Debate Tournament" at the amphitheater in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The winner of the contest was a team from Baltimore City College that defeated the runner up team composed of students from Digital Harbor and Mervo. [cite web |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/846592201.html?dids=846592201:846592201&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+28%2C+2005&author=Kelly+Brewington&pub=The+Sun&desc=City+students+take+their+arguments+outside+ |title=City students take their arguments outside |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Brewington |first=Kelly |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2005 |month=May |format= |work= |publisher=The Baltimore Sun |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In January 2007 the league was honored by the White House with the "Coming Up Taller Award". The award recognizes outstanding arts and humanities programs around the country with a $10,000 grant. [cite web |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1200966311.html?dids=1200966311:1200966311&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+24%2C+2007&author=Sara+Neufeld&pub=The+Sun&desc=DEBATE+LEAGUE+AWARDED+%2410%2C000+ |title=DEBATE LEAGUE AWARDED $10,000 |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Neufeld |first=Sara |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2007 |month=January |format= |work= |publisher=The Baltimore Sun |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In March 2008, BUDL alumni Dayvon Love and Deven Cooper, became the first team of African-Americans to win the Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament.

References

External links

* [http://www.budl.org Official BUDL Website]