July 25, 2019 (Chicago) – At NAUDL, we believe debate prepares students to succeed in college and their careers better than any other afterschool activity. Along with our partners in 22 cities nationwide, we are committed to advancing debate education to amplify youth voices and ensure all students have access to this life-changing activity.
As the new Executive Director at NAUDL, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on where we’ve been and where we are headed. Since we began tracking debater data in 2012, over 75,000 debaters have competed at urban debate tournaments and we’re on pace to have supported over 100,000 debaters by 2022. To signal this significant organizational change and growth, I am excited to announce the launch of NAUDL’s new website and logo.
Created over a decade ago, the classic NAUDL logo featured a podium and skyline to symbolize the platform from which debaters spoke and the cities they represented. As the years have passed, however, the use of podiums has declined in schools and competition venues. Still, our students have continued to speak and strengthen their voices. The podium was never a source of power; that power always lived within our students. Week after week, month after month, and year after year, debate trains students to advocate, research, think critically and analyze both sides of complex policy issues.
Our new logo highlights the power of the conversations students, teachers and volunteers are having every weekend — and our new website aims to brings these discussions to you. It is our privilege to continue to support this important dialogue with debate programming, resources and activities so that all youth graduate from high school as engaged civic leaders with expanded college and career opportunities.
Welcome!
Rhonda Haynes
Executive Director