KIPP: AMP Debate Update October 3, 2010

Vol. 2

The First Tournament won one of their rounds, two of our teams went
entirely undefeated and won team awards.
This past weekend, KIPP: AMP Debaters made their
Eighth grader Cheyenne and eighth grader
presence known in a big way at the very first
Devaughn stepped up their arguments and outspoke
tournament of the 2010-2011 season. Taking home th
their competitors, and they were awarded 6 Place.
an astonishing nine trophies on Saturday, KIPP: AMP’s
Eighth graders Aviona and Olivia used flawless logic in
season has certainly started off on the path to great th
both rounds to win 10 Place on Saturday.
success.
With only a few weeks to prepare, KIPP: AMP
Debaters buckled down and committed to practicing
several days a week. Their hard work and tremendous
effort paid off when 18 KIPPsters showed up bright
and early Saturday morning to compete and win.
The tournament was held at the Institute for
Collaborative Education on the Lower East Side of
Manhattan, and over 150 debaters were there to
represent middle schools and high schools from all
over Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens.
Each pair of our debaters competed in two rounds of
Julian, Olivia, Devaughn, Aviona, Ahlyah, Cheyenne,
Cross-Examination debate against some of the city’s
Olabode, and Adrian.
most prestigious schools, and nearly every team from
KIPP won at least one round.
Topic Discussion and Challenge
The KIPP: AMP Debate Team would like to specifically Our KIPPsters are discussing some very challenging
shout out Ms. Versailles for joining the team on this foreign policy issues. The KIPP debate case argues that
weekend’s tournament. Not only was Ms. Versailles a we should shift current US military policy in
great chaperone, but she also came through for the Afghanistan from a counterinsurgency focused mission
tournament by judging rounds and giving positive
to a counterterrorism based operation, reducing troop
and critical feedback to some of this city’s rising
debaters.
levels, and by abandoning building up the corrupt
Karzi government. We would love for you to carry the
A special shout out to all our brand new 7th graders discussion forward. Ask our debaters what their
who had a fantastic showing at their first debate thoughts are, challenge them on their opinions, and
tournament ever! They made fantastic arguments,
push them forward -- together we can create a
had lots of fun, and started the year out strong.
democratic space for discourse and political
empowerment.

A special shout out to all our brand new 7th

Individual and Team Awards Next: East Bronx Academy
graders who had a fantastic showing at their
Individual awards are given to the top speakers at The KIPP: AMP Debate Team would like to put out a
first debate tournament ever! They made
the tournament based on the number of speaker call for all parents and staff for the next debate
fantastic arguments, had lots of fun, and started
points each debater accrued. tournament on November 13, 2010 at the East Bronx
the year out strong.
Seventh grader Adrian is new to our team, but he Academy. Tournaments always need judges. Please
managed to talk circles around his opponents, come out, watch some debates, judge some rounds,
th
impressing us all with his 8 Place Speaker Award. and show some KIPP: AMP pride!
th th
Other winners were: Ahlyah (13 Place), Julian (14
th th
Place), Devaughn (15 Place), and Olabode 17 Place).
Team awards are also given, based on the win/loss
record of each team of debaters. Although nearly all
of the teams representing KIPP: AMP this weekend