Debater of the Year award. Recruiting awards for participation. Coach Lyden's wife always makes goodies before trips. Debate provides preparation for effective participation in democratic society. Democracy has relied upon debate to empower citizens to greater knowledge to spreading that knowledge to fellow citizens as well as to participation in the democratic process itself.
Debate offers preparation for leadership.
The fundamental requirement of all leaders in any position is to provide direction and be able to explain why that direction is needed. Debate offers training in argumentation. From its earliest beginnings to today, debate has been the best practice for argumentation. Debate provides for investigation and intensive analysis of significant contemporary problems. While education in general might only touch upon various recent issues, debate topics cover ground students may never discuss and in much greater depth than most classes will allow.