Under the program, teachers at each of the high schools coach the students, and Brown students assist the teachers during practices and tournaments, said Heather Flewelling, senior assistant director at the Swearer Center and supervisor of the program. Thirty Brown students volunteered this year. Debate fosters critical thinking, public speaking and research skills, said Eric Tucker, one of the two Brown student coordinators for the program. The Providence Urban Debate League now includes Central High School, Mount Pleasant High School, Hope High School, Classical High School, Feinstein High School, Textron Chamber of Commerce Charter School, the Metropolitan Career and Technical Center, both the Shepard Street and Peace Street campuses, Alternate Learning Project, and the Rhode Island Training School. 50 students and 10 high school teachers went to the University of Vermont this summer for intensive training.
Competitive debate follows a specific format.
At each school, students pair up to research and study a single topic for the entire school year. The debate topic is universal for high schools nationwide in any given year. During competition, teams debate each other in front of a panel of judges that renders a decision based on the evidence presented. Eighteen Alternate Learning Project students are now involved in the league, according to Duffin. In addition, the contests provide students an acceptable forum for argumentation, said Veronica Rancourt, the debate coach at Hope High School.