Another successful debate season culminated with the 1999 City Debate Championship at Northwestern University on Feb. 6. In the varsity division, the championship team of Tom Jacobs and Willie Tanzman from Whitney Young Magnet High School defeated David McCowan and Mercedes McDonald of Morgan Park High School in the final round. In the junior varsity division, two teams from Morgan Park squared off in debate, with Crystal Holmes and Nneka Dudley closing out Evelyn Stansberry and Toya Murray. All of the winners were rewarded with City Championship plaques, and the quarterfinalists took home trophies. Morgan Park dominated the individual top speaker awards, with Juanita Wilson of the varsity team and Crystal Holmes in the junior varsity division.
Every school enters any number of two-person teams.
Every debater had five preliminary rounds before the elimination round began. Lynn said the policy debate over Russia was the chosen national high school topic for debate competition. CPS Chief Executive Officer Paul Vallas said he is looking forward to doubling the size of the debate program over the next couple of years until every high school is able to engage in the program. Debate programs in Chicago's public high schools have experienced a rebirth after a 20-year absence. This year, the debate teams expanded to 10 schools to include Englewood, Farragut, Hubbard, Mather and Steinmetz.