Tier 2 Partnerships
Brooklyn Debate League (“BDL”) specializes in building the capacity of NYC public schools to establish competitive and sustainable debate teams from scratch. Through our gradual release model, we train student and faculty leaders over the course of a few years of partnering together.
To secure a year-round partnership for the following school year, schools must submit a signed proposal with Brooklyn Debate League by May 1.
Email us at dico@brooklyndebateleague.org to start the process.
October - April
Practices: BDL staff leads weekly 90-120 minute after school sessions on your campus, starting in October and ending in mid-April.
Online/Local Tournaments: BDL hosts two online tournaments a week and sponsors students at 1 to 2 in-person tournaments a month around NYC.
Overnight Tournaments: Opportunities include NYC Invitational, Georgetown, Villiger, Yale, and UPenn.
Arc of Program
April - June
BDL preps students who qualified for the State and National Championships (NCFL Nationals and NSDA Nationals) and sponsors them at the tournaments.
We conclude the school year with the Conyers Cup in June, an in-person tournament celebrating everyone’s accomplishments from the season and sending off our seniors.
July
BDL hosts a free, in-person summer camp in July.
Camp this year will be at St Francis College in downtown Brooklyn from July 6-17 for middle school, and July 20-August 7 for high school.
FAQ
Q: Which schools are eligible for this?
A: All NYC public high schools are eligible for our Tier 2 partnerships, but special priority will be given to Title I high schools in Brooklyn.
Q: Does my school need to have a designated faculty member to serve as debate coach?
A: At this stage in the game, no. Most of our schools participating at this level haven’t found a debate coach yet. Within two years of working together, you will need a designated faculty member or part-time coach for us to continuing the partnership.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: We ask non-Title I schools to pay $20,000 for the program, but we are happy to work with Title I schools to find an amount that works within your budget.
Q: I want to build a debate team at my school, but I don’t have any kids yet.
A: We’ll provide slide decks, flyers and communications to send to kids and families to help you recruit kids. If you’d like, we can also come in before the course starts and run an in-person interest meeting.
Q: When do I need to apply by?
A: To apply for this tier, reach out to us (dico@brooklyndebateleague.org). Schools are considered on a rolling-basis, but schools are encouraged to reach out by May.
