Paris Wilson (l-r) and Jasmine Hall of Kirby High School earned the First Place team trophy. Hall also won the Best Speaker award. The Kirby team of Justin Howard and Derrick Anderson finished seventh. (Photos by Earl Stanback)

Oakhaven High debaters (l-r): Demetria Kimble and Danielle Fields.

Middle College High School debaters (l-r): Roman Johnson, Carmen Robertson, Darrah Hall, Jabril Ivery, Joshua Graham, Theopolis Jones and Latrice Otis.

“Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.”

High school debate returned to Memphis last weekend for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The venue was Overton High School and the scholastic umbrella was the Memphis Urban Debate League.

In the first of six scheduled tournaments, students were pitted against each with U.S. energy policy sandwiched in between.

Debate Teams from 15 Memphis City High Schools participated in the inaugural tournament, which stretched from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 20. And yes, that was a Saturday.

Teams debated both the affirmative and negative sides of the energy issue through 4 rounds.  The winners had the best record over the 4 rounds.

The Memphis Urban Debate League is administered by a public-private partnership between the Memphis City Schools and an external group of civic leaders that comprise the Memphis Urban Debate League Advisory Board.  Memphis City Schools houses the League and funds its core costs. The Debate League Advisory Board oversees strategic planning, volunteer and paid staff coordination, advocacy, supplemental fund-raising, and deployment of university technical expertise.  James Sdoia is the board’s president.

The students didn’t just crawl out of bed and show up at Overton. Teams began practicing and preparing before the school year started. The NAUDL held a workshop for interested students in July.

The Debate League season culminates with a City Championship Tournament to in late February.

The NAUDL mission is to help as many urban students as possible get organized debate activities. Urban Debate Leagues operate in school systems with approximately “87 percent people of color and 78 percent low-income student populations.”  Eligibility primarily is for districts defined as urban, as long as student demographics include no less than 40 percent of Title I (economically disadvantaged) students.

In Memphis, 30 teachers and more than 200 MCS high school students are involved in this year’s league.

For more information visit www.urbandebate.org.