2024-2025
As we gather with family and friends this year, we may find ourselves breaking bread with people whose views mirror our own, as well as those whose perspectives differ sharply. When political topics arise at the table, it is timely to remember that the skills honed in Speech and Debate extend far beyond the tournament floor or courtroom. These are portable tools we can bring to every conversation.
"In an increasingly polarized society, it's more important than ever that we have voices from all backgrounds contributing to the dialogue. If you won't advocate for yourself, who will? Compassion comes from embracing people who look different than us and understanding where they come from. Real solutions come from diverse voices at the same table," emphasized Katelynn Nguyen, a senior at Silver Creek High School and a competitor in this year's I RESOLVE.
Her words offer a powerful framework as we enter this season of gratitude—a reminder that the most meaningful dialogues happen when we bring both conviction and compassion to the table.
Every night in California, over 180,000 people sleep without a home. Last week, SVUDL students shared their policy solutions to address this critical topic as they presented their arguments during this year’s first I RESOLVE debate in the 2025 series. Click here to learn more.
During her time, Sojourner Truth (1797-1893) advocated for racial justice, equality, and truth. Now, more than a century later, over 90 students came together to harness her power, strength, and advocacy at SVUDL’s 2025 Sojourner Truth. Click here to learn more about our kick-off tournament!
Earlier this month, thirty-five teachers from across the East Side Union High School District gathered at Yerba Buena High School for two days that turned professional development into lively, engaging learning. Hosted by the Silicon Valley Urban Debate League (SVUDL), the two-day workshop — Igniting Minds, Amplifying Voices — immersed participants in Debate Centered Instruction (DCI), an approach that transforms ordinary lessons into spaces for argumentation, reasoning, and authentic student voice.
Many teachers arrived unsure what debate might look like outside a traditional speech class, but they left with a renewed sense of possibility. One participant captured the mood succinctly: debate, they said, “brings opportunities for critical thinking and further engagement in the classroom.” Click here to learn more about this transformative offering!
The SVUDL Legal Advisory Committee has always championed diverse legal career pathways, but now our students are inspiring us to dream even bigger and include a wider range of career paths. This critical group’s new name - the SVUDL Advisory Committee - reflects this evolution.
The skills that SVUDL students master—argumentation, research, public speaking, and analytical thinking—unlock far more than legal careers. These foundational abilities open doors across countless fields: engineering, technology, advocacy, public service, education, and beyond.
Leading this expanded vision are two new members of our SVUDL Advisory Committee - Michael Caulkins and Annie Matheu. Michael Caulkins is an intellectual property attorney at White & Case LLP in Silicon Valley. Michael's unique journey—spanning technical problem-solving, legal advocacy, and community service—embodies the versatility that a Speech and Debate foundation can foster. Annie Matheu is a Senior Finance Partner at Waymo, serving on the business side of Google Self Driving Cars. She started her career on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan and is looking forward to representing additional career options for Speech and Debate participants beyond the legal field. Keep reading to learn more about the SVUDL Advisory Committee.
Our stories often reflect the perspectives of students and teachers, but today we share the perspective of someone else who is integral to the experience of many Speech and Debate students: their parents. Amit Gandhi, father of Ojas, has been involved with his child’s SVUDL journey since the beginning. Keep reading to learn more about how these interactions shape the experience for the whole family. Ojas graduated from Independence High School in June 2025, and is headed to UC Santa Cruz.
Last month, SVUDL students and alumni had the opportunity to visit Gap Inc. headquarters in San Francisco: home to renowned brands such as Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. The experience was an immersive dive into the world of leadership, fashion, personal and career growth. Click here to learn more about their visit!
Robins Kaplan LLP trial attorney Belle Borovik's journey from a thirteen-year-old immigrant to a leading intellectual property lawyer illuminates the transformative power of language and voice. Her story exemplifies SVUDL's mission, making Robins Kaplan's 2025 Words to the Wise sponsorship particularly meaningful.
Recently, SVUDL students had an incredible opportunity to step into the future of transportation during a special visit to Waymo HQ, where they were welcomed by longtime SVUDL volunteer (and former debater) Annie Matheu for a tech talk and behind-the-scenes look at the company pioneering autonomous driving.
This summer, SVUDL hosted two Speech & Debate workshops. From Impromptu Speech games to deep dives into Public Forum and Policy Debate, each session brought students from across the league together to sharpen their skills and strengthen community. Click here to learn more.
We're proud to announce that HP is a 2025 Words to the Wise sponsor. We recently connected with Irene Chang, Trademark, Copyright and Marketing Counsel at HP, to explore how her personal journey connects with HP's commitment to SVUDL to empower students to discover and express their voices, both literally and figuratively. Through Speech and Debate, students develop portable skills in critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, and collaboration that drive their success in higher education and the workforce. Click here to read more!
SVUDL DCI Fellow Damien Quach is transforming how students engage with education through Debate Centered Instruction (DCI) at Andrew Hill High School where he teaches Technical Career Education. For nearly eight years, Damien has been passionate about connecting students to meaningful career pathways. His classroom buzzes with real-world legal professionals—lawyers, judges, and legal experts who bring the courtroom to life for his students. Learn more by reading here about how he began to use Debate Centered Instruction in his classroom.
Mariam Ahmed’s relationship with SVUDL spans nearly a decade. As one of the league’s earlier student participants, SVUDL was where she first discovered her voice and the power of civic discourse. Over the years, her connection to the organization has deepened—first as a student, then as an intern, mentor, and alumni. Now, Mariam joins the team as a Program Specialist, bringing both firsthand experience and a commitment to the students SVUDL serves. Click here to learn more about Mariam’s journey from SVUDL student to SVUDL role model
Gaganpreet Kaur, a SVUDL Alum, joins the team as their Administrative and Program Coordinator. Click here to learn more about her background and journey with SVUDL.
In early June, over 30 committed educators from the East Side Union High School District participated in an engaging two-day professional development seminar. The event, titled “Igniting Minds, Amplifying Voices,” highlighted the power of Debate-Centered Instruction (DCI) to transform classrooms into vibrant environments where students develop not just academic knowledge, but also critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills. Learn more here.
Yerba Buena High School teacher Emily La has found Debate Centered Instruction invaluable in her classroom where she teaches both English and English for Multilingual Learners. In a school where approximately one quarter of the students are English Language Learners, her experience with DCI gives a particularly interesting glimpse into the power of DCI in the classroom. Learn more here.
We are thrilled to announce that Jennifer Min has joined SVUDL's Board of Directors, bringing with her an extraordinary combination of educational expertise, business acumen, and a strong commitment to empowering students through Speech and Debate. Click here to learn more!
California State Senator Dave Cortese recently presented a special Senate Commendation to Chloe Truong, a SVUDL student who was named 2025 Debater of the Year by the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues. The recognition celebrates not only Chloe's competitive achievements but her inspiring journey of finding her voice through Speech and Debate. Keep reading to learn more about her recognition by Senator Cortese.
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Shakespeare has long been in the classroom, but infused with Debate Centered Instruction, it takes on new meaning and significant impact. Keep reading to learn how East Palo Alto Academy teacher Christina Dobbins brought DCI and Shakespeare into her classroom and see how well it worked. She discusses students’ reactions and makes the case for why more teachers should consider bringing this approach into their classrooms.
High school senior Ryan Nguyen credits SVUDL with giving him the opportunity to learn that his voice is a platform. “The community of receptive coaches, staff members, volunteers, and fellow debaters fostered a space where I could speak without fear of being discriminated against or silenced,” he reflected. Keep reading to learn how Speech and Debate further developed his capacity for empathy and how it shaped his aspiration to become an educator.
Having immigrated to the U.S. at nine, SVUDL student Vu Quang never felt that experiences like his were part of the history and curriculum taught in schools. This changed when he discovered critical literature in Policy Debate. “I have been inspired to delve deeper into the works of other activists and scholars to better understand the lived experience of myself and those around me. Studying Asian American Studies in college would not only allow me to further my interest and passion but also contribute to the growing body of counternarratives that were so empowering to me,” he said. Keep reading to learn how the thread of Policy Debate wove through all four years of Vu’s SVUDL experience and continues to empower him today as he heads to Stanford University this fall.
In a state as vast and competitive as California, where over 300 high schools participate in Speech and Debate through the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA), qualifying for the State Championship is no small feat. For Katelynn Nguyen, a junior at Silver Creek High School in San Jose, the journey to this elite tournament was more than just an individual milestone—it was a historic moment for her school and for the Silicon Valley Urban Debate League (SVUDL). Click here to learn more about Katelynn’s path to state champs.
Although talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. By providing access to new people and experiences, we give SVUDL students a chance to pursue goals and activities that have seemed out of reach to them in the past. Our Board of Directors plays a major role in helping students uncover the power of their voices. Rak Garg, the newest member of SVUDL’s Board of Directors, first met SVUDL co-founder Jennie Savage when he was in high school and she was coaching Speech and Debate. Learn more about Rak Garg’s career and his path to joining SVUDL’s Board of Directors here.
“I'm no longer afraid to make my voice heard, even when my opinions might be unpopular,” said SVUDL student Angelina Le. "I've become much more confident and willing to embrace challenges.” Keep reading to learn how Angelina joined debate as a freshman and found it transformative.
Every subject matter has the potential to be “debatified” – the process of infusing debate into a classroom by utilizing Debate Centered Instruction (DCI). One particularly compelling example can be found in SVUDL DCI Fellow Roberto Solis’s biology classroom. One lesson he implemented was a debate on the most important organelle in a cell. Students were assigned different organelles and had to argue why theirs was the most essential for life. They researched, wrote claims, and defended their positions while challenging others. This debate led to deep discussions about cell functions and interdependence, reinforcing their understanding of the topic in a way that traditional lectures do not. Read on to learn more about the intersection of biology and DCI.
What do The Alchemist, Lord of the Flies, and La La Land have to do with Debate Centered Instruction (DCI)? Each of these components were strategically woven into Evergreen Valley High School SVUDL DCI Fellow Kevin Tran’s classroom. Keep reading to learn the nexus between these elements and DCI and how the classroom transformed as a result.
From April 3rd-6th, students from Independence High School, Yerba Buena High School, Downtown College Prep El Primero, and Andrew Hill High School represented our league at the 2025 Urban Debate National Championship at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. With nine students competing across two divisions, our teams demonstrated incredible skill, teamwork, and resilience. The experience was not only competitive but also a celebration of growth and community—capped off with a fun visit to the World of Coca-Cola Museum! Read more about their experience here!
Latino College Prep’s SVUDL Fellow Andrew Garcia Chavez teaches social studies and uses Debate Centered Instruction (DCI) as a tool to engage his students. Learn how he is equipping students with new ways to find common ground - whether a classroom debate on if the American Revolution was virtuous or a Socratic seminar on Just Mercy, this teacher is bringing new excitement to his classroom through DCI.
What Summit Everest High School senior Cristel De La Cruz Bonilla values most about SVUDL is the access to opportunities she might not have otherwise encountered. "SVUDL brought out my courage. I had fooled myself into believing I never had any," she shares. "Though I was always interested in advocating for social justice, I didn't know where to start.” Click here to learn more about Cristel’s journey.
2022-2023
Summer for Teague Clark, a rising junior at Skidmore College, means a chance to explore and grow as SVUDL’s summer intern. Teague will be collaborating with Jenet (Net) Manuel, SVUDL’s Administrative and Operations Manager.
SVUDL alum Sofia Funk is a SVUDL Fellow this summer, working remotely in Providence, Rhode Island as she continues to take classes at Brown University. She has a fair amount of autonomy to decide her path as she tackles tasks and projects for the SVUDL team. Her main projects involve debate curriculum development for Teacher Coaches, researching and compiling topic and teaching resources, and compiling the SVUDL tournament calendar for next year.
Najma Ali, as SVUDL alum, and now coach for students at Andrew Hill and Latino College Preparatory Academy, and Roberto Cruz Leadership Academy for the 2022-23 school year, remembers well her own time as a SVUDL student. Some of these memories are fun and joyful.
Debate Centered Instruction engages students and teaches them to craft claims, evaluate evidence, and reflect on reasoning with greater rigor. On June 6-8, Dr. Burns and the Program team led a 3-day professional development (PD) seminar with 26 East Side Union High School District teachers from 14 different schools. The seminar, entitled Igniting Minds, Amplifying Voices: Harnessing the Power of Debate Centered Instruction, focused on integrating debate-inspired activities into every subject area and classroom.
SVUDL extends a hearty congratulations to Kwodwo Moore, Senior Program Specialist, on his award from Cal State East Bay and the Alumni Association as the recipient of the 40 Under 40 Award, Class of 2023.
Over the course of the past three months, SVUDL staff presented a series of three 80-minute professional development sessions to twenty Silver Creek teachers from every subject area - Math, Science, English, History, and even Physical Education! Topics covered included, “Increasing Student Engagement and Voice: A Debate-Centered Approach,” “Building Student Reasoning: A Debate-Centered Approach,” and “Speech and Debate-Centered Activities in STEM Classrooms.”
Bryson Santaguida grew up in El Paso, Texas, where he competed in Policy debate and Extemporaneous speaking at Irvin High School. “I also played sports, but was better at debate,” recalls Bryson.
SVUDL student and Summit Everest High School senior Julian “JJ” Christensen recently had his 15 minutes of fame. KRON’s Live! In the Bay is the Bay Area's newest lifestyle show, and features local news, people, and places. The show is designed for conversations about community impact and content as diverse as the Bay Area itself. KRON covers an area that spans 12 counties with a diverse population. This totals 1,000,000 Greater Bay Area households a week!
Before joining SVUDL, the issues that East Palo Alto’s Eastside College Preparatory School senior and SVUDL student Stephany Urbina-Diaz were curious about were limited to those that existed around her personal bubble of reality.
Eight SVUDL Students from 5 different schools had the opportunity to work with professionals from the Berkeley Law School’s Alumni Association in preparation for their mock Pre Trial motions in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties! The students worked in small groups with the Berkeley alums, including both lawyers and a judge, sharing their opening statements and fielding practice questions meant to help them focus their arguments and get into the mindset necessary to be at their best.
Jessica Lew-Munoz is in her fourth year as a high school math teacher at Downtown College Prep (DCP) El Primero High School in San Jose.
The North American Debate Circuit (NADC) is an online tournament circuit dedicated to creating a prestigious online community while removing financial and transportation barriers to accessibility. The NADC offers standardized, monthly tournaments to grow skills quickly and visibly and allows all entries to compete: school-affiliated, club-affiliated, and hybrid. Each tournament features a cash prize pool, as well as virtual badges for debaters’ profiles.
From April 15th-17th, top debaters across the country traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to compete to become the national victors of the annual Tournament of Champions (TOC). The TOC is the premier invitational debate championship in the United States.
Following the success of the I RESOLVE public debate this past fall, Newsweek and the NAUDL entered conversations about elevating the voices and perspectives of high school debaters – particularly those individuals that 22 urban debate leagues have the honor of working with every day. To that end, Newsweek will be launching a media hub in the coming weeks that will highlight the stories and voices of high school debaters across the country – and SVUDL is honored to be among those featured.
East Palo Alto’s Eastside College Preparatory School senior Jocelyn Guzman credits her experience in Speech and Debate with learning the importance of hearing both sides of a story and how to think critically about current issues that connect to our communities.
The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara welcomed nearly 100 attendees to this year’s Young Women’s Power Lunch, hosting approximately 60 young women ranging from 8th grade through high school to meet with mentors comprised of female judicial officers, attorneys, elected officials, and local leaders. Providing a momentous end to Women’s History Month, the event hosted by the Court’s Community Outreach Committee aims to connect high school students with adult mentors by engaging in a two-way learning experience with mentors and students. Opportunities for small group discussion and networking activities took place over lunch, along with speakers who were thoughtfully invited to empower the youthful audience. Through uplifting exchanges, the event conveys to all participants that a collegial sisterhood has the ability to provide empowerment to those committed to supporting one another.
The Philhistorian Debating Society is one of the oldest associations dedicated to the promotion of Speech and Debate within the state of California. The Philhistorian has had massive impacts in shaping the debate landscape of California, and they have played a hand in founding both the Pacific Forensic League and the Northern California Forensic Association. On March 25th-26th, the Philhistorian Debating Society had graciously opened its doors to two SVUDL debaters at its annual High School Championship Tournament, waiving all judge and team fees in order to make their tournament more accessible to us.
With Rick Tinsley’s philanthropic work laser focused on education and advocacy, SVUDL was a natural next step for his community work. “SVUDL sits squarely at the intersection of these themes by offering compelling enrichment opportunities for underserved youth, as well as empowering them to find their voice and thereby be more effective advocates for themselves and their communities over the course of their lives,” said Rick.
March 18-19 was our annual Ryan Mills Memorial Invitational (named in honor of one of our most dedicated supporters and volunteers). Ryan Mills was a deeply influential coach and mentor to many of our team at SVUDL. Speaking words that resonate with each of us, Kwodwo Moore noted in a memorial note, “You made me feel like a peer when my experience within the debate community was so tiny compared to your own, and for that I deeply appreciate and respect you. You have had a real effect on me, and by extension the students that I taught/am teaching/will teach. I am better for knowing you. Thank you Mr. Mills. Thank you simply for being who you are.” Ryan continues to live as part of our community through the relationships he built and the spirit he embodied.
Independence High School student Nuha Khan first got involved with SVUDL after graduating from her previous debate academy. She was looking to start something of her own within her high school. She originally reached out to SVUDL to see if they could come in and coach what was then just a small club, but is now a team of 25 dedicated debaters. “Quickly this program became much more than that. It grew to be a family and a significant part of our school environment. It catered to not only the success of students, but creating a growing, educational community,” said Nuha.
Graham Haworth is a teacher at Independence High School in San Jose where he teaches English, AVID, and Journalism/Yearbook. He is also the Speech & Debate Co-Advisor. When he was a student in high school, he took a Speech class in high school where he learned the basics of Speech and Debate, but he was never on a Debate team.
The partnership with SVUDL aligns with Independence High School's mission organically as it is designed to meet students where they are currently and to give them every opportunity to learn and educate themselves about the world around them.
SVUDL has changed Julian “JJ” Christensen’s perspective on his life. “SVUDL has made me more confident as a person. The ability to go to tournaments and participate and compete has given me the confidence to actually follow through on something and finish something. I feel it’s the same sort of confidence that other more physical athletes get from other sports. The difference is that my sport is speaking,” shared JJ.
Yerba Buena High School student Maridel De Los Reyes holds many leadership roles at her school. Not only is she Debate Society Varsity Captain, but she is also Mock Trial President, Knitting Club Co-President, Rising Phoenix Lion Dance Club Co-President, and Filipino Student Union Co-President.
On Thursday, February 23, 2023, the Santa Clara County Superior Court Community Outreach Committee hosted the Superior Court’s third Color of Justice program. The Color of Justice Program is designed to promote diversity in the legal profession and in the justice system as a whole, and to provide students, who may or may not have previously envisioned a career in law, a greater understanding of the many pathways and opportunities available to them within the legal field.
Andrew Hill High School’s Social Justice and Advocacy class had the opportunity to learn about the struggle for voting rights in California and across the nation from both a renowned activist and a famous journalist during a 2.5 week unit co-taught by English teacher Damien Quach and SVUDL’s own Director of Programming, Dr. Robert Burns from October 22-November 9. Read more!
"My teacher announced that we would be having a guest speaker. In walked Dr. Burns, who started by having us debate pineapple on pizza—whether it was good or not. Obviously, I spoke the truth and said that pineapple on pizza was horrid!"
That seemingly trivial debate in a middle school classroom became the spark that ignited De'Angelo Quintero's passion for competitive debate—a journey that has taken him all the way to I RESOLVE 2025.