In Memory of Megan Gaffney

Vol. 4 Issue. I Women’s Debate Institute Winter 2014 Our Community Quarterly A Community of Voices Speak Out As many of our readers already and colonial pasts and presents. sought alliances with communi- know, debate is an amazing These lessons have been taught ties actively speaking out against Inside this issue: community to be a member of. in schools throughout the na- oppression both in debate and Even those who no longer de- tion yet coaches within the de- beyond. We are committed to Donor Update 2 bate or actively coach will often bate community have done continuing to develop these Student National Success 2 tell you debate played an essen- what teachers in countless class- relationships and we are confi- tial role in the person they have rooms strive to achieve—they dent that the intense debates Statement from the Board 3 become. While every communi- have motivated their students to emerging are a testament to the Student Board Member 3 ty has its challenges, and most read, learn, listen and reflect community’s strength and via- are stronger because of them, deeply about their histories, bility. In Memory 4 our activity is unique because themselves and their futures. We agree there is much work to Inside our Faculty 5 the debate competition is im- There is no doubt that these be done and will continue to Alumni Spotlight 5 mersed in the politics outside struggles affect community bring together young women the debate round. As racism, members in very deep and often and professionals to create an sexism, oppression, and exclu- challenging ways. Yet these environment that fosters com- sion are debated both inside and publicly-acknowledged awaken- munity, encourages girls to be- outside debate rounds, commu- ings make the difficult words lieve in themselves and speak nity members are forced to face worth speaking. The Women’s from both their minds and issues of privilege, patriarchy, Debate Institute has always hearts. Charting Courses aside time for senior faculty to meet indi- had the opportunity to participate in a low vidually with high school seniors to map ropes course. Statistically proven in to en- out plans for college success. The WDI packs a lot into our five day hance self-esteem and group communica- camp. In just a few days, we hope to in- Yet our mission of enhanced community tion skills, ropes courses engage participants crease the number of girls involved in de- requires a more organic approach. Bonfires, in problem solving, decision making, goals bate, encourage young women to attend group roundtables, communal games and setting and college and create an environment that fos- activities are all geared towards bringing trust. Rope ters community and respect. We offer doz- together a diverse group of women who course edu- ens of debate classes ranging from develop- share a love of debate. We pride ourselves cators re- ment topics, such as flowing and under- on our ability to attract a diverse group of port that standing disadvantages, to enrichment con- young women ( debaters from New Mexico apprecia- cepts, such as counterplan competition and and Hawaii, we are looking to fill in your tion for intersectional theory. spot on the map) and we are working to personal strengths and weakness, respect enhance our already fantastic faculty to and value for differences, and conflict reso- We design classes for Policy and Lincoln- reflect these differences. lution are some of the important lessons Douglas debaters ranging from first year After hosting camp at different locations we developed through ropes course instruction. debaters to experienced college students. Our hope is that when students return to Our skilled staff includes national champion have finally found a home at the Audubon Center of the North Woods. We believe our classrooms and then their hometowns debaters and coaches actively involved at they bring with them the skills they cultivat- the both the high school and college level. that their leadership in environmental education, renewable energy and wildlife ed through this experience. And, when We fulfill our mission to encourage women preservation blends well with the type of they meet again at tournaments, they will to attend college by offering college applica- responsible community we hope to culti- continue to share the community lessons tion lectures that teach to how to apply, pay vate. This past year, somewhere between they developed at the WDI. for, and succeed in college. We also set topic talk and negative case theory, students http://womensdebateinstitute.org/ Our Community Quarterly Pa ge 2 Donor News The WDI began its fundraising for 2014 with a revenue. Those donations went to pay for our generous offer from a donor: Mitch Benson camp venue, help defray travel costs of our all- offered to double donations up to $500! At the volunteer faculty (many of whom are current time of printing, we are now $300 towards that college debaters!), and support travel stipends goal. Help us fulfill Mitch's challenge totaling $5000 for 20 of our high school stu- by January 15 and donate now. dents. Mitch debated for Lewis and Clark College We could not operate without the generosity of where he was a contemporary of WDI found- so many of you who understand the benefits of ers Leah Castella and Jeff Shaw. Now a Senior debate. Thank you for your support! And help Vice President of Learning Technology at Pear- me thank Mitch by donating to the WDI right son Education, Mitch donates to the WDI now - when your donation can doubled! To because he "just wants to make sure others donate, visit womensdebateinstitute.org/ have the chance I had." In 2013, individual donors like Mitch provided 44% of our total For more information or to donate contact Sarah Glaser at [email protected] WDI Student Wins Economic Debate National Win for WDI On October 20, 2013, former President George W. Bush crowned a new champion in his policy in- Student Board Member stitute’s annual high school economic debate competition, telling the participants, ―it’s awesome Lille Ouelette-Howitz you’re willing to compete.‖ Lillie Ouellette-Howitz from Minneapolis South High School in Minne- sota won, after she argued that privatization of Mexico’s energy sector would benefit the country’s people. Bush said the subject was ―fascinating‖ and that it ―required a lot of critical thinking.‖ And while George W. Bush Institute president Mar- garet Spellings noted that Bush ―knows a little something about debate himself,‖ the former president said that made him only more impressed with the students. ―When I debated as president, I got hours of prepara- tion,‖ Bush said. ―When you debated for the coveted prize, you got 20 minutes.‖ The Bush Institute – part of the George W. Bush Presi- dential Center at SMU [Southern Methodist University] expanded its debate competition this year to include re- gional qualifiers held across the country. About 500 students participated, with nearly 100 high schoolers traveling to North Texas for the final rounds. The debates are part of the institute’s 4% Growth Project, which aims to generate policy ideas to boost the U.S. economy. (Bush teased the project’s director, Amity Shlaes, by saying that a recovering economy means she still has lots of work to do.) http://womensdebateinstitute.org/ Our Community Quarterly Pa ge 3 Statement by the Women’s Debate Institute Board of Directors December 18, 2013 underestimate women's actual skill, thus never giving women the perks, such as invitations to participate in prestigious Last week the Dartmouth Forensic Union, Dartmouth Col- events like this one, that open up opportunities for advance- lege’s policy debate organization, announced the seven teams ment. it is inviting to participate in the 2014 Dartmouth Round Rob- in. The Dartmouth Round Robin has long been seen as one of Exclusion from college debate continues to be a problem. The the college policy debate community’s most prestigious events. seven colleges and universities invited to Dartmouth this year have student bodies averaging 54 percent female students. We at the Women’s Debate Institute are saddened to see that Dartmouth’s own student body is half female. The problem is the list of 14 competitive participants included no women. not just representation at a single event, but representation on Our point is not to blame Dartmouth for its selections. In- the whole in college policy debate, which has never, to our stead, we wish to call attention to the exclusion of women at knowledge, even begun to approach parity. We continue to this event as an example of the ways in which women continue call for proportional representation in college debate as well as to be under-represented in debate, particularly at the highest in individual debate teams. We strongly urge all invitational levels of competition. debate activities to scrutinize their invitations and consider the advantage of inviting a diverse and While we are pleased that members of underrepresented iden- successful group of attendees. tity groups have been invited to this year’s round robin, we are also confident that our community can do better. Though we The Board of Directors are disappointed that women were not invited to participate as The Women’s Debate Institute ―we wish to call competitors, we are cheered to see many teams that are attention to the coached by women, including Sherry Hall of Harvard Univer- J. Leah Castella, Esq. sity, Adrienne Brovero of the University of Mary Washington, Cat Duffy exclusion of Kate Ortiz of Rutgers University, and Toya Green and Leah Sarah Glaser, Ph.D women at this Moczulski of Wake Forest University.

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