The Power
of Debate
Chicago Debates is bridging the educational opportunity gap for Chicago Public School students by providing them with an after-school program that supports their academic, career, and leadership success.
Mission
Our mission is to advance the educational achievement, community contributions, and life success of Chicago’s youth through the transformative power of academic debate.
Vision
We envision a world in which Chicago youth are empowered to find their voice, succeed in college and career, and become leaders in their community.
Our History
In 1995, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Seymour Simon engaged a group of local business and civic leaders to found the Chicago Debate Commission, charged with promoting debate as an extracurricular activity for local high school students. Typically found in wealthy suburban areas, Simon wanted to bring the numerous benefits of competitive debate to the students of Chicago. In 1997, in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, the Commission launched the Chicago Debate League in five under-resourced high schools on the city’s South Side.
Nearly 30 years later, as Chicago Debates, we continue to grow this partnership and are also affiliated with the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues. We serve approximately 1,500 students each year at 90+ middle and high schools across the greater metropolitan area, making us the largest urban Policy Debate league in the country and a model for other Urban Debate Leagues nationwide. Chicago Debates prioritizes establishing and supporting debate programs in the city’s most under-resourced and underserved neighborhoods, where a larger percentage of students struggle academically and there are fewer options for academic enrichment. We believe that every Chicago Public Schools student should have access to enriching speech and debate programming, which will help them to build skills that will promote success in their education and beyond.
Our Partners
Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
In 1997, Chicago Debates partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to launch the Chicago Debate League (CDL) in just five high schools. As one of the first urban debate leagues in the country, it has since expanded into the largest and most successful urban debate league in the nation, with debate teams in over 80 schools.
Today, we continue our strong collaboration with CPS’s Office of College and Career Success to deliver high-quality, competitive debate programming to approximately 1,600 students each year. Through this partnership, we provide students with essential skills in critical thinking, public speaking, and civic engagement, ensuring that debate remains a transformative opportunity for Chicago’s youth. The ongoing commitment from both Chicago Debates and CPS has made this collaboration a national model for urban debate leagues.
National Association of Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL)
Since our founding, the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL) has been a vital support system in our growth and development. As one of 20 urban debate leagues nationwide, Chicago Debates benefits from NAUDL’s extensive resources, tools, and national initiatives that strengthen urban debate programs across the country.
Our partnership enables us to collaborate on innovative projects, blending NAUDL’s research and curriculum with our local expertise. This year, we are especially excited to pilot a new curriculum developed by NAUDL, integrating it into our programming to enhance the debate experience for students across Chicago.
Annual Report
Explore our Annual Report for detailed insights into our impact. View previous Annual Reports here.
