As an alumnus of the NYCUDL, my journey began in 2013 at Maspeth High school in Queens. I traveled with the league and was able to visit and compete in prestigious universities that helped mold my understanding of college and beyond.
My passion for debate led me to volunteer with the league as a summer leader and eventually I became a summer institute director. I took my love for education with me when I joined Teach for America in 2020 as a classroom teacher tackling educational inequity in Newark.
Today, I am thrilled to serve as the Manager of League Affairs, where I get to experience this full circle moment and witness firsthand the remarkable growth and impact the league has had on students across New York City.
The League connected with the debate team at my HS alma mater Brooklyn Technical High School. I was lucky that my first debate tournament wasn't with a national debate organization but, rather, with the NYCUDL who helped us feel that debate was a home for all.
I'm currently on the volunteer team with the NYCUDL where I can give back to the debate community. I was recently selected for a multi-month long fellowship at the NY Public Library where I will study before applying for PhD programs.
Debate has been the crux of my education. The logical thinking, the fusion of technical arguments and poetic rhetoric, and the emphasis on independent research helped me find my career path and my dream to become a university professor.
I was NYCUDL debater all through high school, and I was fortunate enough to travel to different states alongside my team and debate against some of the top competitors in the country. This exposed me to a whole new world of academia, unbeknownst to me prior to joining debate. I gained self confidence, the ability to articulate myself, and the knowledge of current events like American and global politics.
Through debate, I fell in love with reading and writing propelling me to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Brooklyn College. During college, I reconnected with NYCUDL as a staff member, assisting at tournaments and coaching debate clubs.
I currently work as paralegal where I’m able to flex the writing and critical thinking skills I honed in almost a decade of debate. As a law school hopeful, I would not be where I am today without the platform NYCUDL provided. I fully believe in the power of all our students to become the next generation of courageous and informed leaders.
I did NYCUDL debate all through high school with my newly founded team (BASIS Bears). Eager to share my love for debate with others, I returned to the NYCUDL as a Youth Leader, helping teach at the Summer Debate Institute and volunteer judge weekend tournaments.
A few months ago, I completed my degree in Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. Now, I’m excited to use my interests in maths, physics, and engineering to tackle challenges related to energy, driven by a goal to leave a positive mark on the world.
I credit debate and my early years in the NYCUDL with helping me find confidence in my voice, for teaching me to think before I speak, for instilling an appreciation for precision and clarity. Above all, for introducing me to a community of peers and mentors that set the bar high, inspiring us to clear it together.
I first got involved with the NYCUDL by joining my high school's debate team. I participated in open league tournaments, attended summer debate camp, and had the opportunity to compete at the national level through the NYCUDL travel team.
I am currently working as an elementary school teacher at P.S. 249 The Caton School.
The skills the NYCUDL taught me helped shape who I am today. When I attended Hunter College as an English Literature major, I used the rigorous researching skills I learned through debate to write my papers. When I interviewed for jobs, I would always speak with a clear and confident voice, as if I were convincing a judge to vote for me. Even today as I teach my fourth graders, I always make sure to break down each step clearly because I know not every person comes into the room with background knowledge (just like a lay judge!). Debate has amazing transferrable skills and I am incredibly lucky to have participated in the activity through the NYCUDL.
With the help of the NYCUDL, I founded the debate team at LaGuardia High School.
I have now received my BA with Honors in Political Science and Directing from the University of Washington, making me a first-generation graduate. My personal work specializes in Human Rights and Environmental Justice, with my research focusing on improving the effectiveness of international civil society. This year, I will start as a 1L at Brooklyn Law School.
You must be ready to defend ethical opinions you might not hold yourself. By forcing you to fully understand both sides of every argument, you learn to question everything until you can clearly see the best path forward. This "learn to understand everyone" way of thinking fundamentally changed how I move through the world.
