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NYC Reads

Since 2014, we have partnered with the New York City Department of Education’s NYC Reads initiative to bring debate to middle schools and help close the achievement gap. In 2024, the partnership expanded to include a high school debate elective, which is a proud recipient of the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness.

Permission Slip
Middle School League Classroom
High School Elective Classroom
Tournament Photos

How We Support You:

Middle School League
  • Three Saturday tournaments during academic year
  • June School Day Championship Tournament
  • Spanish-speaking division 
  • Google Classroom containing scaffolded curriculum
  • Bi-Weekly professional learning sessions for coaches
  • Google classrooms with scaffolded curriculum to teach debate fundamentals and tournament topics.
High School Elective
  • New York State Seal of Civic Readiness recipient
  • NYCUDL debate curriculum for any high school that would like to offer debate training during the school day
  • Curriculum that uses debate to gamify and foster literacy, critical thinking, civic engagement, and public speaking skills.
  • Five units with a different topic for each
  • Two city-wide tournaments with other high schoolers using the curriculum

2025-2026 Season Tournaments

Tournament # Date Location Topic
MS League Tournament #1 11/22/25 MS 210 Elizabeth Blackwell, 93-11 101st Ave, Ozone Park, NY 11416 Resolved: On balance, the benefits of AI to artistic expression outweigh the harms.
HS Elective Tournament #1 1/16/26 Brooklyn Law School, 250 Joralemon St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Resolved: The United States of America should end mass surveillance.
MS League Tournament #2 2/28/26 Midwood High School, 2839 Bedford Ave Brooklyn, NY 11210 Resolved: Tariffs should be a significant feature of the United States' trade policy.
MS League Tournament #3 5/2/26 Brooklyn Technical High School, 29 Fort Greene Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11217 TBA
HS Elective Tournament #2 5/28/26 CUNY School of Law, 2 Ct Square W, Long Island City, NY 11101 TBA
MS League Championship 5/29/26 CUNY School of Law, 2 Ct Square W, Long Island City, NY 1110 TBA