Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League Finals a Success!

The Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League (PSDL) completed its ten weeks of competition with a final debate tournament at The University of Pennsylvania on December 14. The school champion was Masterman High School, with top team and speaker points prizes going to students from George Washington, Masterman, Constitution High School, and Science Leadership Academy.

The PSDL is run by ASAP in partnership with Penn for Youth Debate.   For the 2011 season, over 56 teams participated from 21 Philadelphia public high schools, all coached by school district teachers. The Wednesday debate competitions ran through the fall, with students researching and debating one topic per month in public forum debate.

Wednesday’s competition started with a motivational speech from Seth Williams, Philadelphia’s district attorney. Addressing the room full of high schoolers, he told them that debate would serve them well in life, citing the many skills assistant district attorneys use every day that can be developed through debate- such as knowing both sides of an argument and thinking on your feet.

Williams also took a chance to share his own story with the students, talking about his early successes and failures that led him to the District Attorney’s office. After graduating from Central High School, he attended West Point for one year but had to leave due to illness – “an allergy to math,” but wound up highly successful at Penn State, graduating as student body president. While he never imagined that is where he would wind up, he “never gave up,” and urged the students never to give up either.

“Whatever your reason for going to school, whether its debate, or the tater tots, or sports, find some reason to go to school and go there every day,” he told the students, citing the difficult statistic that the majority of those arrested in Philadelphia have one thing in common: they did not graduate from high school.

“I am very proud of all of you,” Williams ended, wishing all the students luck. Teams them split up to various rooms to debate December’s topic, “Resolved: Current Income Disparities in the United States Threaten Democratic Ideals.”

The top three rounds had three judges to ensure the most accurate outcome: a coach, an outside experienced debate judge, and a Penn for Youth Debate volunteer. Debates lasted an hour, at which point the totals were quickly determined for an awards ceremony.

Megan Hess-Homeier, ASAP’s debate coordinator, first recognized the commitment and hard work of all the teams before announcing the top speaker points, teams, and school champion.

“The skills you’ve gained from debate will serve you your whole life, and I can say that, as a former speech and debate participant,” Meg told the students.

Justin Ennis, ASAP’s Execuetive Director, also acknowledged the hard work Ms. Hess-Homeier put into debate over the 10 week season to make it a success. The awards were as follows:

Championship Teams 
1. George Washington A team, Raisa Masud and Sam Shanazarov
2. Masterman A team, Melanie Millwood and Maia Reumann-Moore
3. Constitution A team, Deion Jordan and Kayla McCoy

Individual Speaker Champions 
1. Desislava Gergishanova, George Washington
2. Raisa Masud, George Washington
3. Maia Reumann-Moore, Masterman
4. Jeff Kessler, Science Leadership Academy

School Sweepstakes 

1. Masterman

2. Central

3. George Washington

Full league standings can be found on the ASAP debate page. Pictures of the finals round on ASAP's facebook page. 

Just for Fun: ASAP Holiday Gift Guide

For your Scrabblulous Friends

There are now tons of addicting variations on the board game Scrabble- including the new Scrabble Flash Game, where you have to unscramble letters before time runs out. Great for parties or for playing solo.

Scrabble Flash, 19.98, from amazon.com

For your Siblings, whom you’re Always Debating With

A subscription to the New York Times, so they can learn about why you’re always right…. I mean, so they can do research for your next arguement.

Home Delivery for the New York Times starts at 3.70/week.

For Your Kids, who are Future Chess Prodigies

Chess is great for building kid’s critical thinking skills, plus, they have a lot of fun playing it. Give them the opportunity to practice with a computer game so they can keep improving.

Chess Master, 10^th Addition, $8.91 from amazon.com

For your Nieces and Nephews, with a flair for the Dramatic

Get their imaginations going with Rory’s Story Cubes, dice with pictures that have countless ways to play- including using the pictures to tell your own story or create your own play.

Rory’s Story Cubes, 7.49 from amazon.com

For the Person Who Has Everything

Instead of giving someone more clutter, why not give something that will provide the countless benefits of after school programming: safety after school, and improved academic performance and school attendance, not to mention the gift of skills like critical thinking that will serve them for years to come.  

See what effect your donation can have, and give  here! 

Behind the Scenes at an ASAP Chess Tournament

As a relative newcomer to the world of chess, I expected silence when I arrived at my first ASAP chess tournament. But when I entered the halls of Community College of Philadelphia a few weeks ago, I was surprised that the chess playing was audible. Inside the divided main room, the sounds of over 200 children shuffling, sighing, coughing and whispering created a low, hushed hum of noise. The occasional chess piece even let out an audible thwack when triumphantly placed in the perfect position. ASAP staff and volunteers move deftly among the tables, settling debates and keeping things moving along.

In the halls and classrooms off to the side, the noise levels rose. Parents and coaches congratulated students who had won, and comforted those who had lost. One young player walked straight to his mother after losing and buried his face in her lap. “You never really lose,” she reminded him, “Because you learn something every time.

Competitors between matches and their siblings sat in the hallway, playing cards, reading books, and chatting with friends. Two brothers were playing chess – this time, electronically through their iPods.

Other students ran straight back to coaches to strategize and reenact the meet they had just played. Those who have learned notation were able to recreate their game, move for move, for a coach. The furthest classroom from the competition had become headquarters for an ASAP chess club, the Kings and Queens Chess Club in North Philly. As the final round of competition died down, a chess player raced back to the classroom, announcing breathlessly, “I won!” The room exploded, and parents began high-fiving him. “That’s what I’m talking about!” the coach crowed.

Curious, I poked my head in to ask what the celebration was about. I met the coach, Coach Craig, who explained that all of his player were officially going home with medals, meaning they had won two or more games. “Even babies come home with medals” in the Kings and Queens Chess club. “We are trying to show people that North Philadelphia is more than just the ghetto,” Coach Craig continues, “We have minds.”

Marshall Bright is ASAP’s Communications and Scrabble Coordinator. She has lost to at least 10 ASAP chess players in the past.

Youth Development and the "Sixth C"

ASAP Coach Gil Motley and one of his students

When we talk about after school programming, we often focus on skills gained. And some of the links seem obvious: chess improves critical thinking, Scrabble improves spelling, debate helps with public speaking. But many of us recognize that something else can be gained from involvement in after school programs, something bigger than simply the skills required to participate in an ASAP club. After all, at ASAP, we often say, ‘What happens after graduation stars with what happens after school.’

ASAP coaches are not just leading a club, they are positive influences in the lives of their club members. While they might help a student memorize their lines or remind them to find a place for that “Q” on a triple letter score, they are also imparting skills like social competency through lessons on losing and winning with grace, or empathy of understanding someone else’s perspective.

Debate Off to a Strong Start

Students plan their debate strategy

 If any sense of after-hours calm ever pervades Central High School after the final bell, there is none of it to be found on Wednesday afternoons. Instead, you will likely find over 100 high school students from all over the city preparing for their debate competitions.     Some school affiliations are obvious: surely the large group made up exclusively of girls pouring over their binders are from Girls High. Vaux High School, in matching uniforms adorned with the Promise Academy insignia, look sharp and orderly standing together. Other students, however, wear only the uniforms of high school: jeans, tennis shoes, and tee shirts, and zip-up hoodies.

  In the flurry of over 20 high schools rolling into Central, Megan Hess-Homeier, ASAP’s debate coordinator, directs students and their coaches, who act as judges, to various classrooms and spaces throughout Central. Slowly, the hallways empty, and the rooms fall silent to any noise but the sounds of students asserting their positions on private funding for space exploration.

Susan Polgar on the Importance of Chess: “Make it Part of the Curriculum”

Susan Polgar with Vanita Young, a Philly chess player,

at Polgar's All-Girls Chess Invitational earlier this summer.

Susan Polgar has long been an advocate for chess, particularly for girls, whose numbers drop severely after 4th and 5th grade. In an article in Saturday’s New York Times, Polgar spoke with reporter James Warren about her efforts and the importance of chess during the Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls and Boys in Chicago.

“Socially, I think, they are not supported enough,” Polgar explained. Programs like Polgar’s, as well as ASAP’s Philly Girls Play Chess gives girls both the social support and chess skills to keep them interested and improving. The benefits are so great that Polgar even argues that chess should be taught in schools. As Warren states:

[C]hess teaches discipline, analytical thinking, time management, focus and patience — skills that can be useful throughout life.

Chess is important not only for girls but for high-risk and low-income students, for whom participating in chess can bring increased focus and critical thinking not only in competitions but at school. Explains Polgar, chess can bring“a boost in self-confidence can change lives.” In response to Saturday's article, the Times also published a letter to the editor from an educator who shared his own story about the benefits of chess.

Several chess players at the tournament included students from Walter D. Palmer Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, a club supported by ASAP. The Palmer students performed well at the competiton. Vanita Young, who previously won a 40K scholarship at Polgar’s all-girls invitational, placed third for 6-12 girls. The three Palmer boys who competed also held their own in their highly competitive bracket of 9-12 grade boys.

Philly Plays Scrabble® showcases Phillies Phever and young Scrabble® talent

Greenfield students arriving at their library on Thursday, October 13 knew they were going to be playing Scrabble as part of the Philly Plays Scrabble® kick-off- but didn't know who their competitors were going to be.

When they were told they would be playing students from Science Leadership Academy (SLA), a magnet high school just a few blocks away on 22nd and JFK, a few of the students balked.

"I can't be playing students from SLA!" One student exclaimed, "I'm trying to get INTO that school!"