In the 2024-25 school year, Mt. Vernon High School offered a new Debate class during the spring semester. Students of any grade could take the class, and it was taught by Ms. Duffy.
In the class, students researched topics based on resolution statements and periodically debated against one another. The students would argue on one of two sides: the affirmative side that agrees with the resolution or the negative side, which disagrees. Multiple formats of debate were taught, such as the one-versus-one Lincoln-Douglas and the duo-driven Public Forum.
Since this is a new class, many students were unsure of what it would entail. Luckily, many of the students enjoyed it.
“I really enjoy the class. It’s not too much that you feel overwhelmed, but it’s also not a free class,” said Aiden Wise.
Addy Noesges also liked the class, stating, “My experience in debate has been pretty good! I find it super interesting because it’s unlike any class I’ve ever taken.”
Students were not the only ones who were not quite sure what to expect with the class. Ms. Duffy was also quite new to debate, saying “I have never been associated with debate until now. In high school, I was a member of several academic teams, theater, and public speaking classes.”
There were also some challenges with teaching a class with no set framework. Ms. Duffy stated, “There have been so many challenges, but there have been equal rewards. We’ve been able to be flexible with the pacing of our class and we’ve been able to have so much fun with it. I have met so many folks through trying to learn more about debate and it has been a blast putting this curriculum together.”
Throughout the class, some students’ opinions on debating as a whole have changed. Megan Jones, “I did not know how much work went into preparing a new debate and this class has shown me just how much preparation a debate requires.”
Of course, no class is complete without assignments. Noesges said, “The easiest assignment has been most everything – Duffy is super lenient. The hardest assignment was probably writing my first debate because I had never done something like that.”
For Caleb Ashley, “Easiest was definitely the first couple of debates and the hardest was for sure the final Lincoln-Douglas debate before spring break.”
After going through almost a full semester of the class, many of the students highly recommend taking it. “I would definitely. I already have convinced a couple to join next year,” said Wise.
Noesges added, “I would! It’s a great class where you learn to get out of your comfort zone and be confident.”
Jones agreed, “Absolutely. I think that this is a great class for anyone who is interested in becoming a better speaker and learning how to research well. I think that some form of debate can be found in all sorts of different careers and this class is a great way for students to become exposed to a class with a subject that may seem daunting.”
Debate may seem like a boring or scary subject at first, but the fact of the matter is that anyone can become great with a little bit of practice. The students in the class believe that MV’s debate class is a great opportunity for practicing the necessary skills with a great teacher who nurtures the flame within each pupil.
