Alief Independent School District Kerr High School teen CASE Debates students Queen Eche and Hillary Nguyen made history as the first debate team from their school to place in the Urban Debate National Championship in Washington D.C.

Queen Eche and Hillary Nguyen

The pair competed in the national tournament and narrowly lost to a Chicago team but earned second place and a college assistance scholarship. Eche was also recognized as the second-best individual speaker in the tournament. Forty-two teams from across the nation with a total of 83 students competed in the policy debate competition for the national champion title.

Also qualifying for the national championship but not placing was a team from Harmony School of Advancement, Riley Hardwick and Khalida Amla.

This year the qualifying national teams gathered at Georgetown University to debate about immigration reform.

“We are extremely proud of our CASE Debates students who have only participated in CASE Debates for the two years the program has been in existence,” said Lisa Thompson-Caruthers, director for the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids, or CASE for Kids. “We are thankful for the support for high school debate from our HCDE Board and Superintendent James Colbert.”

CASE Debates pairs a successful, established debate model created by the Houston Urban Debate League with CASE for Kids, an afterschool intermediary. While HUDL provides debate opportunities for high school teens within HISD, CASE Debates expanded the program to provide opportunities to other districts in Harris County, including charter schools.

In 2018-2019, CASE Debates served almost 300 students in six school districts and three charters. Students have earned numerous awards and scholarships through the CASE Debates program.