Debate is a topic close to Mayor Sylvester Turner’s heart, having engaged in the activity in high school. So it was a proud and fun day when the City of Houston proclaimed July 11, 2023, as Houston Urban Debate League Day.

Watch the proclamation here.

The Mayor and other elected officials gathered Tuesday before the City Council meeting to issue the proclamation and discuss how debate shaped their future(s). Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (CASE) leaders were on hand for the proclamation, as CASE partners with HUDL to provide students in local high schools the opportunity to engage in speech and debate tournaments by funding debate coaches for more than a dozen high school teams in Harris County.

Since the partnership was created five years ago, HCDE’s teams have routinely won local debate tournaments and competed at the national level, even winning the National Speech and Debate Association World Schools debate format in 2021. This year, three qualifying teams advanced to the elimination round at the national competition in Arizona, with one school placing in the top 20 in the nation and two students being ranked 3^rd and 5^th for overall best speaking in the country.

“Teams from Houston made up 1/8 of the entire triple octofinals,” the proclamation reads. “The City of Houston congratulates the debate teams and coaches…for their stellar teamwork and remarkable accomplishments.”

To learn more about CASE for Kids, visit www.hcde-texas.org/afterschoolzone.