2009-10-31
Perspectives and ASAP Announce Partnership
PHILADELPHIA, PA—Perspectives Debate, Inc. and the Afterschool Activities Partnership (ASAP) are thrilled to announce their partnership for the 2009-2010 school year. Because both programs had been offering debate resources in Philadelphia, a decision was reached this summer to combine efforts and offer a unified debate program.
ASAP/After School Activities Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping Philadelphia youth safe and active afterschool. In the fall of 2005, ASAP developed the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League, with the main objective of advocating for debate programs in Philadelphia high schools, providing professional development for debate coaches and insuring that PSDL students have access to the many opportunities and benefits that are available through the larger debate community.
Perspectives Debate, Inc., through the help of Penn student group Penn for Youth Debate will now provide volunteers to schools with debate teams in Philadelphia. The combined ASAP/Perspectives debate league (hereafter the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League) will include 27 high schools. Volunteers will also continue instruction in four middle schools. Additionally, students in the debate league will now utilize the Public Forum format of debate for all tournaments. All Philadelphia students will now have access to weekly tournaments run by ASAP, as well as weekend tournaments run by Perspectives.
“I am beyond thrilled for this partnership,” notes Perspectives’ program director Ali Huberlie. “ASAP is such a high quality organization, and through this partnership, many more students will be able to access the joys of debate. We look forward to continuing to provide dedicated volunteers, and to continuing to improve lives through debate!”
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Perspectives is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization promoting youth debate education. Students who debate dramatically increase their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and public speaking skills. In the process, debate becomes a forum to foster youth achievement and civic responsibility. Perspectives has worked with over 400 students in 8 states through afterschool, summer, and special events. www.philadebate.org