A new educational opportunity has been created this school
year: debating for middle school students! Orange County Debate League (OCDL) formed in August 2009 to meet the growing demands for
debate in the area.
While debate organizations may
be common for many high school and college students, the Orange County
Debate League offers a wonderful experience for students starting in
middle school.
The OCDL is a nonprofit organization for students
in grades 5 through 8. Founded by
Fairmont Private Schools teacher Benjamin Hughes, the league is
intended to help foster student achievement in the fields of critical
thinking and rhetoric. When forming the OCDL, Hughes had the help of
several dedicated teachers.
Fairmont teachers Kristi Mead,
Lauren Frazier and Denise Miller are all members of the OCDL
administration. In addition, local educator Dierdre Dizon serves as the
league’s tournament administrator. The league is the newest division of
the Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP), a nationwide debate
organization created by John Meany of the Claremont Colleges.
Currently,
six schools are members: Heritage Oak Private School, Mission Hills Christian School, Beechwood Middle School and all three middle schools from Fairmont Private Schools.
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