April 10, 2023 | By Kelly Cody
As the school year comes to an end, it’s important to take a moment to appreciate and celebrate the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who helped make our debate tournaments a success. Various corporate, school, and professional groups came out in force this year as BDL volunteer partners to lend their expertise as judges, providing invaluable support, feedback, and guidance to our student debaters.
At each of the eight tournaments BDL held this year, we were fortunate to have a diverse group of volunteers from all walks of life, including professionals from a variety of industries, educators, and community leaders. Not only did these leaders share insight on their various careers at our affinity themed tournaments, but also had the opportunity to partake in two networking sessions (BDL’s first ever!) and several also participated as tournament speakers and panelists. These community members’ commitment to giving back to their communities by volunteering their time and expertise is truly inspiring.
The role of a debate judge is a crucial one. They are responsible for evaluating the arguments presented by debaters, providing feedback, and ultimately determining which team has presented the most compelling case. Without our volunteer judges, our tournaments simply would not be possible. What’s particularly impressive about our volunteer judges is the level of engagement and dedication they bring to the role. All BDL judges have taken the time to attend training sessions and workshops to hone their judging skills, ensuring that they are able to provide thoughtful and constructive feedback to BDL debaters. Beyond their contributions to the tournaments themselves, BDL volunteer judges are also helping to build a sense of community and connection.
To all of our volunteer partners who came out to judge at our tournaments this year: thank you. Your generosity and dedication have made a real difference in the lives of our students, and we could not have done it without you. We look forward to continuing to work together to support the next generation of debaters and leaders in our communities.