A Night to Celebrate Debate-Inspired Classrooms on the Big Screen — November 20, 2024
Boston Debate League is proud to announce the screening of a new PBS documentary titled Beyond Debate, A Revolution in Education. The film captures the innovation that is BDL’s Debate-Inspired Classrooms™ (DI Classrooms) program, which fosters critical thinking and civil discourse, enhanced communication skills, and collaboration amongst students in classrooms across the city of Boston. Through DI Classrooms, BDL’s Instructional Coaches work with teachers, school leaders, and entire school communities to cultivate exciting and buzzing classrooms in which students experience both rigor and joy in learning.
This October, the film will begin playing on PBS stations nationwide. BDL will host a public screening in November 2024, and we hope you will join us for our special event, BDL Bright Lights: A Night to Celebrate Debate-Inspired Classrooms on the Big Screen. The event will include a screening of the documentary, a talk back with one of the filmmakers and educators featured in the film, a festive celebration, and BDL branded gifts.
November 20, 2024 at 6:30pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
290 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA
Sponsored by:
Isaacson Miller
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Julie Kurd
Mission Hill Main Streets
Non-Profit Capital Management
Jim Dillon & Stone Wiske
Susan Whitehead
Wealth Planning Resources LLC
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
With Additional Support from:
EdVestors
Alison Eggers
Insource Services Inc. Zenith Wealth Partners
To become a sponsor of this event, or for additional information, please contact Bonnie Butkas, Managing Director of Development, bbutkas@bostondebate.org or (857) 246-8111.
To learn more about our Debate-Inspired Classrooms virtual professional development offerings for educators this school year, click here or reach out to Marisa Suescun, Managing Director of Programs, marisa@bostondebate.org.
In 2021, Kim Willingham was named Executive Director – the first woman and first Black leader – of the Boston Debate League. Before being named ED, Kim served as the BDL’s Director of Culture and Engagement and prior to that as an Instructional Coach on the Debate-Inspired Classrooms team. Throughout her 20+ years in education, Kim has held multiple leadership positions. She began her career as a Teach for America Corps Member in the Crescent City – New Orleans, LA – where she taught 6th grade ELA and Social Studies. Kim earned an EdM from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a BS from Eastern Michigan University. Her experience also includes several years in school leadership and education consulting. Originally from the Motor City, she now resides in Dorchester with her two children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time in nature. Kim is grateful for the joy she gets to experience daily working with the students, teachers, volunteers, and staff of the BDL community.