About Us
Our Mission
Our Story
Having competed in local tournaments since 5th grade, founders Alexandra Stillman and Dev Arora noticed that there were only a few schools that participated. Growing up, both realized that many schools did not run debate programs despite having amounts of capable, willing, and talented students. The problem became more apparent as both debaters entered the national circuit in freshman year of high school, where very few teams from New York City competed. In response, it became their goal to make a change. They organized student volunteers and principals to give them support and the courage to undertake such a mission. Both Alexandra and Dev are honored to announce the official launch of Debate4All in September 2023 and are excited to inspire the leaders of the future.
Our Purpose
At Debate4All, we believe that every student deserves access to enriching extracurricular activities, including debate programs. Our mission is to provide debate programs to schools that do not have one in order to increase accessibility across the city and promote education equity.Our approach is centered on empowering students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in their academic and personal lives. Through our programs, students develop critical thinking, public speaking, and teamwork skills that will serve them well into the future.
Our Commitment to Safety
At Debate4All, inclusivity is paramount. An integral part of fostering a welcoming and accepting community that offers debate to all is non-discrimination. As such, before allowing volunteer teachers to participate, we ensure that they are representative of diverse backgrounds and understand that each individual has a different story to tell.
Furthermore, there are no requirements to join the program. We work with schools to ensure that students with special needs and learning disabilities have the necessary care to enable them to partake in the program.
Because we believe that there should be no boundaries to accessing debate programs, we pledge to serve and represent the needs of all to the best of our abilities.