The Harvard Debate Council held its Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project Surprise Reveal on Thursday, June 20 at Atlanta City Hall.
During the celebration, 27 African American students were rewarded with scholarship money to join Harvard’s prestigious residential Summer Program.
“The students we selected were surprised with the news of their acceptance and were rewarded with scholarship money from several sponsors to attend Harvard Debate Council’s residential summer program at Harvard College,” says Executive Director of the Harvard Debate Council, Brandon Fleming.
Originally, the recipients believed that they were being interviewed for admission at City Hall. However, they were very surprised to hear that they were already accepted and funded.
Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project is an Atlanta-based diversity pipeline program created to raise the young social and political voice in urban Atlanta and to matriculate African American students into the Harvard Debate Council’s residential summer program for high school students at Harvard College.
“No other activity (outside of academic debate) imbues young people with a skill set that will train them to be effective students, communicators, and citizens,” said Tripp Rebrovick, Ph.D. Head Coach of Debate at Harvard University.
“Debate combines competition with advocacy, making it rewarding and worthwhile for even the most reluctant students to learn to research, read, speak and write successfully.”
With the program, student participants will not only study debate at Harvard, but also gain academic excellence, leadership acumen, and cultural pride.
The program is also designed to provide students firsthand experience of residential life at Harvard College and an opportunity to learn from accomplished debate professors and coaches.
For more information, please visit http://www.harvardDCDP.org.
Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project’s Class of 2020 is made up of:
Roland Foster III
Jaala Hudson
Naima Johnson
Allana Walker
Braxton Broady
Turner Davis
Chloe Evans
Christian Flournoy
Isaiah Hicks
Nigel Savage
Myla Somersali
Chloe Woods
Jenesis Bronner
Kiona Colclough
Ekeminiobong Johnson
Jordan Lawrence
Denzil Mathis
Erin Minley
Meah Poret
Courtney Suber
Ramaya Thomas
Kendrick Warren
Jalil Cooper
Alexis Ihezue
Oluwatito Omoteso
Xavier Peterson
Madison Webb
