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This short video from PBS Nova explains:

The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is one place where a lot of discarded plastic ends up. A study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports discovered that the “patch” is actually much larger than scientists had thought. So what does this have to do with single use plastic and our latest debate topic? This article from The New York Times adds some information for both sides of the debate.

D75 Debate got the chance to visit the 226M Debate Team on Tuesday as they were preparing arguments for their upcoming debate on driverless cars. They had so many interesting ideas about the topic, and even a few jokes. We had a great time!

Tune in on Feb 15 to check out their match against the Great Debaters from 140K.

Last week, five students from the 721Q Eagles made the news for speaking at Queens Borough Hall during a public hearing commissioned by the mayor on the removal of “symbols of hate” from city property.

One of the students, Trashawn Pace, was quoted as saying, “I believe the statues of people who hurt others to become famous should be removed,” Mr. Pace said. “No one should ever have to suffer to make another person so famous that they get to be remembered forever.”

To read more about the debate and this new Queens team to be reckoned with, check out the articles below:

Amid Raging Debate Over Statues, a Calm Discussion in New York

Killing Christopher Columbus: New York joins nationwide reckoning with monuments

Last year for Round Three and the playoffs, students debated the issues regarding halting or continuing construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline. This week, another major pipeline, The Keystone XL, received final approval despite the “bad timing” of a massive oil leak just a few days prior on the Keystone Pipeline. Here is an article from Vice News entitled: Why a massive oil spill couldn’t stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Thoughts?

Round One begins in just two weeks! How are the preparations going? As usual, our topic has been popping up in the news, including in the latest edition of Junior Scholastic. If you have a subscription, you can access the digital edition online.

Congratulations to all of the teams on another incredible season. The results are in! Drumroll please….

Middle School:

First Place: 352X BX Debates All Day (undefeated season)

Second Place: 25R Panthers

Third Place: 36K Debaters of the Future

Honorable Mention: 75Q Deep Debaters

High School:

First Place: 23Q Rhetoricals (undefeated season)

Second Place: 368K Brooklyn’s Finest Debate Team

Third Place: 721K Knights of Reason

Honorable Mention: 373K Phanton Thieves and the 177Q Probable All-Stars

Official team photos will be posted soon. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

Last week, members of Brooklyn’s Finest Debate team from 368K Star Academy, along with their teacher Ms. Newman and Principal Ms. Nedd, attended a performance of Hamilton for NYC students. Before the show, they got to perform an original skit on the Hamilton stage!!

Competing in the middle school competition on May 31:

The 25R Panthers vs 352X BX Debates All Day

In the high school competition on June 1:

The 23Q Rhetoricals vs 368K Brooklyn’s Finest Debate Team

Congratulations to the 721K Knights of Reason for earning the 3rd Place title in this year’s competition. Trophy ceremony and photos will take place on June 1.

Congratulations also to the 177Q Probable All-Stars and the 373K Phantom Thieves for earning Honorable Mention in the High School Competition.

Here is the flyer for the live event. Please feel free to print and post around your schools!

The playoffs are underway and the teams are already getting into championship formation. First, please join us in congratulating the High School Honorable Mention teams:

The 177Q All Star Debaters and

The 373K Phantom Thieves

Keeping the competition alive down to the last topic, the following teams are still in the race:

368K Brooklyn’s Finest Debate Team,

The 721K Knights of Reason

and the yet undefeated 23Q Rhetoricals.

What a season! Middle school playoffs are next week- check the calendar to tune in and don’t forget to join us for the Championships on May 31 and June 1. If you can’t make it to the event, we will be live streaming through the Debate Now tab above.

The topic for this year’s championship debate is still up in the air! Through the end of this week, we will be taking your suggestions for the final topic… Send us an email or post your topic in the comments below!

Hi, everyone! Round 3 is well underway and the final four is right around the corner. Final four match-ups begin the week of May 1 for high school and May 8 for middle school. The competition does not get much fiercer than this! Check the schedule tab to tune in for a debate, and remember to mark your calendars for the 2017 Championships on May 31 and June 1. Hope to see you there!