The students of Howard and Tyner Academy will take high school rivalries to new heights when they go head-to-head in a scholarship debate tournament and the true “Great Debaters” are crowned. The tournament will take place on Saturday, May 14, at UTC beginning at 1 p.m. and will end at 4 p.m. with the announcement of the scholarship winners.
The debate tournament is hosted by the Chattanooga Chapter of The Links, Incorporated (The Links) and UTC.
The tournament will consist of two qualifying rounds leading up to the final debate. Up to five recurring scholarships to UTC will be awarded to the top students. Among these awards are scholarships in honor of Robert Fisher, Rhodes Scholar; and Judge Walter F. Williams, former Chattanooga City judge.
The tournament is made possible by The Links, the Southeast Center for Education in the Arts, the UTC Chancellor’s Multicultural Advisory Council, and sponsored in part by the UTC Office of Equity and Diversity. The Links is an international organization of over 12,000 women dedicated to improving the quality of life for others through educational, cultural and civic activities. The Links Academy serves Tyner and Howard through its Services to Youth facet. SCEA is an outreach organization of UTC’s College of Arts and Sciences that strengthens arts teaching and deepens learning through experiential learning opportunities. SCEA staff have worked with the students in preparation for the tournament.
“Programs like debate help students cultivate important real world skills,” said Laurie Melnik, interim SCEA director.
The Executive Director of The Links Academy, Dr. Joyce Hardaway said, “The students are engaged, focused, and most importantlym, they are challenging themselves and their peers to be better and smarter individuals than they were yesterday. That’s what the education system is supposed to do, and that’s why it’s crucial that we continue to provide these outlets for students.”
For additional information about the debate, contact Dr. Joyce Hardaway at 488-5296 or Link Faith R. Edwards at 308-9969.