JUNE 25, 2025
The inaugural Mockingbird Scholarship saved public school students from paying hundreds of dollars out of pocket to attend NSDA Nationals.
(Photo courtesy of LAMP High School debate team)
MONTGOMERY, AL—The Alabama Branch of Outreach Debate awarded the Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) High School debate team its inaugural Mockingbird Scholarship to completely fund the team’s competitive fees at the National Speech and Debate Tournament, which took place June 15th to 20th in Des Moines, Iowa.
In its 17th appearance at Nationals, the team’s competitors displayed exciting results in various public speaking events, including:
A top 60 finish in Extemporaneous Commentary
A top 100 finish in Extemporaneous Debate
A top 100 finish in Humorous Interpretation
However, LAMP High School, which has a long track record of success on the Alabama circuit, has faced financial concerns as students are increasingly made to pay out of pocket to participate in the public speaking activity. LAMP’s team is not alone, as a large number of public schools struggle to participate in this exorbitant academic activity. Tournament fees, transportation costs, and resource expenses cost students hundreds of dollars to attend a single tournament. Altogether, fewer than twenty private and public schools in the state of Alabama can afford to participate.
The Mockingbird Scholarship, named after Alabama’s Mockingbird Debate Circuit, is the state’s first publicly available scholarship intended to subsidize schools’ debate program costs. Coaches and teachers around the state are invited to apply for seasonal grants to support their students.
As the scholarship continues into the 2025-2026 season, Outreach Debate Alabama hopes to support more public schools participating in the activity. Reflecting on their participation, one student (who wished to remain anonymous) shared her experience receiving the scholarship:
“Qualifying for the National Tournament was such a huge accomplishment for me, and being able to attend was another dream come true. I am truly thankful to Outreach Debate for providing me with the opportunity to attend by making sure that financial costs were not a barrier to my participation. Knowing that there are organizations out there committed to ensuring there is equal access for everyone in forensics is huge and allows for this activity to continue to grow and reach so many people. Having that type of support has allowed me to continue to chase success and push myself to be the best speaker that I can be, and I am forever grateful for all the support and generosity I have received.“
LAMP High School’s debate coach, Jordan Berry, who is a recipient of the National Speech and Debate Association’s Distinguished Service Gold Key, also expressed his gratitude. He noted that the scholarship was “a game-changer for the team/program” in terms of their financial situation, and that this trip would be “one [he] would not soon forget.“
About Outreach Debate
Outreach Debate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to making speech and debate accessible to students around the world. Spanning over 2,000 members across 20 countries and 23 US states, the organization has hosted dozens of debate tournaments, summer camps, workshops, and lectures for students at no cost.
Most notably, the organization partners with the Calvin Coolidge and Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundations to host annual qualifiers to the foundation’s respective debating championships. More information is available at www.outreachdebate.com