Announcing the 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates on the U.S. Economy

One of the most anticipated, engaging, and rewarding events on the CDL Season Calender over the past four years has been the Performance Trust Public Debates on the U.S. Economy. Performance Trust Capital Partners — one of the Chicago Debate League’s most committed, supportive partners — is once again hosting and funding this unique, special event — with a full day and a half schedule on December 12th and 13th, >, at the Performance Trust offices, 500 W. Madison Ave.

The Performance Trust Public Debates organize student debating around two resolutions on what is still one of the dominant public policy issues of our current historical moment, certainly since the Great Recession of 2008 – 09: the U.S. economy and how it can be made to perform better for more people. This year’s resolutions are:

Resolved: That the federal minimum wage should be substantially increased.

Resolved: That income inequality is currently the country’s most significant economic problem.

Selected Teams

Kennedy H.S.
Husam Haj & Jenna Bilak

Lane Tech College Prep
Emily MacFayden & Jared Croitoru

Lindblom College Prep
Donald Rapier & Kaylen Herring

Northside College Prep
Devon Bright-Patterson & Evan Elkin

Walter Payton College Prep
Lenny Brahin & Luisa Cusick

Phoenix Military Academy
Ciar Jones & Jason Lua

Urban Prep Bronzeville Academy
Christian Buie & Malik January

Whitney Young Magnet H.S.
Charlie Bazzell & Henry Ferolie

Alternate Team: Solorio Academy
Annahi Ferrer & Saul Barrientos

See the Event Planning Timeline. The three weekday-evening workshops are at the Performance Trust offices, 500 W. Madison St.

Event Resources

A video of a 2014 Intelligence Squared Public Debate on income inequality, in which experts debate the resolution: “Income inequality impairs the American Dream of upward mobility.”

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Format Overview

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Ballot

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Judging Rubric

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Case Guidelines

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Affirmative Flowsheet

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Negative Flowsheet

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Research Guide

The 2014 Performance Trust Public Debates Case Outline Temalates

Additional Information

Each participating school will receive $500 in coach compensation and the chance to compete for college scholarships to be offered to the top debaters at the event. The first $250 will be disbursed after all four case drafts have been submitted.

The CDC will post a research guide with annotated links, helping schools with their affirmative and negative positions.

Finally, all participants can expect to receive the real educational benefit, the honor and satisfaction, and potentially the local fame (if past news coverage is indicative) resulting from participating successfully in these model student civic debates.

For a look at a past year’s event report check out this page of the CDL site.