Destiny Christian Academy Students Awarded Top Debaters In Atlanta

AUSTELL, Ga. - Dec. 11, 2017 - PRLog -- High accolades are awarded to the Destiny Christian Academy (DCA (http://destinyeagles.org/)) debate team which ranked #1 in the Atlanta Urban Debate League (AUDL (http://www.atlantadebate.org/)) November Tournament. Sixty-eight teams across the metropolitan Atlanta were all vying for the coveted "King of the Debate Hill" title.

"I am extremely proud of our students this year," says Debate Team Coach Fred Johnson. "Nothing sells like confidence, and nothing builds confidence like preparation. And we go into each debate prepared to win," adds Johnson who also serves as the school's 4^th grade teacher.

The debate team consists of twelve 4^th and 5^th graders. They attend grueling weekly debate practices that cover a variety of topics and activities to improve their knowledge of the subject matter, enhance their speaking and presentation skills (voice modulation, eye contact, hand gestures, etc.). "Practice builds their confidence, self-esteem, and belief in themselves. What really stands out is how our 5^th grade students mentor our 4^th grade students and help them to prepare," says Johnson.

DCA won the title by arguing the AUDL tournament resolution "Schools should invest more in providing healthier meals, than in physical education, to promote overall student and community well-being." All students are required to debate/argue the affirmative (healthier meals) and the negative (physical education) sides of the resolution. Three (3) teams from DCA participated in the November tournament and ranked #1, #7 and #22 out of 68 teams. The participating teams are a collection of Atlanta area public, charter and private Christian schools.

DCA's headmaster, Pastor Wilbur Purvis, compares the debate team to the 2007 blockbuster movie "The Great Debaters" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427309/).  The film portrays Academy Award Winner Denzel Washington as a teacher at the predominately black Wiley College in 1935 in Texas. The movie reveals the racial challenges that the strong-minded, intelligent young students faced in the deep south. The team eventually became the first black debate team to challenge and prevail over Harvard's prestigious debate champions.

"This time of year all eyes are usually glued to athletic competition, but our students are mental competitors," says Pastor Purvis. "Our debate team buckled on their mental caps and survived fierce competition. Each debater gave a rousing oration on their topic, and when the last verbal punch was thrown, our team was still standing. Our executive Director, Kris Lee, and Mr. Johnson have laid a solid academic foundation and consistently raise the bar with our debate team."

AUDL hosts five elementary school debates during the school year. They provide debate education programs and opportunities for diverse students. The remainder debate tournaments for the school year are scheduled for February 2; March 9; and May 11.