Competitive Debate Program Named a Mutual of America 2015 Community Partnership Award Winner
Baltimore-based Program Gives Students Opportunity to Use Their Voices to Help Create Change.
Baltimore-based Program Gives Students Opportunity to Use Their Voices to Help Create Change.
NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mutual of America announced today that the Competitive Debate Program was named an Honorable Mention award recipient in the 2015 Community Partnership Award competition.
Thousands of students in under-resourced schools across Baltimore are discovering the importance of speaking their minds through the Baltimore Urban Debate League's (BUDL) Competitive Debate Program. Created in 1999 to improve the academic experience of at-risk students, BUDL began with 90 students in eight of Baltimore's most challenged high schools. Today, it's one of the largest and most successful urban debate league programs in the country, serving more than 620 high-risk students (grades 4–12) each year.
BUDL participants train rigorously with volunteer coaches year round to build crucial skills essential to debate, such as research, critical thinking, writing and persuasive speaking. They then test their skills in citywide, regional and national debate competitions. More than 85 percent of BUDL debaters graduate high school on time and 90 percent of those graduates enroll in college.
"BUDL was named the 2014 Urban Debate League of the year," said Coleen Reyes, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Baltimore Urban Debate League. "Still, our greatest achievement is in reaching and engaging the most under-resourced and neglected students in Baltimore City."
About the Mutual of America Community Partnership Award
The Mutual of America Community Partnership Award annually honors the outstanding contributions that 10 nonprofit organizations, in partnership with public, private and other social sector organizations, make to society. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 200 partnerships from cities and towns across America since 1996. To learn more, visit mutualofamerica.com/cpa. To watch videos of all 20 national award-winning programs, visit the official YouTube channel for the Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award.
About Mutual of America
Mutual of America specializes in providing retirement products and services to organizations and their employees, as well as to individuals. Since 1945, Mutual of America has remained committed to offering plan sponsors, plan participants and individuals carefully selected, quality products and services at a competitive price and the personal attention they need to help build and preserve assets for a financially secure future. For more information, visit mutualofamerica.com.
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SOURCE Mutual of America
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