ASL Debate Classes
The Bluegrass Debate Coalition (BDC) offers a low-cost after school debate program for students across the state of Kentucky. Currently, the BDC offers two online class sessions, listed below, from the weeks of October 10th to November 28th (Tuesday) and November 2nd to November 30th. Each class lasts one hour long. Participating students are required to complete paperwork, including a pre-assessment, parent permission form, and media release.
The purpose of our debate course is to help students who face barriers to participating in debate activities have the opportunity to engage in debate through an accessible means. Students who participate in debate receive numerous benefits, from improved GPA and standardized test scores, to greater self-confidence and critical thinking skills.
BDC after school learning debate classes are free for priority students who meet the outlined criteria:
- Are from an underrepresented background, including; racial/ethnic minorities, students with disabilities, students from lower socio-economic households, first generation students, LGBTQIA+ students, and more.
- Students who participate in their schools debate team
- Students whose school is registered with the Kentucky High School Speech League (KHSSL)
- Students who will attend at least one KHSSL - hosted debate competition for the 2022-23 year
Students who do not meet our priority requirements may participate, for a low fee of $25 per student.
Class Instructor
ASL Debate Class teacher
Jenn Franken
Jenn Franken’s debate journey began in 2012 after joining the Austintown Fitch High School Speech and Debate team in Lincoln Douglas Debate. After graduation, Jenn coached for Warren John F. Kennedy Middle/High School and currently coaches for Columbiana High School. She is in her last year of study at Youngstown State University and will be graduating with a B.S. in Integrated Language Arts Education with a grades 7-12 licensure and would love to coach at the school she will teach at. Jenn has spent over 100 hours in the field working with students in grades 3-12 on reading and writing skills; she firmly believes that debate is the best activity to participate in to better improve reading and writing skills. Currently, Jenn is the Administrative Director of Triumph Debate, an organization that looks to promote equal access to Lincoln Douglas Debate resources.