“While I was a student at Chinook Middle School, I would describe myself as an introvert,” says Harrison Tang, “but through debate, I have significantly increased my self-confidence.”  Now a junior at Bellevue High School, Harrison has been involved with debate for the past four years, and describes this as “a great way, through training and practice, to develop critical thinking skills." He made finals in a lot of the local debate tournaments, such as the ones hosted by Auburn Riverside, Kamiak, and Seattle University.

 

Harrison is the founder and President of Debate Oasis, a nonprofit organization led by experienced and passionate high school students who themselves continue to succeed in speech, debate, and advocacy competitions. “I wanted to gather a group of people who really wanted to help kids, rather than just develop their resumes for college admissions,” Harrison explains, “and we now have a group of 10 debaters from all over the United States who have all experienced the benefits of speech and debate.” Through Debate Oasis, these students aim to teach the basic aspects and strategies of debate to kids from 3rd grade to 8th grade. Over Zoom, they taught about 40 kids online twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, throughout August of this year. “The classes are free, and everyone is welcome to join,” Harrison explains, “and with the current students, we have already seen a significant improvement in critical thinking skills, coherence, and self-confidence.”

 

He continues, saying, ” We aim to empower youth to express their ideas, develop critical thinking skills, and drive positive change in communities and the world.” As an Asian American himself, Harrison encourages young people to speak out on issues like racial stereotyping, discrimination, and negativity. Equally, Harrison believes it is important for youth to become advocates for a point of view that may be different from that of their parents, as this will impact not only their future but that of future generations.

 

Debate Oasis is planning another session of Zoom classes over Winter Break, and parents are encouraged to enroll their kids using the contact details shown below. Equally, check the Debate Oasis website for details of occasional workshops where students debate each other on topics relevant to current issues in the world, as only practice can sharpen debate skills!

 

“Engaging in debates can enhance an individual's self-confidence and resilience because the process of presenting arguments, facing challenges, and defending one's position can be intellectually and emotionally demanding,” Harrison concludes, “but overcoming challenges and advocating for one's beliefs can boost self-assurance and foster resilience in the face of opposition.”

 

As noted in one of Debate Oasis’s website blogs, debate teaches students how to play fair, respect the opinions of others, listen actively, give constructive criticism, find common ground, and handle both success and failure gracefully. In this way, Debate Oasis is certainly living up to the promise that ‘we are creating an oasis of debate where youth thrives, ideas flourish, and leaders emerge.’