Silicon Valley Urban Debate League: SVUDL

08/14/2026

Please join us in welcoming Aleesha Kashif to the SVUDL team! She will be joining us as our newest Program Specialist. Aleesha Kashif first joined the organization in 2024 as a Teacher Coach at KIPP San José Collegiate (KSJC).

When students advocated to reestablish Speech and Debate on campus, she helped build the program from a handful of students into a thriving team. Aleesha looks forward to continue empowering students to pursue their goals and dreams!

Read her full profile here: https://www.svudl.org/all-the-latest-blog/welcome-aleesha-kashif-svudls-new-program-specialist

08/07/2026

The SVUDL Advisory Committee’s core goal is to help students and alumni build their social and professional capital with the networks they need to pursue their career aspirations. The skills our students build through Speech and Debate are exactly what the world is looking for.

Our Advisory Committee is made up of professionals across industries who want to help our students turn those skills into real opportunities. SVUDL is excited to channel the momentum of our recent Waymo visit to broaden our Advisory Committee’s reach from group events to 1:1 coffee chats.

Find the full blogpost here: https://www.svudl.org/all-the-latest-blog/from-campus-visits-to-coffee-chats-expanding-11-professional-connections-at-svudl

07/31/2026

From answering, “Tell me about yourself” to posing thoughtful questions to a prospective employer, interviews require preparation and practice. A recent workshop at Orrick’s Menlo Park office helped SVUDL students and alumni build those skills with support and feedback from Orrick Associates and Summer Associates.

"I hadn't had a lot of experience before with asking the interviewer questions...so I got some good feedback from one of the Summer Associates about how to really go about asking your questions...", Megan Medeiros, a rising senior at Silver Creek High School, reflected.

Keep reading at the link below to learn more about how impactful this event was!

https://www.svudl.org/all-the-latest-blog/orrick-hosts-interview-workshop-for-svudl-students

07/25/2026

Marybelle Uk will be the first to say she was not born a natural public speaker. The Silver Creek High School SVUDL alum describes her younger self as someone who could barely ask for ketchup at a fast food counter.

Now she’s finished her final semester at Santa Clara University School of Law while working at a family law firm and an international human rights clinic. "SVUDL shaped me as a person by showing me how to push through fear. It taught me that I could do it even if I was scared,” she reflected.

Watch the full video and keep reading below to learn more.

https://www.svudl.org/all-the-latest-blog/svudl-gave-me-the-power-to-make-the-change-i-want-to-see

07/21/2026

"Do it scared."

Marybelle shares one of the most powerful lessons from SVUDL that helped her discover the power of her voice. She doesn't shy away from any hurdles or struggles that come her way, but instead she does them scared. Watch the short sneak peek below and stay on the lookout for Marybelle's journey coming out next week!

07/12/2026

Introducing Marybelle Uk, a SVUDL alum from Silver Creek High School! We are proud to welcome back Marybelle, who has completed her final semester at Santa Clara University, to share her incredible journey with SVUDL. Watch the short video for an inspiring look at how SVUDL empowered Marybelle to find her voice!

Stay tuned for more of her inspiring story later this week!

07/11/2026

🌟 From Silver Creek to the National Stage!

Every great journey begins with a single opportunity.

Our newest student spotlight follows rising Silver Creek High School junior Dhyana Desai's inspiring path to the National Speech & Debate Tournament, where she represented both her school and SVUDL after a season defined by growth, perseverance, and dedication. After placing 6th at district qualifiers, Dhyana thought her season was over — until the Last Chance Qualifier gave her one more shot to earn her spot on the national stage. Her story is a reminder that when young people are given the chance to find their voice, incredible things can happen.

Read their inspiring journey here:
https://www.svudl.org/all-the-latest-blog/from-silver-creek-to-the-national-stage

💙 We couldn't be prouder of our students and all they continue to accomplish!

This summer, rising Silver Creek High School junior Dhyana Desai represented SVUDL and her school at the National Speech & Debate Tournament after a season defined by growth, perseverance, and dedication. Read about her journey to nationals and the lessons she took away from competing among

07/05/2026

Our students work incredibly hard throughout the year, and this summer we had the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments with a fun day at California's Great America!

The trip gave students a chance to relax, build friendships, and enjoy time together outside of competition after an amazing year of speech and debate.

One student shared, "Best trip ever!"

Another reflected, "Thank you for today! I had lots of fun with my pal Charlie and talking to my fellow peers. Thank you, Aleesha, for going on that ride with me and helping me feel more confident."

We're incredibly grateful to California's Great America for their generous in-kind donation that made this experience possible. Opportunities like these create lasting memories and strengthen the community our students have built through SVUDL.

Thank you for helping our students celebrate all they've accomplished this year!

07/03/2026

As a SVUDL Teacher Coach and DCI Fellow, Mt. Pleasant High School Social Sciences teacher Mark Hartung is dedicated to finding better ways to serve his students. Although most individuals involved in SVUDL have a background in Speech and Debate, Mark did not. Instead, he watched his own children move through an educational system that relied too heavily upon memorization and felt something essential was being lost. "I wanted to be part of the movement to change how students learn." Read more below as Mark Hartung reveals how and why he began using Debate Centered Instruction in his classroom.

https://www.svudl.org/all-the-latest-blog/debate-centered-instruction-changes-how-students-learn

06/28/2026

We are thrilled to introduce SVUDL's class of 2026. These incredible students have been a part of our Speech and Debate programming over the past four years, and we're so honored to have been a part of their educational journeys. Please join us in wishing them well in their next educational and professional chapters! 👨‍🎓🎉

https://www.svudl.org/class-of-2026