The Center for Democracy in Deaf America

06/11/2026

The “Most Improved Debater” Award recognizes the Gallaudet debater who demonstrated the most growth throughout the season.

Ella made the most of every opportunity this year, bringing her best to each practice and pushing herself to improve her organization, argumentation, and rhetoric. Her hard work culminated in a persuasive keynote speech at the final Veditz Debate of the semester, showcasing just how far she has come as a debater.

Congratulations to Ella on receiving this year’s Most Improved Debater Award!

06/05/2026

The Best Newcomer Award honors a first-year debater who jumps in with enthusiasm, works hard, and makes the team better from day one.

Pax wasted no time doing exactly that.

From impressive performances in British Parliamentary debate to thoughtful keynote speeches at Georgetown Philodemic and Veditz, he has already established himself as a talented debater. Just as importantly, his curiosity, work ethic, and drive to improve have made him a valued teammate.

Congratulations to Pax on earning this year’s Best Newcomer Award!

05/29/2026

This award recognizes the debater who best captures the Gallaudet Debate Team’s motto.

To debate well is to listen as if you’re wrong. First and foremost.

This debater is one of the quieter members of the team and speaks sparingly. At times, you might even wonder if he’s taking it all in. But when he rises to speak, he demonstrates a sharp ability to listen, distill arguments, and give them their due before methodically challenging them. Because he listens well.

Jevon Burns is this year’s recipient. Join us in congratulating him in the comments!

05/22/2026

At the 2025–26 Debate Team Banquet, we recognized individual achievements across the team.

The “Sign as if I’m Right” Award goes to the debater who consistently demonstrates strong speaking skills and knows how to capture an audience.

Throughout his four years in the program, his rhetorical skills have improved, with notable growth through his participation in our persuasive speech competition and the Transatlantic Dialogues. He now presents ideas with a level of clarity and conviction that reflects just how far he has come.

Congratulations to Clark Barrett, this year’s recipient!

05/20/2026

The Gallaudet debate team had a wonderful 2025-26 season. Here’s a video that summarizes our memories and accomplishments this year. Check it out here!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

05/15/2026

Today, four of our debaters walk the stage: Trent Mora, Clark Barrett, Joe Cherichello, and Ella Stromberg.

From learning how to build strong arguments and respond to opposing views to competing against other universities, they have all grown tremendously during their time in the program.

The Debate Team is proud of all they have accomplished. We will miss them and are excited to see what the future holds.

Join us in congratulating our graduates in the comments.

05/08/2026

Last Tuesday, the debate team gathered to celebrate a year of growth, achievement, and unforgettable memories. We also honored our graduating seniors. We’re deeply grateful to everyone for their commitment and support in making this season so meaningful!

05/06/2026

Curious about what gets our debaters up in the mornings? We asked them: “The issue you’d debate anytime is…” Here’s what they had to say!

05/04/2026

The past few weeks have been busy ones for the Gallaudet Debate Team, with two major tournaments in April.

On April 18, Clark Barrett, Dalina Schwartz, and Nicole Hicks competed in the second round of the Transatlantic Dialogues at the Ronald Reagan Institute. They defended a policy proposal navigating internal fragmentation within the transatlantic alliance while maintaining democratic legitimacy against external threats. Nicole Hicks finished 3rd overall speaker in a highly competitive field.

On April 26, Trent Mora and Jevon Burns traveled to Yosemite National Park for the Sierra Sustainability Summit to defend Gallaudet’s two straight championships. They presented a proposal to preserve public lands and expand inclusive access despite federal budget constraints. The three-peat slipped away. But not by much.

Two weekends. Two tournaments. Five Gallaudet debaters representing Deaf America with distinction. Drop a congratulations in the comments.

05/01/2026

On Thursday, April 30, the Veditz Debates, hosted by the Gallaudet Debate Team, examined the motion, “The United States was justified in dropping the atomic bomb on Japan.”

The keynote speakers were seniors Ella Stromberg for the Affirmative and Trent Mora for the Negative.

The debate focused not only on the historical question but also on what it means for a war-time decision to be considered justified.

The Affirmative argued that surrender was not imminent and that projected casualties from a land invasion would have been far greater, making the use of the atomic bomb a justified decision. The Negative contended that surrender was already approaching, that casualty projections were overstated, and that the use of the atomic bomb was not morally justified.

The resolution was affirmed by the audience. The Negative, however, saw a 3 percent increase from the pre-debate vote, reflecting a shift in perspective through debate.