JUDL Staff

Brent Farrand - Director

Brent Farrand founded the Jersey Urban Debate League in 2001 and has served as its director since then. He is employed full time by the Newark Public Schools as a Mathematics Resource Teacher/Coordinator.

Mr. Farrand has coached high school debate since 1979, heading a coaching staff that has compiled 20 consecutive state championships. His efforts have been recognized with the 1981 Northeast Debate Coach of the Year (University of Massachusetts), Key Coach Award from Emory University, Diamond Coach Award from the National Forensic League and a 2001 recognition from Emory University for promoting diversity in high school debate.

Brent Farrand has also received wide recognition for his contributions to the craft of classroom teaching. He received the Star Ledger Award for Excellence in Teaching in both 1985 and 1987. Princeton University honored him at their 1995 commencement exercise as Distinguished Teacher of the Year. In 1996 Mr. Farrand was declared Essex County Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Farrand has served as Vice President of Debate for the New Jersey Forensic League and New Jersey District Chair for the National Forensic League. He was consultant to the New York Urban Debate League from 1999 to 2000 and has served as the Coordinator of the Newark Speech and Debate League since 1985.

Brent Farrand is married to Vernell Farrand and has two daughters Erica and Whitney. He is a resident of South Orange, New Jersey where he produced the cable show "In the Village" and has served as the chairperson of the University Relations Committee, responsible for collaboration between Seton Hall University and South Orange Village.

Militza Diaz - Program Coordinator

Militza will help train coaches, recruite more schools to join, provide debate packets, run the tournaments, choose the resolution, and help the college intern staff. She'll also continue coaching Technology High School.

"I have a lifelong commitment to debate," Diaz said. "I've been coaching for the last couple of years, so it was a natural progression to go from being a part time coach to now being a full-time employee with Newark Public Schools for the middle school conference."

Her Program Coordinator goals include recruiting more school to join the JUDL family and transitioning middle school students into the high school conference. "I see myself as the entry for a very long relationship with students in the debate community," she said.

Kurt Shelton - Student Activities Coordinator

A former Policy Debater in Texas for Newman Smith High School and debated in college for the University of North Texas. Since his years in college debate, he has coached for over 10 years for several schools in Texas and New York.

Kurt arranges all travel regulations and approvals for the teams, budget and financial issues with the NPS focusing on the high school debate conference. He will put together the trip requests for the high school students for away debate tournaments. Additionally, he will continue to coach University High School and Rutgers University.

"I help organize all the schools and provide support to all the teachers and principals for debate. Our long-term hope is to increase the national profile of Newark Public Schools debate," Shelton said.

Christian Oshiro - Volunteer

A former Science High School policy debate state champion, Christian graduated in 1992 and continued working with the debate team for 5 years as an assistant coach. Christian attended and graduated from NJIT and followed a career in computer sciences. Chris provides the JUDL it's techincal guidance and manages all of JUDL internet outlets.

Contributers to JUDL.org

Margarita Morales - Freelance Journalist

A former Technology High School policy debater, Margarita contributes several pieces a year to JUDL.org while maintaining her own musical blog: Star Beat Music.