Newark honors its NAUDL champions!

By Militza Diaz
Published June 1, 2011

NEWARK, NJ - On Thursday, May 19th, Newark celebrated its win as NAUDL champions in a press conference held at the Rotunda of City Hall. Many notables were in attendance, including Councilman Gonzalez, Deborah Terrell (Superintendent of Newark schools), Mr. Feinstein (Essex County Executive), Councilwoman Mildred Crump, Principals Mr. Gregory and Mr. McNair, and of course, Mayor Cory Booker.

The press conference Mistress of Ceremonies was Marion Bolden, former superintendent, of Newark Public Schools. During her tenure, debate became a driving force in the city schools. The Jersey Urban Debate League now has a middle school, high school, and college component.

Immediately following the press conference, Rutgers University held a reception in the Rutgers Dining Club in their Student Center. The reception was attended by 65 notable guests, including Steven Diner, Chancellor at Rutgers Newark, Marcia Brown (Vice-Chancellor of Student and Community Affairs at Rutgers Newark, Joyce Harley from the Essex County Executive's Office, Dean Dr. Howard, Craig Drinkard form the Victoria Foundation and JUDL Board of Directors, and Brent Farrand, Executive Director of the JUDL. They joined the four students and their parents in celebrating the success of the debaters.

The theme of the reception became "What is made In Newark" and clearly, what was made in Newark here was exceptional. Besides juniors Quamir Johnson and Jazir Beckford from American History High taking 5th place at the national tournament, seniors Amna Shagun and Shagun Kukreja from University High took the top honor and are now the nation's champions in Urban Debate.

At the ceremony, JUDL also honored a Coach of the Year. This year's winner has given much of her time to coaching the team. Celia Larricchia, coach of the American History debate team, received the award to celebrate her success as a coach in 3 years after starting the program without a high school or collegiate debate experience of her own.

The atmosphere at the conference was quite celebratory. The excited students and their parents commemorated the event by taking lots of pictures and smiling broadly.