Nearly three years after passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, students from 12 Chicago high schools will debate its effectiveness and whether the federal government should invest additional stimulus to bolster the economy. In a tournament co-sponsored by Performance Trust Companies and Attucks Asset Management, LLC, participants will also argue whether the United States is now on an irreversible course of long-term economic decline.
"Today's volatile economy has led us into uncharted territory," said Performance Trust CEO Richard Berg. "Giving high school students the chance to debate the same issues that are confronting government and business leaders worldwide is real-time education. I look forward to hearing their perspectives."
This marks the second straight year Performance Trust has partnered with the Chicago Debate Commission and Chicago Public Schools to host this event. Last year, debaters from Northside College Preparatory High School edged out a team from Lane Technical High School to win the tournament championship.
This year, Attucks Asset Management joined Performance Trust as event co-sponsor.
"This tournament showcases some terrific talent-young people stretching beyond the classroom to develop and contest ideas that affect us all," said Attucks CEO Les Bond.
The 12 participating schools, from a broad cross-section of Chicago neighborhoods, are among the top debate programs in Chicago. All are members of the 15-year-old and 76-school Chicago Debate League, the nation's leading Urban Debate League. The participating schools include Amundsen High School, Brooks College Prep, Jones College Prep, King College Prep, Lane Tech College Prep, Morgan Park High School, Northside College Prep, Phoenix Military Academy, Von Steuben Metro Science Center, Whitney Young Magnet High School, Daniel Hale Williams Prep School of Medicine and University of Chicago Woodlawn Charter High School.
Event Information
Preliminary Rounds:
Friday, December 9, 2011
12-7pm
Final Rounds and Awards Ceremony: Saturday,
December 10, 2011
8am-12pm
500 West Madison, 3rd Floor: Chicago, IL, 60661
