Please join us this Wednesday at any one of three amazing Oakland restaurants in a chance to eat delicious food and support a good cause at the same time - tell them you’re with BAUDL, and every bite you eat will benefit this program.

Enjoy a night out — take a break from cooking, enjoy an old favorite, or discover a new classic — and promote the Bay Area Urban Debate League’s valuable efforts to create and maintain debate in the Bay Area’s under-resourced public schools.

Mention BAUDL when making a reservation and dining at these fine Oakland establishments, and they will donate a portion of proceeds to our league.

Oliveto
5655 College Avenue, Rockridge - 510-547-5356 - www.oliveto.com

Long Oakland’s premier fine dining destination, Oliveto combines classic Italian flavors with a serious commitment to the finest local ingredients — as demonstrated by Oliveto’s beef program, involving buying all of its beef whole from local ranchers, and its grain project, supporting the development of local heirloom corn and wheat crops. Try Oliveto under its new chef, Jonah Rhodehamel, formerly of La Folie, Zinnia, Americano, and Quince.

Grand Tavern
3601 Grand Avenue, Grand Lake - 510-444-4644 - www.grandtavern.net

A gastropub specializing in pre-Prohibition cocktails and rare wines and beers, Grand Tavern boasts a New American menu bursting with international flavors, sharing the best of fresh, locally grown ingredients. The Grand Tavern is the culmination of five years’ travels to select the world’s widest range of drinkable wines and interesting beers, and cocktails created in collaboration with Jennifer Colliau of Small Hands Food.

Vo’s
59 Grand Avenue, Uptown - 510-465-4600 - www.vosrestaurant.com

Fresh, contemporary, and perfect are trademarks of Vo’s Restaurant, founded in 1990 and embraced by diners across northern California. Vo’s combines French, Vietnamese, and Southeast Asian cuisine, as well as attentive service, homemade sauces, and tempting desserts.

For more information, contact Leah Castella at 415-640-8903 or leahcastella@gmail.com.

Fremont's Cesar Sanchez and Diego Garcia were an Integral Part of a Sweepstakes Win. Which Team is Next?

On December 11 and 12, 2010, schools from Oakland, Emeryville and San Francisco will meet at Balboa High School (1000 Cayuga, San Francisco) for the final tournament of the semester.  There is much to look forward to: New, brave faces in the Varsity Division, brilliant arguments in light of recent events, a San Francisco breeze (or more…), and, of course, the discovery of who will be the 2010 Winter Classic Champion!  Other happenings include:

• The winner of the 2010 BAUDL Acrostics Poem Competition will be revealed — and given $100.00!
• The League will be dressed in Green and Red, festive and ready for the holidays!
• And, of course, plenty of opportunities to debate — this two day tournament heads into elimination rounds on Sunday!

Read further about the tournament and bus schedule of the day!

Continue reading ‘A Winter Classic in San Francisco’

Rashid makes his voice heard at the BAUDL Public Debate in Spring 2010

A full-ride scholarship to debate at a major state university seemed a long way off for Rashid Campbell during his early youth in Oakland. Seeing so many around him fail to achieve their dreams, he faced an uphill climb to his current success. The challenges brought a sense of urgency to his search for a positive future: “Everyone around me struggling made me wish for a way out. I wanted to break the cycle and find the tools to improve my life.”

Debate has been a way out for Rashid, but it has also been a way to comprehend the world, a way to build the skills and dispositions it takes to lead a life that is meaningful and transformative. “Debate was the tool that helped me understand how to grasp the world around me,” he says. “It allowed me to organize my words and speak my mind so others could understand me.”

Continue reading ‘Spotlight: Rashid Campbell’

BAUDL alum Rashid Campbell leads a circle chant at the Summer Institute.

On August 9, 2010, young people from across the Bay Area gathered together for a week of education and uplift in the Bay Area Urban Debate League’s Third Annual Summer Institute. Made possible by the generous support of the Julia Burke Foundation, this event brought students from public schools in Oakland and San Francisco together with top debate educators from around the country to delve into the most pressing issues of the day.

This summer institute was the largest and most successful in the history of the BAUDL: in the end, more than 50 students participated, researching, writing original arguments, and above all debating issues from school dress codes to the war in Afghanistan. Here are just a few highlights from the experience:

• Continue reading ‘BAUDL Update: Summer Institute 2010′

Join us at the summer institute for trophies, celebrations, and a chance to speak your mind on the most important issues facing our world today.

The time is here: this week marks the BAUDL’s Third Annual Summer Institute @ Westlake Middle School (2629 Harrison Street in Oakland).  From 9AM to 3PM on August 9 - 13, youth from across the Bay, regardless of whether they have debated are not, are welcome to attend this series of workshops, activities, and the summer debate tournament on the final day of the Institute!  Registration is not required — come as you are, and bring friends and family! If you are new to debate, you have much to look forward to.  We will show you the power of debate and how your individual voice can be heard on some of the most important issues of the day. If you are a veteran debater, the week will be a space to perfect your skills and will serve as an introduction to an incredible new topic on military power.

Our award-winning staff has worked hard to prepare you for our third season.  Much is awaiting you on August 9 - 13 at Westlake Middle School (2629 Harrison Street): the institute is a great chance to meet young people from San Francisco and Oakland, to learn more about the world and how can make an impact on it, and to build your personal powers of argument and persuasion.  No experience, no registration form, no reservations required.

Click here to view the official BAUDL Summer Institute Flyer!