Florida Debate Initiative Celebrates $2.4 Million State Investment in Speech, Debate and Civic Education Funding championed by Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur will expand opportunities

HEATHROW, Fla. — The Florida Debate Initiative (FDI) today joined Florida Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur and leaders from Seminole State College to celebrate a transformative state investment in education, workforce development and Florida’s next generation of leaders. Florida’s 2026–2027 state budget includes $2.4 million for the Florida Debate Initiative, funding that will expand access to speech and debate instruction, civic literacy education, and competitive

Florida Debate Initiative Announces Winners of the 2026 America 250 Speech Contest

Students across Florida reflect on what they love most about America as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. Oviedo, Fla. - In celebration of Independence Day and in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the Florida Debate Initiative is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 America 250 Speech Contest, a statewide opportunity for students to reflect on what they love most about the United States and why it makes them proud. The contest invited students in grades 3 throu

Florida Debate Initiative Announces 2026 Civic Immersion Cohort: 40 Students from across Florida selected for an all-expenses-paid leadership-based learning experience in Washington, D.C.

2025 Civics Immersion Experience Cohort in Washington D.C. ORLANDO, Fla. — February 2, 2026 — The Florida Debate Initiative (FDI) is proud to announce its 2026 Civic Immersion Cohort, an exceptionally selective group of student leaders chosen from hundreds of applicants statewide. Selections are made using a rubric-based review of each student’s application packet. In general, FDI considers academic readiness, the strength of written responses, demonstrated interest in civics

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We had a top tier summer. Now we can’t wait for the first speech and debate tournaments of the season! What was your favorite memory from this summer?

🔔 Good news: The deadline to apply to the Civic Immersion Academy has been EXTENDED to September 30!
This year-long, all-expenses-paid civic leadership program takes students across the nation, to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and even a U.S. military base, for a firsthand look at how leadership, government, and public service really work. Along the way, you'll be paired with a mentor and complete a capstone service project of your own.

This isn't a field trip. It's your chance to step inside the story.

You'll learn from people doing the work. You'll explore the institutions that shaped our country. And by the end, you won't just know more about civic leadership; you'll have practiced it.

Only 30 spots available. Apply by September 30 at floridadebate.org.

👋 Meet the Pro: Rachel Warnecke of Speak Up Edge @speakupedge
Rachel is one of the speech and debate experts working directly with students at Pro Camp. She will bring the targeted, professional-level feedback that turns good competitors into great ones. We are so pumped about this new addition to our expert roster, that we're giving you MORE TIME TO APPLY.

The deadline has been extended to September 30.

This isn't a beginner camp. Pro Camp is advanced training for competitors who already have the fundamentals down and are ready to take their game to the next level. Through online and in-person training, live competition, and one-on-one feedback from a seasoned professionals (like Rachel and others), students will pinpoint exactly where they can improve, build a plan, and level up.

Apply by September 30 at floridadebate.org/pro-camp

Today marks the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month! 🎉

To celebrate, we’re highlighting one of our standout programs: American Dream Debate.

American Dream is a bilingual World Schools Debate tournament in both English and Spanish, designed to help Spanish-speaking students build confidence, strengthen their communication skills, and find their voice in both languages.

Throughout the month, we’ll be highlighting some of the incredible students who have participated in American Dream Debate and sharing the impact this program has had on their journey.

Follow along as we celebrate their voices, their stories, and their dreams all month long!

Happy Birthday to @flgovrondesantis! 🎉

The Florida Debate Initiative is grateful for his commitment to strengthening civics education and preparing Florida’s students to become informed, engaged citizens.

Together, we are helping young people find their voices, understand their government, and develop the confidence to lead. Please join us in wishing Governor DeSantis a very happy birthday!

#HappyBirthdayGovernor #CivicsEducation #StudentVoices #FloridaDebateInitiative

Civics is participation with purpose. Yo-Yo Quinn shares his experience from last year in Washington, D.C., with FDI. The first step to understanding is experiencing — and that's exactly what the Civic Immersion Academy offers.
Students in grades 10–12 can connect with a mentor and experience hands-on educational programming in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and a military base.
Apply for the 2026–2027 Civic Immersion Academy and come back a more informed citizen.
Learn more at floridadebate.org/civicimmersionacademy

🌟 Meet our 2026–2027 FDI Fellows!

New team. Big goals. A shared commitment to helping Florida students find their voices. 💙

This incredible class is ready to get to work supporting FDI programs, connecting students and educators with opportunities, and helping grow speech and debate across our state.

Along the way, they’ll strengthen their own leadership skills while helping others build the confidence to speak up and step forward.

We’re proud to have them on Team FDI and can’t wait to share the impact they’ll make this year!

Join us in welcoming our newest class of Fellows! 👏

@mskrystalcole @Mathewcmoore @anna.lorene06 @luisdavidlatoz @therealjeaa

This is no longer just an experience; it’s an academy. The applications are now open for the new and improved Civic Immersion Academy. Have you applied yet? Learn more at floridadebate.org/civicimmersionacademy

Calling 3rd-5th graders! The annual FDI Veterans Day Speech Contest is now open! Competitors have the opportunity to win $100 cash! This year’s prompt is: What three qualities do you think are important for someone serving in the U.S. military? Explain why each quality matters and how you can show those same three qualities.

Submit your speech by October 21 for the chance to win!
https://www.floridadebate.org/speech-contests

On this day, we pause to remember. September 11, 2001 changed our world forever, but it also showed us extraordinary courage, unity, and resilience. Thinking of all the lives lost and the families who carry that loss every day. 🇺🇸

Don’t forget! Applications for Pro Camp are still open! Hear from Sasha Yan about her experience at Pro Camp. Learn more at floridadebate.org/pro-camp

Kinda chic to compete in speech and debate…

Don’t forget, there is still time to register your team before the first FCDI tournament of the year! You’ve laid the groundwork this summer; now it’s time to get to it. Register your team at floridadebate.org.

What a powerful way to kick off a new school year! 🎤🌟

Yesterday, Florida Debate Initiative President Abraham Lopez joined our friends and partners at HISPA at Amazon’s Miami headquarters as HISPA launched its 2026–27 school year and began celebrating an incredible 20 years of inspiring students through mentorship, representation, and the power of personal stories.

Abe shared a deeply personal message about mentorship, service, and our shared responsibility to help young people see the possibilities ahead of them.

His message was simple—and powerful:

A child’s ZIP code should never determine how far they can go.

Mentors, educators, coaches, and community leaders can help students recognize strengths they may not yet see in themselves. And sometimes, simply sharing our own journey can open a door for someone else.

As Abe reminded the room: “Your story is someone else’s permission.”

That belief is at the heart of FDI’s work. Through speech and debate, mentorship, and civic engagement, we are helping students find their voices, build confidence, and see themselves as the leaders they are capable of becoming.

Thank you to HISPA, Amazon, Latinos@Amazon, and everyone who continues to show up for the next generation. We are proud to be part of this work—and excited for everything ahead.

#FloridaDebateInitiative #FDI #HISPA #Mentorship #StudentLeadership #SpeechAndDebate #Miami #FutureLeaders

The Civic Immersion Experience looks a little different this year. It’s not just one experience anymore, but a year-long leadership academy that will take you to places like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and a U.S. military base, while also working toward a final capstone project with guidance from top mentors. We are accepting 30 10th-12th grade students who are eager to make a difference. Apply now at floridadebate.org/civicimmersionacademy

Whether you want to compete, coach, or judge, there’s a place for you in Florida’s debate community this season. Get involved with FDI and help shape the next generation of leaders.

The emojis we have vs. the emojis we need… What emoji do you think we’re missing?

This is the ELITE VARSITY-LEVEL workshop for speech and debate students who are ready to sharpen their skills through a one-of-a-kind mentorship program and workshops. Receive individualized instruction from MVP speech and debate educators from across the nation. Got what it takes? Apply now at floridadebate.org/pro-camp

The wait is officially OVER! Applications for The Great Debate: The National Civics and Debate Championship are NOW OPEN! Students must apply before the October 2 deadline to secure your spot!

Learn more about The Great Debate at thegreatdebatefl.com!

We are SOOOO excited for debate season to be back. What is your favorite part of debate season?

This or That: Early morning coffee or energy drink? Choose your fuel and defend it in the comments!

Did you know debate hours can count toward Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship service requirements? Competing isn’t just about trophies; it’s an investment in your future!

ICYMI — because some good news deserves an encore. 🎤

12 days ago, Senator @jtbrodeur announced $2.4 million in state funding for the Florida Debate Initiative — and we’re still smiling about it.

This investment will help FDI bring more speech, debate and civic education opportunities to students across Florida, while supporting the teachers and coaches who make those experiences possible.

And the news has been making its way around the state, with media outlets highlighting what this investment can mean for students in all 67 school districts.

More voices. More opportunities. More students learning to think big, speak up and lead.

Read the full story at www.floridadebate.org/news

Super Speakers, our elementary speech and debate program, is back for another year! We are looking forward to hosting workshops all year long. Meet one of our Super Speakers, Kingston! His mom got him involved at his school because she knows he has the potential to build the skills to become a top tier speaker.

Looking for a way to get involved? Visit floridadebate.org/superspeakers to learn more!

Introducing the NEW and improved Civic Immersion ACADEMY. Previously known as Civics Immersion Experience, it's now bigger, better, and MORE IMPACTFUL. Participants will now have the opportunity to be immersed in civics in action across several experiences, including trips to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and a military base. And the best part — at FREE of cost! Applications are NOW LIVE. Learn more and apply at www.floridadebate.org!

Pro Camp applications are NOW OPEN for the 2026-2027 school year. Apply today for this varsity-level series that will strengthen your speech and debate skills, build your network, and train with the top speech and debate coaches in the country. Apply now at floridadebate.org!

Game on for the new school year! 🏆 We're so ready to be back. Get your calendar locked and loaded with all our events for the year — plus, know exactly when applications drop for every FDI program so you never miss your shot to compete.
Check the full calendar today at floridadebate.org/upcoming

If Netflix ever did a documentary about the importance of speech and debate, we’d have a lot to say!

FCDI Team Registration is NOW OPEN for the 2026–2027 school year!

All new and returning teams must complete the updated registration process to participate this season. Register today to secure your team’s spot and prepare for another exciting year of speech and debate!

Thinking about starting a new team at your school? We would love to welcome you to the FCDI community. Our team is ready to help you get started.

VisitFloridaDebate.orgto register your returning team or begin the process of launching a new one.

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Florida Debate Initiative Celebrates $2.4 Million State Investment in Speech, Debate and Civic Education Funding championed by Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur will expand opportunities

Florida Debate Initiative Announces Winners of the 2026 America 250 Speech Contest

Florida Debate Initiative Announces 2026 Civic Immersion Cohort: 40 Students from across Florida selected for an all-expenses-paid leadership-based learning experience in Washington, D.C.

LET'S BE

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