1. To provide scholarships to MERHS debate team graduates who have served the program and exhibited academic excellence and potential for college.
2. To support MERHS debate undergraduates as they attend summer debate and speech institutes.
3. To promote international debate efforts by the MERHS team, both in travel and in World Wide Web debating via digital web cams.
4. To develop new programs on the North Shore and in the Boston area by providing model debating, staff training, workshops for students and teachers, and free or reduced entry fees for our tournaments and scrimmages.
5. To sustain the efforts of the Boston Debate League which provides debate training and opportunities for inner city students who have not traditionally been served by interscholastic debate.
   

As of today, the fund has completed the following:

1. Two members of the Class of 2006 received $1000 college scholarships from the fund.
2. Two members of the MERHS debate team were assisted in attending summer institute in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
3. The MERHS Debate Team has been given a list of software and hardware needed to implement “real-time” international debating from the debate classroom. The Debate Fund is prepared to pay for that equipment when it would best serve the curriculum goals of the debate courses.
4. The Debate Fund committee has met with the superintendent of the Saugus Public Schools, Dr. Keith Manville, and has been placed on the agenda of the Northeast Conference Principals Association (which includes Lynn Classical) for a presentation on the advantages of debate in the schools. In addition, MERHS debaters have done demonstration debates and speech events on three occasions in neighboring schools. Further, the Debate Fund is currently working with the Chelsea Public Schools to start and sustain their new debate program.
5. The Debate Fund awarded a $900 grant in 2005 to the Boston Debate League to support its program. In addition, Tim Averill recruited a new school, The Engineering School at Hyde Park, for membership in the league. For 2006-07, the Debate Fund has awarded the BDL a grant of $1000 as it begins to compete outside of its immediate league, joining the MFL and NFL and visiting the North Shore for competition. In addition, the Debate Fund and the BDL have begun the process of applying for a grant from Grants Management Associates to explore long-term support for the Boston Debate League.
   

Overall, the goals of the fund will directly benefit our students in three ways:

1. Giving them direct scholarship assistance so that we can continue as a school which creates opportunity for all students regardless of ability to pay.
2. Providing them opportunities for leadership as they serve as model debaters and peer coaches for new debaters in developing programs.
3. Ensuring the viability of debate on the North Shore and Massachusetts by supporting the development of programs so strong that Manchester Essex debaters do not have to travel as extensively to get the level of competition that they need.
   

Although the Debate Education Fund operates under the aegis of the larger Manchester Education Fund (and is therefore a 501c3 fund), its goals are somewhat broader than the usual scholarship fund. In addition, much if its work is accomplished not through financial means but by the volunteer efforts of MERHS debate staff, former staff and students, and current students themselves.

We hope that you are pleased that your gifts to the fund are beginning to do this work. As the 2006 calendar year comes to a close, we invite you to consider making an additional contribution to the fund. Details are available elsewhere on this website, and every contribution is fully tax-deductible and deeply appreciated. The Debate Fund continues to use only the interest on the endowment to fund its activities, and all fundraising expenses are covered by private additional donations, so every penny you contribute goes directly to the mission.

Thank you so much for your support as we continue to do the work of the fund.