Mitosis

mi·to·sis n

the process by which a cell divides into two daughter cells, each of which has the same number of chromosomes as the original cell.  

It had to happen eventually, our small group of arguing adolescents growing from eight schools to two separate leagues1. Our new league will be named the Desert Valleys Debate League. The desert debaters will no longer be forced to rise at dawn, sometimes earlier, to participate in a Saturday morning debate. We will also gain the privilege of initiating new schools into the middle school public debate program. In the Coachella Valley alone, there are 15 public middle schools and 19 private schools from which to collect a new cadre of competitors. The DVDL boundaries will extend from Hemet to Banning to Yucca to the Coachella Valley. 


Kelley Bieringer, one of our original coaches, has volunteered to be our tournament director. She is taking on a job that will impress the adults and make the debaters scream. (No, really, she gets to announce the topics.) Joanie Wilcox will be coaching at Raymond Cree and acting as league secretary. Beth Ferris will be coaching at La Contenta and keeping track of our league’s funds. Giovanna De La Paz will be returning to coach Nicolet. For Kelley, Beth, and Giovanna, next year will be their fourth year in debate. We have planned five events for next year: Black Tie 3 at Desert Springs on October 29, Nicolet Middle School’s first-ever event on December 3, La Contenta on January 21, Raymond Cree Middle School’s first-ever event on January 21, and a pre-finals scrimmage in March at a yet-to-be-announced location. In April, we will be returning to Claremont McKenna for the 2006 finals. 

As the first expansion league, we need to duplicate the success of the Inland Valley Debate League. It will help to have three of the original members (Desert Springs, La Contenta, and Nicolet) along with the new programs at Workman and Cree as the foundation. Our first task as a new league will be to recruit new members. Informational packets need to be created and assembled, videos and DVDs copied, and principals and prospective coaches spoken to and recruited. Having three years of successful league history will help us in our recruiting efforts.  

As league president, I would like to be able expand our nascent league and bring in as many new schools as possible. Having our debates closer to home will hopefully result in more parent and community volunteers. Many of our former debaters are looking forward to participating as judges. We will need to set up training classes for coaches, parents, potential judges, and of course, the students. Parent and judge training will be a major emphasis in our first building year. 

Leaving the comfort of a well-established organization is never an easy thing to do. We hope we will be able to build on the success of every school and every student that has participated. With the support of the coaches, schools, volunteers, and Claremont McKenna, splitting off from our origins should not be too bad an experience.


1 Five, if you count IVDL, ISDL, Pittsburgh, DC, and the new DVDL.