Continuing a long standing tradition, the Brooks Quimby Debate Council welcomed a team from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia for a public debate as a part of Bates College's celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Drawing on the role of religion in the 20th century Civil Rights movement, the debate was centered on the resolution, "This house believes that religion is a necessary element of a just social change."

The Brooks Quimby Debate Council held its annual APDA debate tournament last weekend. All told, 36 teams traveled to Lewiston, Maine for the team's tournament from schools across the country. In addition, former Brooks Quimby Debate debaters Geoff Shaughnessy '09, Daniel Berman '08 and Brendan Jarboe '08 returned to help judge the teams in competition. The team was also grateful to former coach Andrea Curtis, who offered her experience to the judging panel as well.

Bates College and the Brooks Quimby Debate Council welcomed Yale University debaters Grant May, Steven Kryger and Josh Kalla for the Brooks Quimby Debate Council's annual Bates-Yale debate. Many members of the Bates community filled the College Chapel to watch Brooks Quimby debaters Ariela Silberstein, Rachel Kurzius and Matthew Marienthal face the team from Yale. They debated the resolution, "This house would create Spanish-language schools in California."

With students from Morehouse College, the Brooks Quimby debaters held a public debate Monday, debating whether or not the United States should contract private corporations to own and operate prisons.

The Brooks Quimby Debate Council and Bates College welcomed high school students from across the state of Maine to the Team's annual Speech & Debate Tournament for high school students. Tournament directors Walter Garcia '11 and Molly Nelson '11 coordinated the tournament in concert with the Maine Forensics Association.