Senior Courtney Tetteh-Martey channeled her passion for debate over the summer into creating Debate Discovery Kids, an initiative designed to provide free speech and debate education to students who would otherwise lack access. Realizing the need for funding to scale her initiative, she successfully pitched Debate Discovery Kids to the Dragon Kim Foundation, a fellowship committed to providing young entrepreneurs with mentorship and funding. She secured a $5,000 grant to run three summer camps and a series of workshops. Courtney’s program aims to make debate programs available to everyone, regardless of financial barriers.

Courtney’s own debate journey began in seventh grade when she reluctantly chose debate as her elective course. What started as an experiment turned into a passion, as she thrived in an environment where polarizing topics were openly analyzed. Her debate teacher, Joshua Thimons, played a pivotal role in her growth, encouraging her to use her unique voice to succeed in tournaments.

“Before debate, I was shy and was a little afraid to speak up. In tournaments, during my uninterrupted time, I discovered my voice and my unique ability to persuade and argue different topics,” Courtney said. 

At Sage Hill, Courtney has excelled as a member of the debate team but found her true calling as an assistant coach for Thimons’ middle school team. Coaching allowed her to do more than teach debate skills—it became an opportunity to mentor young students at a critical time in their lives.

“Middle school is such a fragile time. Everyone is trying to figure out who they are and what they want. It was so rewarding to be able to help grow these kid’s confidence and have a positive impact,” Courtney said. 

However, Courtney couldn’t ignore the lack of diversity in debate, particularly when it came to economic status. Realizing how debate had shaped her own growth, she was determined to make it accessible to educate young children about this competitive academic team. Courtney developed a 70-page workbook, which breaks down debate in an engaging, easy-to-understand way. 

Each workshop taught essential skills like public speaking, structuring arguments, and using credible evidence. About 100 students attended her events in Santa Ana. But more than that, Courtney instilled confidence in her students, encouraging them after practice debates. Every camp concluded with a showcase, where students presented their debate skills to family and friends.

“My favorite part of the camps was the very last day when we hosted a showcase for the parents. Witnessing the students’ level of excitement and confidence truly made me happy to see that I had made a difference,” Courtney said.