Eloquence Academy extends a formal welcome to Sylvan Hills High School!

Located in Sherwood, Arkansas, within the Pulaski County Special School District, Sylvan Hills High School is a public school serving 1,061 students in grades 9 through 12. The school provides a comprehensive curriculum that includes core academic subjects like English, mathematics, science, and social studies, as well as career and technical education (CTE) pathways and Advanced Placement courses. However, the school ranks in the bottom 50% of Arkansas high schools based on test scores, and math proficiency is especially low at 17%. Many students identify as socioeconomically disadvantaged.

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Coach Jennifer Alaquinez explained, “I started our speech and debate club in 2019 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Since then, we have been to various state and national tournaments and become a self-funded team of diverse members.” Later this year, Jennifer intends to bring her students to the Central High School Tournament and Cabot Tournament.

Our Debate-Inspired Classrooms program supports the funding or logistical needs of K-12, public, independent, magnet, charter, boarding, and homeschools in developing their own debate programs. Sylvan Hills received a microgrant to alleviate the financial burden for students in the school’s free lunch program, who struggle to pay for tournament clothing. Additionally, Jennifer plans to connect with our team on a bi-weekly basis to discuss fundraising, plans for spending the microgrant, and a preliminary budget for the next school year. Our goal is to offer grants of scaling size and build a long-term relationship with Sylvan Hills students.

We are especially excited to partner with Sylvan Hills as our first partner school in Arkansas.

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Eloquence Academy, Inc. is the world’s largest youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing equitable academic debate opportunities for rural and historically underserved students. The Academy has offered live debate programs for 3,600 students, partnerships with 122 schools and nonprofit organizations, and online debate resources for 16,084 students. It has prepared students across all 50 states and 102 countries for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.