Eloquence Academy extends a formal welcome to Joseph Martin Middle School!

Located in Taunton, Massachusetts, within the Taunton Public School District, Joseph Martin Middle School is a public school serving 648 students in grades 5 through 7. The school enrolls a diverse student body, with a significant portion identified as socioeconomically disadvantaged and many qualifying for the free lunch program. Positioned within a suburban community, Joseph Martin faces ongoing challenges regarding teacher recruitment and retention, with workload, compensation, and student behavior most frequently cited as concerns. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the rapid shift to remote learning heightened long-term obstacles in supporting younger students’ foundational technology skills and sustaining consistent academic progress. Last year, 76% of students scored below the statewide standardized test proficiency in math.

This marks Joseph Martin’s fifth year operating a speech and debate program. In 2022, the team was a mere 7 students; by 2023, it had grown to over 24 students, an increase of 245%. Joseph Martin now competes in Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Poetry, Prose, Storytelling, Declamation, Impromptu, Original Oratory, and Big Questions. The team travels to regional tournaments and receives medals, which celebrate the students’ strong work ethic and instill a sense of pride. Coach Ian Daley shared that Joseph Martin has fostered “confidence in students who were shy, and who were not on athletic teams. This is one way that they shine and feel great about themselves.”

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. As Ian explained, “we are the only speech and debate team in the south shore so we must travel to the tournaments which makes it very expensive to run this club.” Joseph Martin will receive copies of our flagship curriculum to integrate into their afterschool club and Humanities classrooms. Later this year, we hope to issue a microgrant for Joseph Martin, to be spent on binders, materials, transportation to tournaments, and school blazers. Through the comprehensive support afforded by our program, Ian aims to grow the team to over 70 students.

We are grateful to Ian and excited to see what the future holds.

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Eloquence Academy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and 509(a)(2) public charity dedicated to increasing equitable academic debate opportunities for rural and historically underserved students. The Academy offers debate classes, summer camps, workshops, tournaments, in-school programs, and online resources for 2,500+ students across 35 states and 17 countries. Ultimately, EA aims to prepare youth for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact through the transferable skills gained from debate. Follow EA on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.