Why Support BEST?

  1. We are the only foundation focused on promoting large-scale, equitable access to high-quality Speech and Debate programming for predominantly low-income, ethnically diverse student teams across the country.

  2. Our model is embedded with a continuum of student supports and experiences from 4th-12th grade that together help break the cycle of poverty for young people.

  3. Our model embeds an ecosystem of sustainability for high-quality programs with an ever-expanding pipeline of talented and experienced staff made up of former competitors who are employed as peer coaches during college, and upon graduation can become full-time administrators running district-wide programs!

We invite you to join BEST as we partner with schools to close the opportunity gap for low-income youth by funding access to high-cost, highly-transformative Speech & Debate programming