Volunteer to Judge
Becoming a tournament judge is one of the most helpful ways to volunteer with the Milwaukee Debate League. As a judge, you would be asked to evaluate student debates. Specifically, you would listen to the debaters, take notes, offer encouragement once the debate round is over, then determine a winner. Plus, it’s easy. Becoming a volunteer judge requires no previous debate experience and accommodates all commitment levels.
MDL tournaments are the centerpiece of our programming and also our biggest need for volunteer judges. One Saturday per month, we will need approximately 8 judges so all of our students can participate in what is to them the highlight of their year. Tournaments start early on Saturday morning and end in the late afternoon.
Your Commitment: Each debate typically last 1½ hours. Of course, if you have the time, you can volunteer to judge more than one session, and you are more than welcome (encouraged even) to volunteer with a friend. We do not need to know your availability to volunteer until the week before. However, it is extremely important that you are present once you make that commitment. You will be assigned to a judge a specific debate round that cannot happen if you are not there.
If you would like to become a volunteer judge, please email us so that we can add your email to our judges list. You will get reminders when tournaments are coming up. And if you have any questions, please contact Joni Chmiel at jonichmiel@urbandebate.org.
