07 Debates Are Judged by Historians
It’s not every day that a world-class historian judges a debate held by 11 year olds…but we insist upon it. At the Young Historians Program, every debate is judged by a panel of leading history educators and at least one professor of history who teaches at a university. The rigor implied by this level of judge inspires all students to do their very best at the debate. It also gives us valuable data on how well our program supports the historical understanding and debating skills of our young scholars. “I was enormously impressed by the quality of the speeches,” remarked Professor Andrew Jackson O’Shaughnessy of the University of Virginia, who judged debates in the 2021-2022 season. He is the Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Je ff erson Studies at Monticello and the author of numerous award-winning books on the American Revolution. Speaking about our debate proposition, Professor O’Shaughnessy commented, “I thought the topic a great concept, especially involving a team from England.”
Professor Andrew Jackson O’Shaughnessy of the University of Virginia, is the Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello.
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