A Million Thanks to our 2024 Judges of the Year

We named our Volunteers of the Year at our first-ever Volunteer Appreciation Party, funded by the AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund!

It was a wonderful opportunity to spotlight individuals who have made a difference for our students over the past season. Find the full event gallery here. (Photo Credit: Marina Que)

Congratulations to Ingri Ramirez, our overall Judge of the Year! Ingri volunteered across multiple programs this year, recruited friends and family to judge for us, and consistently provides helpful, encouraging advice to each student. Find her reflections on the judging experience here. (Spanish version)

Congratulations and THANK YOU to all of the winners!

High School Judge of the Year:

Urji Ahmed

This was a competitive category- many judges put tons of hours in! We see her name over and over again, shift after shift, during weekends in the fall. Thank you, Urji!

Middle School Judge of the Year:

Oliver Nielson

Oliver was there for the whole tournament at nearly every single middle school tournament – a huge feat! Being there for students is crucial, and we appreciate your time.

Spanish Debate League Judge of the Year:

Wilson Quizhpi

Wilson has given generously as a Spanish Debate judge. He’s judged with us year after year, tournament after tournament, and he’s never accepted a dime for his work.

East African Debate Judge of the Year:

Liya Tesfaye

Liya not only writes great ballots, but she’s been willing to step in and help us out across multiple programs. She’s always there with a smile to support the kids.

Financial Literacy Debate Judges of the Year:

Lauren Hansen & Alan Thometz

Both Lauren and Alan have a fantastic base of financial knowledge to share. Lauren recruited judges to help us and Alan’s ballots serve as a model for how to provide gentle, actionable feedback.

Augsburg Summer Debate Camp Judge of the Year:

Cayden Mayer

As a long-time alum and coach in our program, Cayden has deep knowledge of debate they could share with students across our 5 weeks of camp. Thanks for being willing to step in as a judge!

Join these fantastic judges in supporting our students! Fill out this interest form to receive information about judging during the upcoming season.

Programming was funded by the Volunteer Generation Fund, an AmeriCorps program.