A nonprofit organization organized by students at Polytechnic School, Cicero Academy endeavors to allow middle school students of all socioeconomic backgrounds to participate in speech and debate related extracurricular activities. By conducting regular practices and providing instructional material, Cicero Academy's volunteer coaches, who boast over two decades of collective experience in debate, teach students the fundamentals of debate while preparing participants for tournaments in which they can compete at no cost. Students at Cicero Academy primarily participate in the Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) tournaments hosted by the Rancho California Debate League (RCDL), which includes schools in the San Gabriel Valley such as Mayfield Junior, Chandler, High Point, Sequoyah, LILA, and Polytechnic. In addition, participants may elect to compete in tournaments across a diverse array of formats, including Parliamentary Debate, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, and World Schools. Cicero Academy raises funds to cover tournament fees through donations, fundraising activities, and grants. The coaches at Cicero Academy, hope to expand access to speech and debate, activities typically exclusive to private schools, in order to empower the next generation of changemakers equipped with critical thinking and research skills, empathy, social awareness, and confidence in public speaking. If you are interested in registering for Cicero Academy, please reach out to dario@ciceroacademy.us or visit us at ciceroacademy.us