D-bate, DA, and DNS

Assistant debate coach (and Duke student) Ally Bell took four students to Harvard last weekend for one of the year's most competitive national debate tournaments. Coach Jeff Welty writes, "Sophomores Josh Zoffer and Robert Kindman were undefeated in preliminary competition, were 6th speakers, were the second seeds overall, and advanced all the way to the semifinal round before losing on a split decision. A fantastic accomplishment, made even sweeter by the fact that they are now fully qualified for the year-end Tournament of Champions. Editorial comment: Harvard is a HUGE tournament and their performance is astonishing for sophomores."

Josh, Robert, and their teammates awash in awards at the recent Cary Academy tournament.
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The following article, written by our own Anthony Clay, appeared in the February issue of ENews from Durham Nativity School. It outlines the remarkable collaborations that have grown up between DA and DNS in just this school year. I've attached the entire issue of the newsletter, including a conversation with DNS founder and DA parent of alumni Joe Moylan and several other pespectives on a very special school.

DA and DNS . . . Partner Up!

During each of the past two summers, faculty and staff from every division of Durham Academy have come together for a remarkable personal and collective journey through the highways and byways of the American South. Across some two thousand miles - Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, Tuskegee, and Memphis - we explored questions of race and religion, identity, history and memory, service, and social justice. We learned, we laughed, we cried. We also came back resolved to remain connected with one another and to carry our tour experiences into our own community.

To that end, we decided to partner with an organization in Durham where we might be of service. When Barbara Potter, a veteran of the inaugural civil rights tour and devoted volunteer at Durham Nativity School, shared with us her powerful interactions with the young men at DNS, we'd found a place to contribute our time and energy. Last November, Ingrid Medlock and her staff welcomed us warmly to breakfast for our first visit to the school. In December, many of us sat in the audience for the DNS afternoon performance in DA's Kenan Auditorium - expertly emceed by DNS graduate and DA student Marco R. Many of us recently spent two Friday afternoons in the DNS kitchen with eight DNS students cooking. During our first cooking collaboration, we made a Super Bowl themed meal, headlined by healthy turkey chili. On our second visit, it was Italian: spaghetti, meatballs, sauce, salad, and pudding. One student took such a shine to balsamic vinegar, he got to take the bottle home (along with meal leftovers!) We'll be back for a 3rd time to provide lunch (by popular demand, spaghetti again) for the entire school.

The students and staff at DNS have made quite an impression on us, just as Barbara Potter predicted last fall. Says Willetha Colvin, who works in DA's development office, "There is a palpable sense of dedication from the staff at DNS. It's hard not to catch wind of the energy." In the words of Patsy Harlow, a DA Lower School teacher, "I particularly enjoy how enthusiastic, appreciative, eager to learn, and well mannered the boys are!" Adds Lower School teacher Elizabeth Culpepper, "I loved visiting the school and cooking with the boys, and was struck by their self-confidence and their comfort level when talking to adults. They truly love school, and DNS in particular, and seem dedicated to pursuing their education to its highest and farthest limits."

Clearly, great things are happening at DNS, and it's our honor and joy to collaborate in even modest ways with the amazing people in this special school!





Senior Elsa Ohman, a frequent Spanish tutor at DNS.