When I was in high school, I was on the debate team — and to be honest, I didn’t like it at first. There were times we were made to argue sides I didn’t agree with. It felt uncomfortable, even wrong. But here’s what I learned: when you’re forced to defend an idea you don’t personally believe in, you start digging deeper. You research (during those days at the library on microfiche). You listen.
You learn how to debate with facts instead of feelings.
That lesson has stayed with me my entire life — and it’s exactly what Governor Ron DeSantis is encouraging through Florida’s Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI).
Today Florida is once again leading the nation — not just in academics, but in teaching our young people how to think critically, speak respectfully, and understand the founding principles that made America great in the first place.
Governor DeSantis just announced that the 9–12 grade champion of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate at next year’s state championship will receive a $50,000 scholarship and a trophy named in honor of Charlie Kirk — a man who believed that debate should be passionate but always principled.
“The champion of the next FCDI state championship will take home the Charlie Kirk prize, renamed in honor of a young man who embodied the principles of patriotism, civil discourse, and open debate,” DeSantis said.
The Charlie Kirk Legacy
Like Charlie Kirk, I believe we’ve got to get back to the kind of dialogue that challenges ideas — not people. Debate should sharpen us, not divide us.
This new Charlie Kirk Prize and the generous scholarships that go with it — made possible by philanthropist Patricia Duggan of Clearwater and matched by the Florida Prepaid Foundation — are helping thousands of students do just that. Winners will even get the chance to attend the National Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate in California.
Florida’s Civics Comeback
Since launching in 2020, the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative has exploded — from 59 teams in 11 districts to over 330 teams across all 67 counties. The program gives students real-world opportunities to engage in civil discourse and develop the civic literacy that holds a free republic together.
Under DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has:
- Introduced a civic literacy exam for all high schoolers
- Required college students to demonstrate civic knowledge
- Created the Civics Seal of Excellence to reward outstanding teachers
- Provided regional civic coaches for training and mentoring
- Developed a full K–12 civics curriculum aligned with America’s founding principles
Mark Your Calendar
The FCDI State Championship will be held April 5, 2026, at New College of Florida in Sarasota.
So yes — let’s make debate great again.
Because when we stop shouting and start debating, we grow wiser, stronger, and freer.
That’s how I learned.
That’s how Charlie lived.
And that’s how America gets back on track.
