At Cayuga Correctional Facility, the debate club was founded and is led by students. Since its inception in fall 2023, it has become a model for what’s possible and has been replicated in the other facilities that we serve. Through dedication and forward thinking, students have partnered with instructors from Cornell Law School, the Cornell Library, and CPEP librarian Maddie Reynolds, along with the Cornell Speech and Debate Program, to build a thriving program.
Since fall 2023, the CPEP debate team has taken on a new topic each semester and meets weekly to practice. In the fall 24 semester, they researched and debated the question of whether the US should continue to send military aid Ukraine. The team has both competed against and collaborated with members of the Cornell Speech and Debate Program—a partnership that continues to deepen each semester.