Involving students in policy debate is one of the most impactful academic interventions for secondary school students, according to a study, which between 2007 and 2017 followed about 3,500 students who were part of the Boston Debate League (BDL). The nonprofit supports debate teams in Boston Public Schools, which have a large concentration of low-income students of color and don't have the resources to field debate teams on their own. BDL is one of 20 urban debate leagues in the United States, located in such cities as Miami, Chicago, and New York. The Boston program, which has novice, junior varsity, and varsity divisions, plus teams that debate in Spanish, is designed to be welcoming to all. Some participants are not native English speakers, some have special needs, and many are not on grade level academically. Receiving feedback from opponents and judges during a competition teaches students how to think critically about their own presentations without being too harsh on themselves. Because policy debate is an extracurricular activity--an activity of choice-- kids who get involved tend to develop a sense of ownership in the club.