Daylight head teacher, Kizito Wafula, shared with me that by encouraging students to participate in debate team and eventually compete with area government schools, Daylight students act out the school’s motto: “shine upon them.” While participating in debate competitions, Daylight students will shine and demonstrate to the wider community that although they may come from hard backgrounds, they have just as much potential for achieving greatness.

During my recent visit to Daylight, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a debate team practice. These 6th and 7th graders are not only encouraged to express their opinions, but they are also doing it in English, which is a third language for many of Daylight’s students.

“Thank you, madame speaker, madame secretary, mister time keeper, and my fellow colleagues for this opportunity. I propose ‘teacher is better than a doctor’ because without a teacher, how will the doctor learn how to heal people without someone to teach him how to be a doctor? Therefore, teacher is better than a doctor. Thank you.” —Abigael, grade 7

Visit Daylight in January 2015 to sit in on one of these debates for yourself! Applications due March 1st!

Rachel Finsaas
U.S. Director of Operations
Daylight Center and School