This year, the students couldn’t choose between some excellent candidates, so we had a tie! 

Coach Nala, as her students refer to her, took over the DC International debate team this past fall, and led them to a few rounds of the overall Sweepstakes Cup, given to the best team in the entire region…..And her oldest debaters are freshmen, who have just barely gotten their toes wet in Varsity. Building on the great foundation of previous coach Joyce Banjo, Nala has recruited a large number of new debaters, with her teams consistently winning awards in every division they enter. 

Beyond just being an outstanding coach, Nala has gone above and beyond, supporting the travel team at competitive regional tournaments, often when her DCI students aren’t even participating. She’s also gotten involved on the business side of the organization, writing some grants and learning more about the administrative side of non-profits. 

A former debater from Homewood Flossmoor High School in Chicago, Nala is a senior at Howard, and will be starting a M.A. in Education at American University in Fall 2025. We look forward to working with her for many years to come!