Photo courtesy Boys &Girls Club They could only talk if they held the football which was passed around to sixteen kids who debated the question of whether it’s okay to assassinate dictators at a recent club debating gala. Debate is alive and well in Northfield.

The Boys & Girls Club teens kicked off a week of new activities with their first weekly debate.

The topic was Resolved: "It is justifiable to assassinate a dictator."

Sixteen youth divided into two teams, each with an opposing view.

They didn’t follow classic debating technique. Each had 2 minutes to state their opinion. The football acted as the groups "Talking Stick". Only the youth with the football could speak.

The "Talking Stick" is a tool used in many Native American Traditions when a council is called. It allows all council members to present their Point of View.

The Talking Stick is passed from person to person as they speak and only the person holding the stick is allowed to talk during that time period.

The views stated by the youth were very articulate and well thought out. It was also an opportunity for several youth who normally say very little at the center to speak up and be heard.

Topics and facilitation of the new Debate Team are entirely managed by the teens themselves. The new Monday Debate Team is being led by junior staff Ryan Gage.

Tony Moulton, director of the local Boys & Girls Club express the club’s gratitude for community support of our youth.

For more information on the teen programming contact Tony Moulton at 485-5494. For information on our Licensed K-6 after school programming contact Becky Raymond at 728- 3332.