Meet Walls Debate Coach Avalon Ayres

Welcome, Avalon Ayres as the new debate coach for School Without Walls! Ayres, a sophomore at George Washington University and a member of its debate team, hails from Toledo, Ohio, where she began her debate journey.

The SWW Speech and Debate team competes in a variety of events, primarily through the Washington-Arlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL). The team also participates in prestigious tournaments like the Tournament of Champions and National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) qualifiers and nationals.

Ayres brings six years of debate experience to Walls but admitted her start in debate wasn’t entirely voluntary. “Funny story, but I joined debate because I was forced to,” she recalled. “Both of my parents did debate, and they saw it as a good skill. Now having done debate, I’m going to say the same thing to my kids.” Despite being an untrained coach in high school, Ayres and a peer took the initiative to teach themselves and others how to debate. Over time, she developed a passion for Lincoln-Douglas debate, an event centered around ethics and philosophy, which became her primary focus throughout high school. Her dedication paid off—she qualified for NSDA nationals twice, a tournament reserved for the top 2% of debaters nationwide.

Now at GWU, Ayres competes in Social Justice debates, Transatlantic Dialogues, and the Schuman Challenge. Social Justice debates revolve around contemporary social issues. Transatlantic Dialogues involve debating topics proposed by French military officers who travel to the U.S. to judge the debates. The Schuman Challenge tasks college students with solving major confidential issues for the European Union.

Ayres emphasized that debate is invaluable for personal and academic growth. “It’s one of the most important things you can do for any type of education,” she said. “It’s the one sport that, while not physically oriented, helps you grow every one of your academic skills across all regions.” Beyond academic benefits, Ayres highlighted how debate builds confidence and shapes identity: “I struggled a lot in high school finding my identity... But then I joined debate and I knew. Debate refines your character—it makes you more eloquent, a better listener, and a better analyzer.”

Ayres’s exceptional debating skills earned her a full scholarship to GWU. She explained that many colleges offer scholarships to debaters based on their performance after joining the team. Schools often recruit debaters at NSDA nationals by observing rounds and identifying standout competitors.

Ayres is excited to embark on a coaching journey at Walls. She explained,  “I coach because I want to help you guys find yourselves. Debate was probably some of the best years of my life... I just hope that even if it’s just one kid on the School Without Walls debate team, they find their passion or become more confident.” She added that her ultimate goal is to help students secure brighter futures through debate.