26 Atlanta students surprised with admission into Harvard Diversity Project

A group of 26 Atlanta Great Debaters were surprised with admission into Harvard University’s Diversity Project, reports Metro Atlanta Black.

Harvard University’s Diversity Project

Brandon Fleming, Assistant Debate Coach at Harvard University and Founder of HDCDP, shared with Metro Atlanta Black,

“After our inaugural 2018 class made history and gained national admiration, we are thrilled for the opportunity to once again show the world what it looks like when scholarship meets culture.”

Hundreds of students throughout Metro Atlanta applied to join the latest cohort of scholars that would continue the legacy set by the former champions, reports the outlet.

Students surprised

Out of the multitude of applicants, 50 advanced to a vigorous vetting process, after which 26 candidates were invited to a surprise acceptance announcement. The surprise, which took place at The Art Institute of Atlanta, was disguised as a final interview round that turned out to be an incredible and unforgettable moment for the students and their parents.

“As a final challenge, each student entered a room was donned in a Harvard sweatshirt and instructed to pretend that they were a Harvard ambassador. They were then tasked to give an impromptu speech persuading the panel of judges why a student should choose Harvard as their number one college choice,” Fleming said.

“Concurrently, parents were being interviewed by board members—a strategic ploy to assemble the families for the big surprise.”

“It was such a powerful moment,” said HDCDP Board President Dani Ayers.

“As proud, yet anxious, parents positioned themselves to capture the moment on their cameras, the room went completely dark and a video began to play on the screen. The faces of each student appeared, followed by a congratulatory image announcing the 26 students as the Class of 2019. It was electric—with a confetti shower, tears of joy, and shrills of excitement and astonishment from the students and their parents.”

“Words really can’t describe the feeling after I heard that I was accepted into the Diversity Project,” said Trinity Franklin, an 11th grader at Benjamin E. Mays High School and member of the 2019 HDCDP class, “I accomplished a big milestone in my life for myself and my mother. When I was crying, they were tears of joy because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

About Harvard University’s Diversity Project

Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project is a subsidiary of Harvard College.

“The program is an Atlanta-based pipeline program that provides Black youth access and exposure to accelerated academic training in critical thinking, communication and civic engagement. HDCDP seeks to matriculate underrepresented students into the Harvard Debate Council’s summer residency.”