The J.W. Patterson Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing need-based scholarships and merit-based fellowships in speech, debate, and leadership to high school and college students who would otherwise be excluded due to financial constraints.

Its mission is rooted in the belief that training in speech and debate has power to change the trajectory of a student's life by giving them the tools they need to become effective leaders and change-makers.

We believe that a debate-centered curriculum based in constructive civil discourse accelerates student success and career advancement, and that all students should have the opportunity to participate in speech and debate regardless of their financial circumstances.

Training in speech and debate gives students real-world skills such as critical thinking, oral and written communication, and the ability to organize ideas and present them effectively.

These skills benefit students' academic performance in all subjects and translate later throughout their careers and across all professions. 

Our goal is to spread these foundational life skills by both creating educational opportunities in speech and debate and providing access to students who would otherwise not be able to participate.