Ron Bratt has given his life to developing debate skills in children because he has seen how it enhances their intellectual growth. Ron started the Catholic University Debate program in 1998. In its first year it advanced to the finals of the American Debate Association. By 2001, the program had 30 members and was ranked number one in the National Debate Tournament rankings. In the fall of 2002, Ron helped form the Urban Debate League in Washington, DC. As one of the founding directors of the League, Ron recruited students, established a solid infrastructure, and trained both students and teachers. With these national successes under his belt, Ron expanded internationally. In 2003, he worked closely with the International Debate Educational Association to bring more than 50 European students to the United States to learn leadership and debate. The following year, Ron Bratt brought over 30 students from seven countries, including Russia, China, Haiti, Argentina, and South Africa to train and compete at the National Forensics League’s National Tournament.In 2006, Ron decided to make an even bigger impact by founding Capitol Debate, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to promoting debate across the country. The program’s first mission was Howard County and it started with one debater. Ron has grown this program to include over 100 students, drawn from the 13 high schools and 19 middle schools in the county. In 2009, in a testament to Ron’s training methods, the Howard County debaters won the Middle School National Championships. He also launched an Asian presence by training instructors in the Chinese city of Jintan and laying the groundwork for a debate institute in Shanghai. He and his team have coached at the Taipai Debate Academy in Taiwan. Ron has been a commentator on national political debates. He was cited in the Washingtonian Magazine leading up to the 2012 presidential debates between incumbent Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney.