BOMLA students excel in various arenas
It’s been a great year for Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at A. Maceo Smith. Not only did the Class of 2026, which has 54 “brothers,” achieved a 100% college acceptance rate with $15.4 million in scholarships, but the school’s debate team also earned second place at the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues championship.
The multimillion-dollar scholarship total marks the second-highest scholarship amount awarded, paving the way for graduates, including several first-generation students, to attend elite universities like Princeton and Columbia to major in fields ranging from theater and finance to mechanical engineering and nursing.
Javier V. and Caleb J.carried the school’s legacy of debate excellence onto the national stage, recently earning second place at the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues championship. The championship brought debate teams from urban districts around the country, under one roof.
“It was beautiful. It was my first time in the Northeast, and it was great to see Harvard in person.” Caleb said. “It was a very new experience, coming from Texas.”
More than giving students the opportunity to visit a new city, the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues gives them an outlet to explore their passion and talent in ways they may not usually be able to.
For Javier, that opportunity also highlights a bigger issue.
“There are so many debaters with much drive who want to succeed. But they are crowded out because they don’t have resources or can’t afford to go,” he said.
Still, Javier and Caleb have found ways to compete at a high level. They regularly face larger, and oftentimes, private schools. Both say that having different life experiences than many of their competitors allows them to bring a unique perspective when they step up to the podium.
Now, Javier and Caleb are working together to ensure the debate legacy stays strong at BOMLA.
“I want BOMLA to keep going to prestigious debate tournaments,” Caleb said. “I want to continue getting accolades and foster more growth as people become attracted to it and we get more experience.”
There are still openings for students at BOMLA for the 2026-2027 school year. To apply to attend the school, visit https://www.dallasisd.org/about-our-schools/discover-dallas-isd.
