ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Westside Elementary in Roanoke is home to a debate team known across the country.
It's been to college campuses at least twice before and getting ready to head to another in April, all because other schools have heard how good this team can be.
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The same passion these Westside Elementary students put into practicing for an upcoming performance is the same passion Coach Jeff May wants to see when they go up against a middle school debate team in Philadelphia in April.
Coach May explained, "I think the debate team over the years has contributed to building a culture here that kids think it's okay and they know it's okay to be smart to be intellectual to be well spoken and articulate and there's nothing wrong with it."
The team is made up of 5th graders and one 4th grader name Darius Gardner who seemed not to be able to join fast enough.
"It was my dream since second grade," Gardner said.
The Roanoke school has a reputation for strong debaters. Previous teams have been to Texas and Washington D.C. to work with college teams.
Their reputation reached a school in Philly, which asked for help starting its own. Now, those middle-schoolers will debate what could be one of the few - if not the only - elementary debate team in the country.
But debating older students about whether police officers should carry weapons seems to be the least of their concerns during practice.
"It means nothing that I'm going against middle-schoolers, but it's really a good honor to be a like going to Philadelphia because I've never been there before," Gardner said.
Temple University invited both teams to debate on campus, giving them a glimpse of another life experience. A unique lesson outside of the classroom with a lifelong impact.
Roanoke Kiwanis Club is paying for transportation to get the students to Philadelphia. The students are trying to raise money to cover the hotels and food.