Debate-Kansas City

DEBATE-KANSAS CITY (DKC) IS AN EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP THAT BRINGS CO-CURRICULAR DEBATE AND PUBLIC POLICY DISCOURSE TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. DEBATE USES COMPETITION TO DEVELOP PERFORMANCE AND PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS. MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, DEBATE INCREASES READING SCORES AND IMPROVES CRITICAL THINKING. DKC SUPPORTS STUDENTS, COACHES AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN EXPANDING THEIR HORIZONS THROUGH CRITICAL THINKING AND ARGUMENT. SINCE 1998, DKC HAS PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW BY PARTICIPATING IN ACADEMIC DEBATE. DKC SAW GROWTH IN ITS FIRST IN-PERSON SEASON SINCE 2019, SERVING 469 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS THIS SEASON, ILLUSTRATING GROWTH AS PROGRAMMING RETURNED TO IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES. WE NEARLY DOUBLED THAT NUMBER IN BOTH ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS AND STUDENTS WHO ENGAGED THE PROGRAM IN A NON-TOURNAMENT SETTING. DKC HELD 12 TOURNAMENTS THIS SEASON WITH OVER 700 ROUNDS OF DEBATE. DKC ALSO HELD TWO STUDENT WORKSHOPS, FOUR COACH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS, A SUMMER CAMP FOR STUDENTS AND COACHES, AS WELL AS HOSTED A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP FOR COACHES AND STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, DKC PROVIDED STUDENTS SUBSTANTIAL RESEARCH SUPPORT, OVER 300 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL VISITS AND MENTORING FROM DKC GRADUATES AND COLLEGE DEBATERS CULMINATING IN OVER 1000 HOURS OF MENTORING TO OUR MEMBER SCHOOLS. DKC ALSO ENGAGES AND ACTIVATES HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO JUDGE AT OUR TOURNAMENTS AND MENTOR IN OUR SCHOOLS. DKC MEMBERSHIP CONTINUED TO BE STRONG WITH 26 ACTIVE SCHOOLS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY. DKC IS ONE OF THE NATION'S OLDEST AND LARGEST URBAN DEBATE LEAGUES. DKC ROUTINELY EXCELS AT THE URBAN DEBATE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT EACH YEAR, WITH STUDENTS WINNING MULTIPLE AWARDS AGAINST THE VERY BEST IN THE COUNTRY. NO OTHER ORGANIZATION IN THE REGION OFFERS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO ENGAGE ACADEMIC AND CIVICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES. DKC PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL COLLEGE STUDENTS TO ACT AS MENTORS TO DKC STUDENTS VIA OUR COACHING CONNECTIONS PROGRAM. THESE MENTORING PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDE UMKC, KU, JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND KANSAS CITY KANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE. DKC IS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN CONNECTING OUR STUDENTS TO SCHOLARSHIPS AND COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.