DEBATE- Kansas City

We need you to help DKC save debate in Kansas City! The coronavirus crisis is radically reshaping society, from how and where we work and go to school, to how we socialize and celebrate holidays. The world we live in has permanently changed. In this crisis, access to speech and debate is more important than ever, and we need your support to ensure that the thousands of students we serve continue to receive this vital programming.

In order to respond to the new realities of virtual classes and online tournaments, we made substantial investments in and can guarantee that the DKC program is now 100% COVID-19 proof. DKC can offer the students of Kansas City all the same services in a dynamic online learning environment.

Unfortunately, the job of ensuring access to debate has become more difficult. The pandemic has reduced our fundraising capacity and increased our costs.  DKC must raise $50,000 to meet our obligations and stabilize our budget.  Due to bureaucratic technicalities, DKC was not eligible for much-needed federal or state financial relief intended to help organizations in our exact predicament.  Without federal and state support, we must turn to our community for help! 

Unlike most other extracurricular activities like sports, debate competitions can easily go online. With more sophisticated and flexible use of technology, we can recreate the traditional tournament and workshop experience. Online tournaments and programing is essential to student success as students are isolated at home. Across the country and in our own city, Debate Kansas City is leading the way in providing virtual mentorship, competition, and community for students. In a world where students lack access to the activities they love, DKC creates a space where they interact with peers, learn from a community, and engage complex ideas.

As an Urban Debate League, we are accustomed to overcoming obstacles and resource disparity. Our very existence was born out of the necessity to make academic debate accessible in spite of difficult circumstances. Bottom line: DKC needs your support. With your help, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity to serve more students and make Kansas City a better place to live!

DEBATE-Kansas City (DKC) seeks your support to send Kansas City students to Urban Debate National Championship (UNDC) in Washington D.C. April 12-14 2019. Four policy debate teams from three different schools will compete for top national honors at both the high school and for the first time ever at the middle school levels.

HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS

Neymara Freeman & Gabriela Perez-Garcia of Sumner Academy

Sophie French & Wren Pratt-Phillips of Lincoln College Prep

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAMS

William T. Workcuff & William Udo of University Academy

Briana Tolbert & Alesia McFadden of University Academy

DKC is an Urban Debate League with 40 member schools across Greater Kansas City. For many years, our schools made the trip to the UNDC one of the premiere national debate tournaments in the country. DKC has a history of success at this tournament winning speaker awards and elimination debate rounds nearly every year.

Unfortunately, the cost of attending the UNDC tournament has increased every year and now with the expansion in to middle school debate the cost requires us to seek your help in making this experience a reality.

DKC will be covering all the lodging, airfare, entry fees as well as providing meal support to students and coaches. All of these expenses will total well over $6,000. Fortunately, DKC has budgeted for some of this expense and with the help of our schools and our partners in the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues, we only need to raise $3,000 to cover the cost of this once in a lifetime experience. We are turning to our community to secure funding for this event as it is taking place in approximately one month. 

Please help us give DKC students a chance to compete against some of the best debaters in the country, and the opportunity to meet college recruiters. The UNDC is known for top competition and having a college debate presence, which can lead to college scholarships. We know DKC students can win at the UNDC and we know that the trip motivates and validates their hard work.

DKC students and coaches will be incredibly grateful. Trips to national debate tournaments create memories and experiences that last a lifetime. Your donation can make a big impact and DKC thanks you.