UDL Success in “Big D”

Launched this past fall, the newest UDL in the nation is in Dallas, Texas.  The NAUDL is happy to report that the league is off to a fantastic start.  Debate programs were started and are active in 11 Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) high schools.  Five coach and student seminars have been conducted.  Two tournaments have been completed, with another scheduled in December.  And, the number of participating students doubled from the first tournament to the second.
 
“The successful launch of the Dallas UDL has been a blast.  It is gratifying and amazing to see how far we have come in such a short time.  [Dallas UDL Director] Kason [Kimberley] has done a magnificent job at the school level and the Advisory Board under Craig Budner's leadership has made sure Kason has everything he needs.  The magic, of course, is seeing engaged coaches and excited kids experiencing the myriad emotions of a high school debate tournament -- they are having a blast too,” said David Baker, a Dallas UDL Advisory Board member and the former Director of Debate at St. Mark’s School of Texas.
 
If there is one fact that League observers uniformly praise, it is certainly the dedication and talent of the debate coaches at Dallas UDL schools.  “Debate has been a real breath of fresh air for me and my students.  Though they’re new at it and don’t fully understand the impact debate is having on them, they are connecting with real-world social and political issues in a whole new way.  Policy debate makes the whole world the classroom, and that’s why I’m so grateful that this program is in Dallas,” said Wendy Jackson, speech teacher and the debate coach at W.H. Adamson High School in the city’s Oak Cliff area.
 
The League enjoys significant support from both the legal and business communities in Dallas and Dallas ISD.  “We’re very pleased with the results of the Dallas Urban Debate League so far.  The League is bringing educational benefits to students that stand in line with Dallas ISD’s mission to revitalize secondary education, and our participating coaches and administrators have poured in their accolades for the program.  I’m looking forward to keeping this great initiative going in Dallas,” said Dr. Judy Johnston, Director of Student Activities in Dallas ISD.
 
The League has a full season calendar ahead for the next semester, including seminars with leaders in the Dallas debate community, a City Championship in March, two participating teams in the Chase Urban Debate National Championship, and summer institute opportunities for students in participating schools.
 
NAUDL Board Chair, Lenny Gail, recently back from a trip to Dallas had this to say about the Dallas launch: “I’m just ecstatic about their progress.  The Dallas UDL is a genuine success across all fronts – the school system, the advisory board, the debate programs, and most importantly, the students.  It appears that the League has been so successful that the school district is already considering expanding it to additional high schools.” Dallas UDL Co-ordinator Kason Kimberley puts it succinctly:  “This holiday season the Dallas UDL is in a position to celebrate.  The tangible educational improvements the League has made to students at 11 Dallas Independent School District high schools are clear to any observer.”