Dallas ISD students will have the chance to engage in rigorous, engaging, and culturally responsive debate instruction in Spanish thanks to a recent grant from the Texas Bar Foundation.
As part of its 2026 summer programming, the Debate en Español initiative at Emmett J. Conrad High School makes it possible for middle and high schoolers to dive into rigorous, Spanish-language debate instruction.
The Debate en Español program will follow a World Schools-style format and offer both middle school and high school instructional labs. Students will build skills in critical thinking, public speaking, research, and civic engagement, while also developing legal awareness and the ability to construct and refute arguments on issues relevant to their communities.
“Debate is fundamentally about voice, about the ability to analyze, question, and advocate,” said Cindi Timmons, executive director of DUDA. “This grant allows us to meet students where they are linguistically and culturally. When students first develop confidence in their primary language, they build the foundation to transfer those skills into English academic settings and beyond.”
“A significant portion of the students DUDA serves are emerging bilinguals whose primary language is Spanish,” Esmeralda Alejo, DUDA alumna and current Dallas ISD educator, said. “Many students who are interested in debate may not be joining or continuing due to language barriers they face in debate. This program will be an excellent opportunity for those students to gain access to critical debate skills and also empower students to strengthen their bilingual abilities.”
DUDA currently serves more than 2,100 students across over 130 school programs in Dallas ISD, providing year-round programming that includes tournaments, workshops, and ongoing training opportunities. The addition of expanded Spanish-language programming reflects DUDA’s continued commitment to innovation, equity, and the development of informed student leaders.
For more information about DUDA’s summer programming or to support Debate en Español, please contact Cindi Timmons at cindi.timmons@dallasurbandebate.org.
