Dallas ISD debate students gain new insight through partnership with UT Dallas

Submitted by Student Activities Department

At the beginning of each school year, Dallas ISD debate students gather at the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance's fall debate workshop for a full day of skill-building, topic understanding, and practice.

Thanks to a new partnership between the University of Texas at Dallas and DUDA, over 200 students from 22 high schools attended this year's workshop on the UTD campus.

For many coaches, the event's timing at the start of the school year is crucial because it helps students get a sense of the competitive atmosphere and feel like they are part of a larger community.

"It sets the tone for the year,” said Kathy Nguyen, Hillcrest High School debate coach. “My students see right away what debate looks like at the competitive level and understand that they're part of something bigger than just our team.”

In addition to skill development sessions in policy and debate formats, the workshop featured dynamic guest speakers, ranging from college professors to trial lawyers, who connected debate to real-world success. These speakers shared insights on argumentation theory, persuasive techniques, and framing debates with storytelling.

Despite the excitement of preparing for the competition season, the most important part of this year's event may be what it means for the future.

"The new partnership with UTD will open more doors for Dallas ISD students," said Michelle Read, student activities coordinator. "The high school debate season opener is set for October, and the energy we're seeing from both students and coaches tells us one thing: They are ready to debate,” she said.