Local high school students receive scholarships to summer National Debate Institute at University of Richmond
July 7, 2009
University of Richmond's debate program is sponsoring students from the city's George Wythe and Thomas Jefferson high schools at the National Debate Institute being held on campus the first three weeks of July.
The two students, both captains of their schools' teams, were selected from the Richmond City Public Schools' new urban debate league and will join nine other high school students from around the country in a daily regimen of research, coaching and debate practice.
University faculty and intercollegiate debaters will provide the one-on-one coaching in both Lincoln-Douglas and policy debate styles. Participants will research the 2009-10 national high school debate topic—whether or not the U.S. government should increase social services for persons living in poverty—using both the Lincoln-Douglass and policy debate styles.
"The city's urban debate league is in its infancy, and we hope these scholarships will build the students' confidence, keep them interested in debate and help the urban league grow," says Kevin Kuswa, director of the institute and head coach of debate at the university.
Funds for the two scholarships were provided by the university's Office of Common Ground and its nationally-ranked debate team.