

Empowering Voices, Shaping Leaders
Developing Empowerment By Argument, Thought and Engagement
Our Mission
DEBATE-Kansas City empowers students through the art of debate, fostering critical thinking, leadership, and advocacy skills. Our mission is to provide equitable opportunities for youth in urban communities, preparing them to excel academically, engage in meaningful discourse, and drive positive change in their communities and beyond.
Since 1998, DEBATE-Kansas City has provided debate services to over 12,000 students. DKC is 501C3 Urban Debate League organization which provides middle and high school students with debate workshops, tournaments, scholarships, resources, mentoring and general team support. Participants have achieved academic success and assumed leadership roles in high school, college and beyond.

Missouri Students Engaged During the 2023-2024 SY
203
Kansas Students Engaged During the 2023-2024 SY
188

Our History
DEBATE-Kansas City was conceived in 1998 as part of a national movement to get debate back into urban schools, which was ironically fueled by the collapse of democracy in the former Soviet Union. When the Iron Curtain fell, the Open Society Institute (OSI) of New York was inspired to fund debate and democracy training in Eastern Europe. American supporters of debate used this moment to highlight the need for debate programs in America’s urban schools.
Kansas City was one of several locations to receive a three-year grant from the (OSI) to start an Urban Debate League (UDL). The grant created a partnership between the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC) and local urban school districts to revive debate. DKC was given staff and resources to deliver debate related-services and manage the competitive league at no cost to seven urban schools.
After the grant expired, participating school districts valued the program enough to fund its continuance; member schools began contributing annual service fees to retain DEBATE-Kansas City services. In 2003, to increase financial flexibility, DKC became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. However, program services were kept at UMKC through a mutually beneficial and highly successful partnership; from 2003 to 2010 DKC grew from 13 to 40 member schools.
Estimated Total of Students Served Since 1998
12,000
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!








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