The event will take place on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Performing Arts Center on the Kansas City Kansas Community College campus from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Each participating student will receive a certificate and the winning students will receive cash prizes and scholarships.
Haley will also discuss with the students recent issues in the 2012 Kansas legislature.
The event will be moderated by KCK Public Schools District Teacher of the Year Rashanda Rhodes. Judges for the event are area representatives from various professional backgrounds. The event is free. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
As preparation for the debate, each participating student will receive a news article and a statement.
The contestant must decide if they will argue for or against that statement. Participants can enter the debate in the beginner or experienced debater divisions and will compete only in their division. Top beginners and experienced debaters will compete in final rounds for each division.
Students have the opportunity to voice both facts and their own opinion in the debate.
Debate topics include: rising national debt, citizen vigilantism, adequate school funding, unemployment, American intervention in the Middle East, Occupy Wall Street, and internet regulation.
The purpose of the policy debate is to encourage political awareness and active citizenry in Wyandotte County youth while providing a listening opportunity for the community to hear from our young people.
The event allows teens to articulate their societal concerns and youthful perspective with a unique opportunity to ‘think on their feet.’
“Political debate in an organized fashion is good for the community as a whole and encourages the next generation to lead our county. This event provides a positive experience in critical thinking and problem-solving,” Haley said, the primary sponsor of the event. In addition to individual prizes, the winning school will receive a traveling trophy.
To register or for more information contact Rashanda Rhodes at rarhode@kckps.org or go to Haley on Facebook at ‘Senator Haley WYCO Youth Policy Debate’, and join the ‘Senator Haley Youth Policy Debate’ event.
