UDL NATIONAL CONFERENCE

NATIONAL CONFERENCE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT KANSAS CITY
MARCH, 2000

UMKC was our host for a two day conference to expand UDL horizons, allow students, teachers, and staff to network, and to hold the first UDL College Fair. Linda Collier of UMKC was our gracious host and did a great job organizing the event..

List of attendees

PRESENTATIONS

The first day involved presentations by student groups to allow everyone to get to know each other better and to share what is going on in the many UDL cities.

The best thing about my debate league is:

"The recognition"

"The close friends"

"The hard work and commitment that we put into debate and into our personal goals"

"That I get to go to cool summer institutes and hang out with different types of people:

"The ethnic and strategic diversity. We have so may ethnicities, positions, and strategies…in New York we are a lot more open-minded about what influences our decisions"

"We get to work with the best college ever: UC/Berkeley"

"The support of the staff"

"The people you meet are fantastic and you obtain so many view points on important issues"

"We win"

"Our camaraderie. We’re a tightly knit group and we know each other very well"

"We are a hard-working, successful family"

"We always get along. Even after a debate round we still love each other"

"The cultural diversity"

"We learn something from the opposing team each match"

"We all care about each other and we know it’s all about learning even though we love the competition.’

WORKSHOPS

On ther second day a number of small and large workshops were held to discuss common problems and challenges as well as to talk about preparing for college life and debating in college.

The best thing about the conference was:

"How we all worked together and listened to each other instead of arguing"

"The faculty was excellent and I believe that this is the start of a revolution"

"It rocked"

"This was the bomb. Thanks Open Society Institute."

"It is a form of unity. It is a positive program that directs our youth in a fundamental and phenomenal way. It (debate) also helps me to be a better reader and critical thinker. I’m truly honored to have been chosen to come…"

COLLEGE FAIR

At the end of day two a College Fair was held where students and teachers could meet with many of the finest debate programs in America to create recruiting networks. These schools realize the tremendous potential that UDL students have for college competition.

Attending schools included: Arizona State University, Boston College, Capital University, Columbia University, Emory University, Middle Tennessee State University, Northwestern University, San Francisco State University, Southern Illinois University, Southwest Missouri State University, Towson University, University of Alabama, University of Louisville, University of Missouri at Kansas City, University of Missouri at St. Louis, University of Vermont, Wake Forest University, Washington University St. Louis, Wayne State University, and William Jewell College.