Spring Break
High school debaters get mentored
Kelley Kates
Issue date: 11/2/09 Section: News
Debate Kansas City (DKC) and UMKC have entered a new era with a new program that helps local high school debaters.
The new program, "Lawyers in the Classroom," teams area lawyers with UMKC law students to assist urban students who are active in debate at local DKC high schools.
Debate coach, Gabe Cook, said the program helps the teens become better debaters through feedback on their presentations and through help with structuring their arguments and it provides them with a mentor.
The program partners DKC, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, UMKC School of Law and area law firms.
"The program benefits kids so they have some role models and people to help them with college aspirations," Cook said. "It is the first year of the program and I have received very positive results from the volunteers, students and coaches."
Cook said the Law School has been active in DKC for many years, but the idea of teaming area lawyers with law students would give the program the extra boost it needed.
Cook said a few debate coaches and several law students on campus discussed how they could involve lawyers with the debate team which led to the start of the "Lawyers in the Classroom" program.
Approximately 10 UMKC law students along with 10 lawyers currently participate in the program.
Cook said the way the program works is the lawyers and students break into teams, combining both the students and lawyers, and they make either weekly or bi-weekly visits to the active schools to work with the competitive debaters.
Cook said this worked out well because the main thing the debate coaches wanted was consistency.
The debate teams enter tournaments usually once every week or every other week so it's important to have consistent mentors, Cook said.
Five urban schools in Kansas City participate in the program, including Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Sumner Academy, Central High School, University Academy and the African Centered Education College Colloquium (ACE).
Cook said the schools were selected based on location and convenience to the volunteers.
Lawyers' schedules are hectic, Cook said, therefore it was beneficial to have so many lawyers participating because not everyone can make it to every meeting, and the schools needed to be close to ensure the lawyers would not have a problem getting to the location.
Cook said they hope the experience is a positive one for the lawyers as well.
He said it gives kids the hope, support and the drive they need to know they can accomplish their goals and dreams.
Cook said the program hopes to accomplish several things.
One, he said, "is to give our schools extra support and give the kids just someone to listen to them."
That's probably the most significant aspect to all of this, Cook said.
kkates@unews.com
The new program, "Lawyers in the Classroom," teams area lawyers with UMKC law students to assist urban students who are active in debate at local DKC high schools.
Debate coach, Gabe Cook, said the program helps the teens become better debaters through feedback on their presentations and through help with structuring their arguments and it provides them with a mentor.
The program partners DKC, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, UMKC School of Law and area law firms.
"The program benefits kids so they have some role models and people to help them with college aspirations," Cook said. "It is the first year of the program and I have received very positive results from the volunteers, students and coaches."
Cook said the Law School has been active in DKC for many years, but the idea of teaming area lawyers with law students would give the program the extra boost it needed.
Cook said a few debate coaches and several law students on campus discussed how they could involve lawyers with the debate team which led to the start of the "Lawyers in the Classroom" program.
Approximately 10 UMKC law students along with 10 lawyers currently participate in the program.
Cook said the way the program works is the lawyers and students break into teams, combining both the students and lawyers, and they make either weekly or bi-weekly visits to the active schools to work with the competitive debaters.
Cook said this worked out well because the main thing the debate coaches wanted was consistency.
The debate teams enter tournaments usually once every week or every other week so it's important to have consistent mentors, Cook said.
Five urban schools in Kansas City participate in the program, including Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Sumner Academy, Central High School, University Academy and the African Centered Education College Colloquium (ACE).
Cook said the schools were selected based on location and convenience to the volunteers.
Lawyers' schedules are hectic, Cook said, therefore it was beneficial to have so many lawyers participating because not everyone can make it to every meeting, and the schools needed to be close to ensure the lawyers would not have a problem getting to the location.
Cook said they hope the experience is a positive one for the lawyers as well.
He said it gives kids the hope, support and the drive they need to know they can accomplish their goals and dreams.
Cook said the program hopes to accomplish several things.
One, he said, "is to give our schools extra support and give the kids just someone to listen to them."
That's probably the most significant aspect to all of this, Cook said.
kkates@unews.com
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