2021 DUDL Student Achievement Celebration

Congratulations to all our city champions and special season award recipients!

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Restoring Justice & Exploring Culture:
​ An Interntional Publc Debate

On Wednesday, May 5th, DUDL hosted its first international public debate featuring students from iDebate Rwanda, DUDL, MSU Denver, and Regis University. The topic? Resolved: Global Efforts to Promote Human Rights in the Aftermath of Violence Should Focus on the Implementation of Community Based Restorative Justice. Featuring expert panelists' commentary and special poetry performances by both DUDL and iDebate Rwanda students. 

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2020-21 Student ShowcASE

This year was the DUDL's thirteenth year of programming in the Denver Metro community, and it was a year that presented unprecedented challenges to our students as we all navigated the Covid-19 pandemic, and we were all called to stand-up to racism and injustice, to advocate for civil rights, and to stand together declaring that Black Lives Matter.

DUDL made several program pivots to ensure we could continue to serve our students. We moved competitions online, and designed a combination of synchronous and asynchronous opportunities to give our students the options they needed to continue their speech and debate education at a time when enrichment opportunities, and cultivating powerful advocacy skills, were more important than ever before.

This year culminated in Governor Jared Polis signing a proclamation declaring April 2021 to be Colorado Speech and Debate Month. On April 29th we celebrated Speech and Debate Month by showcasing the competitive events in which DUDL students devote their time and passion. These students have remained dedicated to excellence even when faced with uncertainty and unrest.

 DUDL's 2020-21 Student Showcase Featured:

• Dr. Martin Lither King Jr. Early College's coach Rachel Bruce and her students on Policy Debate
• Northfield High School's coach Melea Mayen and her students on Student Congress​
• ​Vista Peak's Andalysia Ivey, Vista Peak Prepratory-Impromptu Speech; Peyton Morrison, West Early College-Slam Poetry Piece: "Say Their Names"; Ashley Agyepong, Hinkley High School-Informative Speech; Maella Lemon, Hinkley High School-Original Oratory

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You Debate, Students Win.

You Debate, Students Win is the inaugural virtual fundraising event that was held on December 7th. The winners for the night included:

Grand Debate Champion: Selene Figueroa
Grand Debate Runner Up: Piper Doyle
Grand Debate Second Runner Up: Amy Pauli

Thank you to all who participated, including our presenting sponsor, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 

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I Resolve