Students from four nations (USA, Slovakia, Mexico and Korea) gathered this morning for the beginning of the two-week World Schools Debate Workshop. Using the WSDC format the students will be working through a two week very difficult schedule.
The faculty, pictured above, are Bojana Skrt of Slovenia and Rhydian Morgan of the UK.
Bojana Skrt, Z.I.P., Slovenia
Bojana Skrt is the Director of the national debate program of Slovenia and has been involved in international debating for many years, and is a member of the World Schools Council. Her team has twice won the WSDC world title for debating in English as a foreign language. She has directed debate training workshops on three continents. She has organized and hosted countless debating tournaments and has trained generations of debate teachers and coaches. She is in her fifth year at the World Debate Institute.
Rhydian Morgan has already been introduced. Also helping will be Steve Llano and Jackie Massey.
Steve Llano, St. John’s University, NY
Now Director of Debate at St. John’s University in New York City. Named the 2007-08 Debate Director of the Year in the Northeast USA. Has coached at a number of prestigious programs, including winning national championships. Extensive experience with university students as well as with international students. Now focuses on WUDC parliamentary debate style. Also an award-winning judge and critic. Has long been a top rated faculty member at the World Debate Institute. Expertise in applying classical rhetorical theory and philosophy to debate situations as well as applying multicultural perspectives.
Jackie Massey, University of Oklahoma
Has qualified teams to elimination rounds at CEDA Nationals and the NDT at every school he has coached at. Has brought Oklahoma from a brand new program to one of the most competitive in just four years. His team was CEDA National Champion in 2007. Specialties include breaking down resolutions to reveal underlying grounds for argument, creation of new frameworks for debate decision-making, getting conservative judges to vote for radical strategies, making debate relevant to a multicultural world and gaining advantages over top teams through innovation.
