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As ninth grade students, we invite you to join an international experience dedicated to excellence and community leadership. The National Hispanic Institute (NHI) is dedicated to creatingopportunities for self-reliant leadership in the lives of student leaders and community life. Since 1981, NHI has worked with over 95,000 high achieving students who aim to achieve their full potential as community leaders. We support experiences that allow youth to see themselves doing more than simply having a job in their future. Many of our alumni share that they see themselves as leaders, change-makers, and ultimately, value leaving a legacy.

Any student leader may participate with NHI so long as they meet our Admission Requirements. Up to 1,000 freshmen join us each year from across the United States and Latin America. Participants must meet at least an 85/100 grade point average and be nominated by their schools or NHI alumni. Statistically,98.1% of NHI participants attend higher education with 93% pursuing 4-year institutions. Previous internal studies have shown that 90% of NHI alumni graduate within 4-5 years and 67% continue into advanced studies.

Through a residential leadership experience called the Great Debate, you can expect to:

* Advance your communication skills

* Manage yourself in a multicultural environment of students

* Express your ideas among your peers

* Increase your self-confidence in public speaking

* Increase your capacities to think critically and analytically

* Learn to use self-evaluation as a tool for improvement

Each Great Debate conference hosts between 150-300 students and discusses complex themes that are important to the growth and leadership supply of the Latino community. NHI's goal is for youth to increase their capacity to express thought, respond to intellectual challenge, work in organized endeavors and compete against their top peers. Beyond learning about important community issues, you gain a support network of NHI alumni, including education directors, mentors and coaches. These volunteers are former participants of the Great Debate and other NHI leadership programs like the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session and Collegiate World Series. They dedicate hundreds of hours of their time to advance your leadership readiness. In addition, our university hosts/partners invest in supplying their campuses and facilities to support your leadership development. As a Great Debate student, receive other opportunities as well - like participation as a volunteer mentor, opportunities to win invitations to Celebración, future programs and access to the NHI College Register network.

What to Expect at The 6-day Great Debate

As soon as you arrive, NHI staff is there to greet you at the airport, bus station or campus through our local transportation team.

The very first afternoon begins with a series of social learning activities and icebreakers. We want you to meet new friends and begin working on expressing your ideas. For several weeks leading up to the Great Debate, we invite you to read the book, Third Reality, to prepare you with an asset mind-set and an initial understanding of developing proposals for new opportunities in the community. The first evening you will meet your counselors and the rest of the students. Great Debate students stay in residences and NHI's security team coordinates with the university to ensure that students are always with the group and safe at all times. Meals are served at the university cafeteria. During the Great Debate week, you will have the opportunity to discuss global themes in discussion groups with your peers. As you begin to form opinions on the future, you are encouraged to select a speech/debate event where you feel you can best express your ideas in competition.

After intense preparation and team selections, you are ready for competition! Enter into events as pairs or as individuals, always keeping your eye on the team championship title. After two days of competition, you will be ready to attend the student awards ceremony to reveal winners, the team champion, and of course, celebrate with a championship dance!

On the final day, share moments of reflection with your new NHI community and plan for the future as volunteers and participants in next summer's LDZ.

What to Expect at The 4-day Great Debate

As soon as you arrive with your region team, NHI staff is there to greet you at the tournament site.

The first evening you will meet your educational directors and other regional teams. Great Debate students stay in residences and NHI's security team coordinates with the university to ensure that students are always with the group and safe at all times. Meals are served at the university cafeteria. During the Great Debate tournament, you will have the opportunity to discuss global themes with your peers.

After intense preparation during spring training, you are ready for competition with your regional team! Enter into events as pairs or as individuals, always keeping your eye on the team championship title. After two days of competition, you will be ready to attend the student awards ceremony to reveal winners, the regional team champion, and of course, celebrate with a championship dance!

On the final day, share moments of reflection with your new NHI community and plan for the future as volunteers and participants in next summer's LDZ.

How to become a Great Debate Participant

If you are a 9th Grade (Class of 2019) student and have at least a 3.0 (unweighted)/3.8 (weighted) or 85/100 GPA, with intentions of attending college, then you qualify for admission. *PLEASE NOTE THAT SPACE IS LIMITED. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY IMMEDIATELY TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE IN THE PROGRAM SITE OF YOUR CHOICE*! 1. Applying is just the first step. You can download an application by clicking here or you can apply online here. 2. Once we receive the application, verification of your grades and the application processing fee of $20 you will get notification of admission to the Great Debate. From there you will work with a NHI representative on making arrangements for tuition and capturing other release forms and travel information. 3. In the Spring semester you will be sent pre-conference reading materials, a briefing book, and debate themes.

How Much Does The Great Debate Cost?

Depending on the region of the country and university host, the Great Debate is estimated to cost $1,200-$1,300 per student. The good news is that your expected family/school contribution is only $595 ( 4-day Great Debate) or $645 (6-day Great Debate). This program tuition includes a Application Processing Fee ($20) and Security Deposit ($150). Many wonder, "How is this program more affordable when other leadership conferences charge as much as $2,000 for a 8-days?" The answer is simple. Our university partners underwrite a large portion of the conference host costs so that we can reduce the program tuition for youth. NHI also has a team of annual team of investors and volunteers who contribute resources and donate their time. Together these resources help make the NHI tuition more accessible to families and school entities. In addition, applying early gives you more time to find resources for transportation.

NHI's cost reductions are built into the tuition.

2017 Great Debate - Program Costs
-2017 Great Debate - University Partners, Volunteers, and Sponsor Contribution=NHI Program Tuition

Great Debate (4-Day) vs. Great Debate (6-Day) -$655
$1,200 $1,300
-$605
= $595 = $645

As you read above, the Great Debate would be much more expensive if NHI charged families for services that the university and volunteers provide. To make it even more accessible, half of NHI participants do fundraising or find a school or community sponsor. NHI provides you all of the tools necessary to raise even a small portion of your tuition.

School Sponsorship

Some students work as a group to raise money, or are assisted by a school club or administrator to get some portion of their tuition covered. At times families may petition their administrators or school districts for assistance. Different school-based programs that have supported NHI students in the past include: AVID, GEAR UP, Federal Programs, College Access/Readiness, Talent Search, Upward Bound and Migrant Education.

Community Sponsorship

NHI provides sponsor letters in English and Spanish that can be shared with community organizations and businesses. The intent of the letter is to explain the importance of investing in our future leaders, and that the young person seeking support is a college bound student. It also explains the tax benefits they can receive by donating to NHI as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the United States. You can download this letter under our Fundraising Resources Page.

You might want to visit local business that you and your family frequent. Other times your parent's employer may be able to invest and there are many nonprofit organizations that set aside dollars to support youth endeavors. Try looking up your local Hispanic/Latino Chamber of Commerce, groups like LULAC, ALPFA, SHPE, and even Latino resource groups within major companies in your town like Verizon, Seton, Coca Cola, IBM, Exxon and others.

Fundraising

Not that different from little league or everyone chipping in for a quinceañera, many NHI students raise their tuition by joining forces with family members, friends and supporters. NHI provides an online tool that allows individuals to contribute as little as $5.00 to your program tuition. With just a few minutes and clicks, you as an admitted student can customize a free fundraising site and share it with close friends. Also, students can work with their parents and other supportive adults to tap their networks. You can choose to be creative with your campaign to make it special. Afterward, make sure to thank all your investors and let them know how you enjoyed the Great Debate experience with a photo! Set up your fundraising page here.

What Happens After Great Debate

After the Great Debate experience you will hear from NHI about future opportunities that remind you of the valuable lessons we all share at the program. The campaign to join the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session or compete for a staff role starts in August and September. Throughout the fall semester, student leaders work with NHI to launch outreach and recruitment activities in their communities and schools. Celebración takes place in the late fall semester to finish out the year with over 800 people in attendance. Then you get ready for LDZ in the summer and can also become a Great Debate JFL fellow by joining the local or national outreach team. During your third year of high school, continue your leadership development and college preparation with your NHI friends at the Collegiate World Series for rising seniors. After high school, join or start a Collegiate Leadership Network once you arrive to college. Also, you can apply for admission to the John F. Lopez Research and Management Fellowship, the "NHI Internship." Throughout college, volunteering locally and participating in Celebración are ways to continue to build your network of NHI contacts and relationships. After college you will be able to continue engaging NHI as a senior volunteer, trainer, or ambassador but can also regularly connect with NHI alumni through our Professional Chapters in the Americas. You can remain as involved as you choose to be and connect to up to 90,000 members worldwide!

Great Debate Host Universities

Contact Information:
Paola Hernandez
Texas Great Debate - Texas Star Great Debate - Texas Ambassador Great Debate
paola@nhimail.com; (512) 357 - 6137 ext. 207

Gabriela Morales
Northeast Great Debate
gaby@nhimail.com; (484) 343-6590

APPLY HERE

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As ninth grade students, we invite you to join an international experience dedicated to excellence and community leadership. The National Hispanic Institute (NHI) is dedicated to creatingopportunities for self-reliant leadership in the lives of student leaders and community life. Since 1981, NHI has worked with over 95,000 high achieving students who aim to achieve their full potential as community leaders.