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Let's Argue Elementary

Debate students gathered at an elementary school wearing their "Let Kids Argue" t-shirts

About Let's Argue Elementary

The Let's Argue Elementary program is designed to empower students in the third, fourth, and fifth grade to become advocates for themselves and their communities. It aims to provide them with the skills and confidence they need to craft logical and persuasive arguments, listen effectively, and think critically about different issues. The program is led by the University's director of debate and members of Waves Debate.

Let's Argue Elementary provides new students with basic public speaking and argument tips and offers advanced competitive debate for returning students. Students who have participated in either program have demonstrated a quantifiable increase in their ability to tell the difference between arguments and opinions, to evaluate source credibility, to speak in public, and to listen to conflicting opinions. Undergraduate students participating in the program have the opportunity to provide impactful community service and increase their own critical thinking, speaking, and persuasive skills. Currently this free enrichment course occurs on Tuesdays from 1:30–2:30 PM at Woodlake Elementary Community Charter School.

To participate with Let's Argue, please choose the category that best fits below.

Pepperdine Students
Elementary Schools

Quick Facts

  • 100%Participants Reported Improved Confidence
  • 100%Participants Reported Improved Ability to Listen
  • 100%Participants Reported Improved Understanding of Argument

2019-2020 Schedule

  • November 12, 2019
  • November 19, 2019
  • December 3, 2019
  • January 21, 2020
  • January 28, 2020
  • February 4, 2020
  • February 11, 2020
  • February 18, 2020
  • February 25, 2020
  • March 10, 2020
  • March 17, 2020
  • March 24, 2020

Volunteer Forms

LAUSD Volunteers
LAUSD Volunteers TB

Additional Opportunities

  Coffee Chats

Coffee Chats are informal dialogues about various relevant issues hosted by Waves Debate in the pursuit of greater understanding and communication between different perspectives on campus.

  Classroom Debate Series: Impacts

Impacts was a program that was born in concept in early 2019, and put into effect the same fall. Partnering with professors, thus far primarily in the Communications Department, debaters provide a new approach to educating college students. Offering a variety of services, including demonstrating basic public speaking methods, debating course relevant topics to provide a multifaceted lens, and teaching students about British Parliamentary style debate, the program provides a wealth of information for professors to employ in their classes. This year, Waves Debate was able to host its first landmark debate in a COM 100 classroom, concerning the value of social media in advocacy, relationships, and self-image construction, among other issues.

Impacts Program Reviews

  • "I think that it is very interesting as we have never done this in class before. It is an unconventional structure that is very engaging. Then, the topic is very relevant [and] helps all of us re-evaluate our choices when spending time on social media."
  • "They were funny and presented their facts in a way that kept me engaged and listening."
  • "I enjoyed hearing different perspectives that I would have never thought about."
  • "I really enjoyed how passionate each debater was about his topic..."
  • "They were engaging, knowledgeable, and humorous."