Cale Halley chats with speech and debate coach Kurt Shelton to discuss how speech and debate in China has grown since NSDA China's inception and where it could be headed.

Kurt Shelton is currently teaching at RDFZ Kings College in Hangzhou after teaching for three years at Hangzhou Foreign Language School.  Prior to working for Dipont Education, Kurt Shelton was Youth Activities Supervisor for the Newark Public Schools and coached the Rutgers Newark Debate Team.  He has over 20 year’s experience of coaching successful debate and public speaking programs.  His students have won the NDT and CEDA National Debate Championships four times including two collegiate Top Speaker Awards.  He has been awarded with the 1997 Lexington Coaches Award of Excellence in Public Speaking, the 2005 Sandra Deleon Award of Service and the 2010 Jersey Urban Debate League “Coach of the Year”.   His students were the 2011 National Association of Urban Debate League High School National Champions.  His students have earned national recognition and been invited to meet with President Obama in the Oval office.  They have also been awarded the 2010 Jackie Robinson Scholarship, the 2011 Bank of America Student Leadership Summit Award, and the 2010 NAACP student of the year by the Newark chapter.