Academic Competition
From global events to local tournaments, these decorated programs allow students to gain valuable real-world experience, build their confidence, make friends and develop skills that will last a lifetime. Click the tabs below to learn about each program!

Robotics

Build amazing machines. Build skills for life.

Through our award-winning Robotics program, students develop lifelong skills in collaboration, teamwork, project management, critical thinking, creative problem-solving and resilience.

Middle and Upper School students hone their engineering and computer programming skills as they build and program complex robots for VEX Robotics competitions at the state and international level.

Kent Denver Robotics

KDS Robotics team at VEX Robotics World Championship

Kent Denver Robotics was founded in 2010 by Teaching Fellow Bryan Rich '06.

The program has gone on to earn national and international prominence with multiple state titles and VEX World Championship Awards, including a second-place Worlds finish in 2021.

With multiple teams competing at the Middle and Upper School levels, Robotics is thriving at Kent Denver!

I love the Robotics program because it offers me a chance to learn how to lead a team and test my knowledge of advanced engineering topics, all in a super fun and competitive team environment.jake F.class of 2022

Program Leader: Chris Spielmann

Model United Nations

Explore global issues. Advocate for change.

Sun Devils Model United Nations (SUNMUN) is a unique Upper School extracurricular activity that allows students to tackle complicated global issues while developing crucial skills in public speaking, research, teamwork and negotiation.

Model United Nations

Model UN students standing in front of a crowd

In SUNMUN, participants play the part of delegates to the United Nations and simulate the work of UN committees, debating world events and practicing international diplomacy at Model UN conferences in Colorado and across the globe.

As a top Model UN program, SUNMUN teams have joined students from around the world in prestigious conferences at the United Nations in New York City, the World Forum Convention Center at The Hague and in global cities such as Copenhagen, Geneva and Montreal.

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Collaborative, Engaged Learning

SUNMUN students also host an annual Model UN conference at Kent Denver for more than 30 schools across Colorado. Our students choose the focus issues—such as "Restoring Peace to South Sudan" and "Ending Sectarian Violence in Libya"—research and write detailed background guides and organize every detail of the yearly gathering. The planning process encourages deep collaboration and authentic student engagement, providing SUNMUN members with skills that last a lifetime.

I love making friends through Model UN. It’s awesome because these students share the same interests. I’ve gotten to hang out outside of school with people I love spending time with, and I get to do really fun things with them.GRAYSON McGuire AndersonCLASS OF 2024

Program Leader: Dr. Lucas Carmichael

Speech & Debate

Research a position. Speak to an audience.

Kent Denver’s nationally-recognized Speech and Debate program allows students to explore their own interests while learning about the world and developing public speaking and critical thinking skills that will last a lifetime.

Led by Mike Bausch—Director of Speech and Debate and holder of the Grier Family Distinguished Debate Chair—and Assistant Director Chris Dominguez, coaches strive to ensure that all students receive the best hands-on instruction in the state.

Speech & Debate

Throughout the year, students have the opportunity to compete at local tournaments that include all Colorado school classifications.

They can also travel to national tournaments and compete against the best teams from around the country and the world. Kent Denver is proud to offer a wide variety of travel and competitive experiences for students of all levels and abilities.

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A Space to Build Confidence

The wide range of offered events helps all students find an area—or multiple areas!—they enjoy and where they can develop their personal skill set. Students also gain valuable leadership skills as they teach and learn from one another in a collaborative space. Regardless of personal time commitment, and whether they compete in Interpretation Events, Public Speaking Events, Debate Events or a combination of these activities, students are destined to build confidence and become better presenters and performers, all while enjoying a competitive atmosphere, as well as a fun and energizing tournament environment.

Speech and Debate is incredibly rewarding because all of the academic skills that we want students to have are encapsulated in this really fun and competitive activity. mike bauschdirector of speech and debate

Program Leader: Mike Bausch

Three students with Speech and Debate awards

Mock Trial

Go inside the courtroom. Present your case.

Kent Denver’s Mock Trial program allows students to learn more about the judicial system while improving their writing, critical thinking and teamwork skills.

Students either serve as attorneys or witnesses in a fictitious court case and compete against other schools at regional- and state-level tournaments sponsored by the Colorado Bar Association.

Mock Trial

In any Mock Trial round, three students serve as attorneys to argue their side’s case, and three students serve as witnesses for direct and cross-examination. Students are awarded points based on their knowledge of the Rules of Evidence, trial procedures, witness character portrayals and the conviction of their argument. For the trial rounds of tournaments, an actual Colorado judge presides over the competition, often in a real courtroom.

Doing Mock Trial has made me a confident speaker, able to think on my feet, and has piqued my interest in the law. The competitions are so fun, and I’ve made amazing friends that I might not have met otherwise.
Katie Class of 2022

Program Leader: Dr. Virginia Tuma

Math Team

Put your math skills to the test.

The Mathletes club is a fun extracurricular experience to help students practice their math skills outside of the classroom. The club holds weekly internal competitions, focusing on student creativity in solving math problems…with the incentive of cool prizes!

The club also attends regional and state competitions throughout the year, including American Math Competitions and Metro Math Days in the Denver area.