Summer Academic Enrichment Eligible Programs

Goals

Participants will:

• Learn to successfully debate with civility in an academic setting

• Gain the soft skills necessary to build consensus among people with diverse opinions

• Learn strategies and best practices to help them grow as empathic listeners who can adapt messages to meet the needs of diverse audiences.

• Learn how to respond to and successfully refute opposing arguments.

• Be prepared to excel in academic courses in which they need to research, write, present, and defend positions.

These skills and content knowledge directly translate to essay writing and analysis in social studies courses. Public speaking, argumentative writing, and deep reading of non-fiction texts prepares students for success in their English coursework. It is fundamental to our camp design that students who participate will become prepared to excel in academic courses in which they need to research, write, present, and defend positions. Middle school students can also bring these skills to later high school Congressional debate competitions and other oratorical contests.

Activities

We make learning engaging, fun, and competitive.

Students learn to think on their feet and speak during games and practice rounds, improving moment to moment. We offer a low-stakes environment where students can build the skills they need to thrive at high-pressure tournaments during the season.

Our knowledgeable, caring, and experienced staff love forensics and they want to share the activity with you! We hire experienced university instructors, classroom teachers, and speech and debate coaches who have a proven track record of coaching champion speakers from many backgrounds.

It's not all work and no play. Frequent breaks and a free lunch period are important for our camp model. We make time for rest and opportunities to connect with fellow campers. Whether students like outdoor fun, board games, or arts and crafts, they'll enjoy the 'traditional camp activities' we try to integrate where we can!

Each camp's programming increases in difficulty and complexity day-by-day, allowing shy students to become accustomed to speaking in public bit by bit before they reach the camp's cumulative event, a showcase or tournament. In the case of Congressional Debate, students hold a mock Congress session where they will share their bills with others.

Program Dates

Please note that there are two sessions of this camp due to popular demand. Students should not register for both sessions because programming is identical.

Session 1: MON. JUNE 10-FRI. JUNE 14 9:00 AM-3:00 PM

Session 2: MON. JULY 8-FRI. JULY 12 9:00 AM-3:00 PM

Can students reside on campus? No

Can students commute to campus? Yes

Can students take online classes? No