The online winter debate camp

What two weeks of winter debate camp should produce

A camp is judged by what the student can do on the last day that they could not do on the first. Ours is built backwards from that test: by the final session, every student has constructed arguments with a clear structure, rebutted live opponents, and debated a full practice round that a coach judged and wrote feedback on. The format is World Schools Debate, the international 3-on-3 style debated at NSDA Nationals and the world championships, where every student speaks every round.

The winter break suits this better than most parents expect. There is no homework competing for attention, the second half of the tournament season starts in January, and two weeks is long enough to go from a first speech to a full round. It is the same course as our summer debate camp, on a winter calendar.

Dates: six sessions, holidays left free

Classes meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for two weeks: December 21, 22, and 23, then December 28, 29, and 30. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day have no classes. Each session is two hours, twelve hours in all, in groups of 6 to 8.

Three time options

Each student picks one option at checkout and keeps it for all six sessions. Every option covers the same curriculum. Families who travel over the break can pick the option that fits where they will be.

The program pages convert every option to your own timezone.

Two tracks, one design

What it costs

Tuition is $384 until November 15 and $480 after that, for either track. That covers all 12 hours of live instruction, the judged practice debate, written feedback, and the printable resource pack. There are no placement or assessment fees. To prepare before the first session, the motion bank and the free resource library are the same materials students train with.

Common questions