Public Forum Debate Camp

Summer Debate Camps in Maryland and California

Program Overview

The Public Forum Debate Camp, one of our overnight academic camps, instructs students in the essential skills for success in competitive debate. Taught by renowned teachers with sterling track records, this debate institute teaches students the key processes of effective debate such as case construction, composing briefs, research, rebuttals, cross-fire, evidence analysis, and summary and final focus. Debate students leave our academic camp with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to succeed in debate.

How We Teach

Capitol Debate’s practicum encourages students to apply what they’ve learned in the lectures. Rather than leaving them with a head full of knowledge they don’t know how to use, after every class they will be placed with a small group of students to apply the materials covered in the lecture.

For example, after learning about case construction, students are placed in small groups to brainstorm, concoct, and methodically craft a case based on the principles provided in the lecture. Our staff will provide assistance and oversight to ensure each teen fully understands and properly applies the techniques taught in the class.

Years of experience at our debate summer camps have shown that real application and practical exercises are effective for expanding understanding and cementing difficult concepts. Our experience has shown us the most effective exercises and our team has produced many champion debaters.

What We Teach

Critical to success in public forum debate is the ability to effectively argue a wide range of topics. Our highly experienced debate camp faculty will teach campers advanced argumentation skills in the following areas:

• Refutation
• Case Construction
• Brief Writing
• Evidence Analysis
• Research

We Make Debaters Better

Our public forum debate camps provide opportunities to practice argument skills under the expert oversight of our staff. The teaching team for public forum debate is composed of men and women who are among the most experienced coaches in the country.

All our public forum debate students are carefully watched. Their speeches are critiqued. Our staff draft copious notes and provide feedback in each student’s notebook. Students review the comments and suggestions and re-deliver their speech the following day. Students, we will teach you to become better debaters. 

We challenge our students to maximize their strengths while simultaneously minimizing their weaknesses. Because of our skilled staff, detailed lesson plans, and carefully crafted debate camps that emphasize practical application, we provide the tools, training, and resources students need to improve their technique and gain a wealth of knowledge in debate.