Our comprehensive approach works for students at all experience levels, from complete beginners to competitive tournament winners
Age-appropriate peer groups with personalized instruction inside each class
Customizing instruction based on each student's unique skill profile
Focus sessions tailored to develop each student's particular skill needs
Student-selected specializations aligned with interests and growth opportunities
See what students and parents say about our 4-step process
We start by categorizing our students into two main groups: newcomers to Capitol Debate and returning students. This initial separation ensures that students new to Capitol Debate receive the foundational skills they need, while returners can continue building on their existing knowledge. Within these groups, students are further organized chronologically by date of birth, meaning students are placed with peers close to their age.
Creates peer groups where students feel comfortable and confident
Fosters collaborative learning with age-appropriate peers
Creates developmentally appropriate social dynamics
"Going to this camp changed me from being shy and scared of public speaking to having better social skills and being fine speaking publicly. I would definitely recommend this camp as a life changing experience."
We start by grouping students primarily by age to ensure comfort and peer compatibility. Then, we delve deeper, crafting individualized action plans for each student based on their specific needs. This means that a student who's new to debate and perhaps a bit shy will receive focused support on building confidence and communication skills.
How we identify exactly where each student is and what they need
Identifying advanced skill gaps and providing challenging opportunities
Refining existing skills and introducing advanced concepts
Building fundamental skills and confidence from the ground up
Why our approach sets us apart from typical debate camps
In our afternoon sessions, students transition to smaller skill-focused groups where our coaches can provide intensive, personalized instruction. Rather than simply grouping by experience level, we create dynamic labs based on specific skills that need improvement. These targeted sessions ensure every student—from beginners to tournament champions—receives precise coaching on their particular areas for growth.
How we target specific skill gaps in every student, regardless of experience level
Unlike camps that assess once and group permanently, our coaches continually evaluate each student's performance, identifying evolving skill gaps and regrouping as needed.
"Even our most experienced debaters have specific areas where they can improve. Our job is to find those opportunities for growth."
Students join afternoon labs of 4-6 peers who share similar development needs—not just experience levels. This creates focused environments where coaches can address specific skills.
"A national tournament winner might be in the same afternoon lab as a first-time debater if they both need to work on similar skills like cross-examination techniques."
Within each skill-focused lab, coaches design custom exercises targeting each student's unique challenges, ensuring everyone receives tailored instruction.
"One student in our eye contact lab might practice with note reduction exercises, while another works with video feedback and guided visualization techniques."
How we've helped students overcome specific challenges in afternoon labs
Despite extensive tournament experience, Alex struggled with voice modulation and sounded monotone during presentations, undermining otherwise strong arguments.
In afternoon labs, we paired Alex with a vocal coach who implemented targeted exercises focused on pitch variation, emphasis techniques, and emotional connection to content.
By the final tournament, Alex demonstrated significantly improved vocal dynamics, earning specific judge comments on improved persuasiveness and audience engagement.
Maya was extremely knowledgeable but terrified of public speaking, avoiding eye contact and rushing through her speeches due to anxiety.
Our afternoon labs provided Maya with incremental confidence-building exercises, starting with small group presentations and gradually expanding audience size and duration.
By the end of camp, Maya delivered a poised, well-paced persuasive speech with consistent eye contact and earned recognition for "Most Improved Speaker."
James had strong presentation skills but struggled with creating logical argument chains and connecting evidence to claims effectively.
In afternoon labs, we focused on argument mapping exercises, evidence analysis techniques, and guided practice in building cohesive logical structures.
James developed a systematic approach to argument construction, with tournament judges noting the exceptional organization and evidence utilization in his final debates.
Our elective program represents the final piece of our personalization approach. Students select specialized courses that align with their debate interests and career aspirations. Whether they're focused on mastering a specific debate format like Public Forum or Parliamentary, or passionate about fields like business, medicine, or law, our electives allow students to develop skills that serve both their immediate competitive goals and long-term aspirations.
Students choose electives that match their interests and development needs
For students focused on competitive success in specific formats
For students passionate about specific professional fields
For students looking to strengthen specific communication abilities
We understand that selecting the right electives is an important decision. Our experienced staff is available to consult with parents and students before camp begins to help identify the most beneficial elective choices based on:
Our four-step placement process ensures that every student—from first-time speakers to national champions—receives precisely the instruction they need to reach their next level of excellence. By combining age-appropriate grouping, comprehensive skill assessment, targeted afternoon labs, and personalized electives, we create a learning experience uniquely tailored to each student's needs, interests, and aspirations.
Our strategic 4-step student placement process creates the optimal environment for each student to flourish. Parents consistently report remarkable growth in their children's confidence, communication skills, and critical thinking abilities. By carefully grouping students and personalizing their experience, we've created a proven system that maximizes each child's potential.
Remarkable transformation in student self-assurance
Optimal peer interactions in age-similar groups
Each student progresses at ideal pace
Over 95% of parents report significant growth
Faster progress through targeted instruction
Benefits extend far beyond summer camp
Experience debate in New England and the Northeast
New Haven, CT
Boston, MA
Boston, MA
Madison, NJ
Princeton, NJ
Lawrenceville, NJ
New Rochelle, NY
Lawrenceville, NJ
Debate at prestigious institutions in Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.
Villanova, PA
Washington, DC
Develop your debate skills in the Southeast United States
Orlando, FL
Chapel Hill, NC
Develop your debate skills at premier West Coast institutions
Berkeley, CA
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Seattle, WA
Experience debate at top institutions across the Southern United States
Houston, TX
Train with elite instructors at our premier Midwest locations
Columbus, OH
Chicago, IL
Every student is unique. Our personalized matching tool considers your location, schedule, and priorities to recommend the perfect Capitol Debate experience.
From tournament champions to industry leaders—two decades of developing confident communicators who shape the world.
500+ national media interviews on labor economics. Former senior data scientist at Wayfair, now leading economic research at Glassdoor.
Specializes in Appellate & Supreme Court Practice. Former judicial law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Morehead-Cain Scholar. MD-MPH pursuing Internal Medicine-Dermatology at Harvard's combined residency program. Medical interpreter in Spanish and French.
Y Combinator-backed founder. Former BCG consultant. Co-founded Atlas Debate to expand access to debate education.
Council on Foreign Relations Term Member. Former Pentagon national security advisor. Expert on Middle East policy and Yemen.
Managing Samsung's $17 billion semiconductor fabrication facility. Former project leadership at Tesla and Bechtel.
Editor-in-Chief, Yale Human Rights Journal. George Hume Senior Essay Prize recipient. MS in Health Policy from LSE.
AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow. Former NREL postdoctoral researcher focused on clean energy innovation.
Attorneys • Physicians • Founders • Policy Leaders • and more
Capitol Debate is proud to host transformative summer public speaking and debate camps in more than 16 cities, positively impacting the lives of thousands this year. With nearly two decades of experience, trust us to make a significant and lasting difference in your child's life.