Debate Camps

Our speech and debate camps provide a great opportunity to learn key competition skills in a supportive environment led by an expert coachIn 2025, we’re offering a series of Monday-Friday camps with customizable options: online, in-person (McKinney, TX), half day, full day, junior (ages 8-11), and varsity (ages 12-18). 

The camp experience

Students of all experience levels are welcome in our camps, which provide a fun and collaborative environment where students can learn the basics or build on their existing skills. Camps begin by developing the core concepts and skills of debate through a series of engaging activities, which may include evaluating demonstration debates done by more experienced students. Once newer students are comfortable with the basics, they begin to apply those skills in practice debates using a popular high school debate format. Along the way, students receive personalized feedback from our team of nationally ranked former college debaters. 

Beyond meetings, some light homework (approximately 1-2 hours per day) is assigned to help reinforce what’s been learned. All students receive learning plans that are customized to their individual proficiencies and areas for improvement.

What we're covering in 2025

Camp participants will learn about the various popular types (or “events”) of competitive speech, and develop a set of speeches to use in 2025-2026 competition season. Along the way, they will practice a series of supporting skills, such as speech evaluation, citation and document formatting norms, public speaking techniques, and more.

Camp participants will develop their basic logical reasoning and rhetorical skills through a process of drafting and debating cases for and against simple, fun topics. Along the way, they will start to become familiar with supporting skills needed for a successful competitive debate career: public speaking, basic research, efficient note-taking, teamwork, a general understanding of the different types of competitive debate, and more.

Camp participants will learn about the various popular types (or “events”) of competitive speech, and develop a set of speeches to use in 2025-2026 competition season. Along the way, they will practice a series of supporting skills, such as speech evaluation, citation and document formatting norms, public speaking techniques, and more.

Camp participants will develop their knowledge of ethical theory through a process of drafting and debating cases for and against a proposition of value. Along the way, they will build the supporting skills needed for success in the 2025-2026 debate competition season: rhetoric, public speaking, logical reasoning, applied research techniques, efficient note-taking, the basic history of ethics, and more.

Camp participants will develop their policymaking and policy analysis skills by crafting plans for addressing real-world problems, defending those plans against rigorous scrutiny by opponents, and subjecting others’ plans to the same level of scrutiny. Along the way, they will build the supporting skills needed for success in the 2025-2026 debate competition season: rhetoric, public speaking, logical reasoning, applied research techniques, efficient note-taking, basic statistical reasoning, teamwork, and more.

Camp participants will develop their public advocacy and broad policy analysis skills by debating the implications of general policy proposals. Along the way, they will build the supporting skills needed for success in the 2025-2026 debate competition season: rhetoric, public speaking, logical reasoning, applied research techniques, efficient note-taking, basic statistical reasoning, teamwork, and more.

Summer 2025 camp schedule

Our tuition plans are discounted based on the total number of registrations (multiple siblings, multiple camp sessions, or both). All in-person camps are hosted at STEAM Learning Club, 8750 Collin McKinney Pkwy, McKinney TX. Full day camp options meet 8am-6pm Central Time, Monday-Friday. Half-day camp sessions meet 8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm Central Time, Monday-Friday.

Week Camp type Pricing (full day) Pricing (half day) Registration details
June 2-6, 2025
Junior Competitive Speech (in-person)
$500 single registration, $450 each 2+ registrations
$300 single registration, $275 each 2+ registrations
June 9-13, 2025
Junior Competitive Debate (in-person)
$500 single registration, $450 each 2+ registrations
$300 single registration, $275 each 2+ registrations
June 16-20, 2025
Varsity Competitive Speech (in-person)
$600 single registration, $500 each 2+ registrations
$350 single registration, $325 each 2+ registrations
June 23-27, 2025
Varsity Public Forum Debate (in-person)
$600 single registration, $500 each 2+ registrations
$350 single registration, $325 each 2+ registrations
June 30-July 4, 2025
Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate (in-person)
$600 single registration, $500 each 2+ registrations
$350 single registration, $325 each 2+ registrations
July 7-11, 2025
Varsity Competitive Speech (in-person)
$600 single registration, $500 each 2+ registrations
$350 single registration, $325 each 2+ registrations
July 14-18, 2025
Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate (in-person)
$600 single registration, $500 each 2+ registrations
$350 single registration, $325 each 2+ registrations
July 21-25, 2025
Junior Competitive Speech (in-person)
$500 single registration, $450 each 2+ registrations
$300 single registration, $275 each 2+ registrations
July 28-August 1, 2025
Varsity Policy Debate (online)
$550 single registration, $475 each 2+ registrations
$320 single registration, $300 each 2+ registrations
August 4-8, 2025
Varsity Policy Debate (in-person)
$600 single registration, $500 each 2+ registrations
$350 single registration, $325 each 2+ registrations