Sunday, April 24, 2016

Camp Information

Many students are talking and thinking about going to speech and debate camp this summer. It is highly recommended that students who want to be competitively successful attend summer camp in their primary event. It is in no way required for a student to attend camp - and students can be successful if they do not - but camp really gives students a running start on the next year's season.

Not all camps are as good as others. So here are some suggestions and recommended camps:

 Public Forum: 
  • Institute for Speech and Debate (ISD) 
    • Locations in NC and FL
    • Website: http://www.ispeechanddebate.com/
    • Date: ISD: Carolina - July 3 - 16, 2016 & ISD: Florida - July 17 - 30, 2016
    • Notes:  Mrs. McCool will be on administrative (not coaching) staff at the NC location of this camp. It is an excellent camp for PF debaters. Some of the most successful PF debaters and PF coaches will be leading labs there this summer. There are two tracks to choose from Junior (for 1 year or less experience) and Senior (for 2+ years of experience).
  • National Debate Forum (NDF) 
    • Location: Boston, Mass - Emerson College
    • Website: http://nationaldebateforum.com/
    • Notes: This camp is run by Steve Schappaugh (who is a DSM North Alum and works for the NSDA). It is an excellent camp for PF debaters - the lab leaders are often students fresh out of the high school circuit with lots of innovative ideas. There are labs for all level students (beginner to most advanced). 
  • Champion Briefs Institute (CBI) 
    • Location: Various 
    • Website: https://www.championbriefsinstitute.com/
    • Notes: This is a camp that is held in several locations around the country. I'd recommend attending the ones that Millard North coach Aaron Schurevich is teaching (Florida #1 and Texas). 
  • Simpson College 
Speech Camps: 
The right camp fit really depends on what kind of speech you want to study but here are some great ones for specific types of events (please see the notes for each camp)
  • Interprod
    • Location: Boston, Mass - Emerson College 
    • Website: http://interprod4n6.com/
    • Notes: This camp really prepares students to be performers not just interpers. They learn acting techniques and skills that help them grow both in and out of forensics. Students are leveled by experience and receive individualized instruction and assistance cutting pieces. 
  • UTNIF
    • Location: UT-Austin 
    • Website: http://commstudies.utexas.edu/camps/utnif-ie
    • Notes: Run by highly successful college forensics team. xcellent for public address events (Extemp + OO) Students select a major and a minor event to focus on and study during their time there. Several TRHS alumni are on staff.
  • GMIF
    • Location: George Mason University - Fairfax, VA
    • Website: http://gmif.gmuforensics.org/
    • Notes: Run by highly successful college forensics team. Alum of this camp are especially successful in Extemporaneous Speaking (see their awards page!). Extemp Lab's assistant curriculum director is by TRHS alum - Nathan Leys. 
  • Champion Briefs Institute (CBI) 
    • Location: Various 
    • Website: https://www.championbriefsinstitute.com/
    •  Notes: This is a camp that is held in several locations around the country. For Extempers I'd recommend attending the ones that U-School coach Bill Thompson leads (Florida #1 and Florida #3)
  • Speak2Compete
    • Location: University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
    • Website: http://www.speak2compete.com/
    • Notes: New camp in its first year. Several good Minnesota coaches on staff. Although it is brand new/untested it is close, only one week long, reasonably priced, and offers many different events.  
Policy Camps: 
There are several great policy camps for students to attend - but many are very long time commitments and are quite expensive. It would be wonderful for students to attend Michigan, Northwestern, Wake or Emory but we realize that some of our students are may not be ready for that level of financial and time commitment. So our general camp recommendation is the Jayhawk Debate Institute.

  •  Jayhawk Debate Institute

Please remember, each camp is what the student makes it and attending a camp does not guarantee a student will be successful when they compete in the next season. The TRHS coaching staff is not in any way responsible for the curriculum/what students learn at these camps and is simply offering these suggestions as a starting point for conversations between parents and students.
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