Free Summer Debate Program for Public School Students

[Anonymous]

The Matthew Harris Ornstein Washington Summer Debate Institute is accepting registration for its free, 2-3 week summer program.

https://urbandebatewashingtondc.org/camp/how-to-apply/

Find your intellectual community and make new friends who share your interests this summer at the Matthew Harris Ornstein Washington Summer Debate Institute. Whether students are on their feet developing arguments and finding their voice or listening to the voices that research and make policy around the issues we debate about, the summer institute is great fun. We also host a College Fair to help students begin their search and make connections to scholarship opportunities from debate. Students will walk away from camp ready to compete, having learned more about themselves and the world around them, and with some great swag!

Hosted each year by the Washington Urban Debate League in partnership with the Matthew Harris Ornstein Memorial Foundation (MHOMF). The Institute provides a rigorous but fun debate experience that will prepare debaters for the coming competitive season and beyond. The summer institute is named in honor of Matthew Harris Ornstein, a former debater and GDS student who found his voice, self-confidence, and a home in the debate community. The Matthew Harris Ornstein Outstanding Debater award is given in his honor to the student who best reflects Matthew’s values.

We will offer 5 different levels of classes (labs) to ensure that every student is appropriately challenged

The Institute has a proven track record of improving debater’s skills. Many of the most competitively successful students in WUDL attended the summer institute. Participation makes the jump from Novice to JV, or from JV to Varsity easy, and can help students prepare for regional travel.

[Anonymous]

How cool!

[Anonymous]

My child has done this program for three years and will do it again this summer (year 4). If your kid is into debate, it is absolutely wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Does this program focus on spreading and some of the extremely political stuff that has made the rounds recently in HS debate?

[Anonymous]

I knew Matthew and it always makes me smile to see his name & know that something good has come out of his struggles.

[Anonymous]

It is a great program. My kid loves it.

[Anonymous]

What ages is this for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew Matthew and it always makes me smile to see his name & know that something good has come out of his struggles.

I knew him too! I’d never heard of this program. What a great way to honor his memory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has done this program for three years and will do it again this summer (year 4). If your kid is into debate, it is absolutely wonderful.

Agree with bolded.

If your kid is not into debate, I'd look somewhere else. Do NOT make the mistake of thinking of it as free childcare. It's actually a pretty intense experience, with long days, homework/home practice, and lots of reading. Can be exhausting. But for those who are passionate about debate or open to working hard and giving it a try, it can be amazing. Such a wonderful gift to have it for free.