Instructor: Maggie Berthiaume

Director of Debate at Woodward Academy since 2011

Maggie has coached the champions or finalists of nearly every major tournament including NDCA Nationals. Her teams have also won the Georgia state tournament eighteen times. She's a member of the Georgia Hall of Fame and has been named Coach of the Year by the GFCA and Educator of the Year by the NDCA. She has nineteen years of summer institute experience.

Online Program

Woodward Debate Institute Online — July 7-18

This is an full-service debate institute that will introduce the 2025-2026 topic, teach fundamentals, and practice skills through speeches, mini debates, and full debates. Recommended for students with 1-3 years of policy debate experience.

For the complete experience, students should sign up for the AM and PM sessions both weeks, but they’re welcome to pick and choose.

The program is listed at the Woodward "Main Campus" in the camp guide, although it is taught fully online.

Dates

Week 1 — July 7-11
Week 2 — July 14-18

Times

AM Session — 9:00AM to 12:30PM Eastern
PM Session — 1:00PM to 4:00PM Eastern

Logistics

This program will be hosted synchronously on Zoom.

In-Person Programs (at Woodward Main)

Public Speaking Camp — June 16-20, 9:00AM-12:30PM

Have ideas? Want to get more comfortable speaking in front of a group? Public speaking is a skill that every student needs — from class presentations now to college and job interviews of the future. This camp will help students learn the art of persuasion and presentation skills including verbal and nonverbal communication. Designed for rising 5th through 9th grades.

Argumentation Camp — June 16-20, 1:00-4:00PM

Want to win arguments against your friends, parents, and teachers? Want to do better on your essays? This camp will teach the fundamentals of argumentation. Through hands on activities and mini debates, students will learn how to prepare to win any argument. Designed for rising 5th through 9th grades.

Intro to the 2025-2026 Policy Debate Topic — June 23-27, 9:00AM-12:30PM

This session will offer an overview of the 2025-2026 Policy Debate Topic. Students will conduct topic analysis and get hands on practice with topic evidence. Open to students who are new to policy debate, have middle school debate experience, or 1 year of high school debate experience.

Debate Skills — June 23-27, 1:00PM-4:00PM

This session will introduce basic debate skills including speeches, cross examination, refutation, and strategy. Students will then get interactive skills practice throughout the week. Open to students who are new to debate, have middle school debate experience, or 1 year of high school debate experience. Rising 7th-10th grades.

Costs

Program cost is $700 per week (or $350 for a week of just AM or PM sessions.)

All evidence will be provided.

In person programs will be hosted at Woodward Academy's Main Campus — 1662 Rugby Ave, College Park, GA 30337.

The online program is also listed as "Main Campus," but it will be taught fully online.

The cost also includes lunch for in programs.

You need to create an account on the Woodward Camps website to sign up for the program.

Questions?

Page updated

Report abuse