Lead 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

Session 1, July 6-10

Session 2, July 13-17

This is an online full-service debate institute that will introduce the 2026-2027 policy debate topic, teach fundamentals, and practice skills through speeches, mini debates, and full debates. The program is capped at twenty students to ensure individualized instruction and feedback.

For the full experience, students should sign up for both weeks (content does not repeat), but they are welcome to attend a single week only.

Recommended for students with 1-3 years of policy debate experience. Rising 7th-12th grades.

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

Times

This is an all-day program (10AM-4:30PM Eastern) with a break for lunch.

Logistics

This program will be hosted synchronously on Zoom.

In-Person Programs (at Woodward Main)

Argumentation & Public Speaking Camp — June 15-18

Want to win arguments against your friends, parents, and teachers? Want to get more comfortable speaking in front of a group? Argumentation and public speaking are skills that every student needs — from class presentations now, to college and job interviews in the future. This camp will help students learn the art of persuasion and presentation skills through hands on activities. Rising 6th-10th grades.

This is an all day program (9AM-4PM) with a break for lunch.

Woodward Debate Institute In Person — June 22-26

This debate institute will introduce the 2026-2027 policy debate topic, teach fundamentals, and practice skills through speeches, mini debates, and full debates. The primary instructor will be Maggie Berthiaume, Woodward’s Director of Debate, who has coached twenty state championship teams as well as national champions and national top speakers. Open to students who are new to policy debate, have middle school debate experience, or 1 year of high school debate experience. Rising 7th-12th grades.

This is an all day program (9AM-4PM) with a break for lunch.

Costs

Program cost is $450 per week.

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-person programs.

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

Questions?

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