Debate Class

Debate Courses

***All debate classes fulfill the Fine Arts graduation requirement***

DEB113 - Debate and Argumentation - Full Year

This course stresses the fundamentals of argument and debate including research, argument construction, identifying source bias, speaking, listening, theory, and note-taking. Instructors strive to develop students into learners who understand and appreciate that issues have multiple sides and that disagreement can be a part of a cordial and productive conversation. Students enrolled in the class are encouraged to attend extracurricular competitions as members of the nationally competitive debate program.

This course is a pre-requisite for the following two classes.

DEB233 - Debate Seminar: Policy EH - Full Year

This course stresses the fundamentals of argument and debate including research, argument construction, identifying source bias, speaking, listening, theory, and note-taking. Instructors strive to develop students into learners who understand and appreciate that issues have multiple sides and that disagreement can be a part of a cordial and productive conversation. Students enrolled in the class are encouraged to attend extracurricular competitions as members of the nationally competitive debate program.

DEB333 - Debate Seminar: Congress EH - Full Year

This course is for students who completed the Debate and Argumentation course and have a continued passion for congressional debate. In this course, students enhance various debate skills including speaking, listening, research, and argumentation through the lens of the national policy debate topic. Students enrolled in the class are required to attend extracurricular competitions as members of the nationally competitive debate program.

Debate Camp

Summer debate institutes have become a significant part of a debater’s preparation for the upcoming debate year. A variety of colleges and universities as well as high schools across the nation sponsor debate camps during the summer.  Students can go to debate camps for a variety of durations (there are camps that last one week to seven weeks in length). There are online opportunities as well.   This is an opportunity for students to get prepared for the upcoming debate season. If the students go to camp in-person, they will live in dormitories on the college campuses and be placed in “lab groups” where they will work one-on-one with some of the best debate coaches in the country.  They will be researching in college libraries on the new debate topic or a host of Congressional debate topic possibilities, doing an extensive number of practice debates and speeches as well as attend lectures on debate theory and skills. Although this may sound boring to some beginning debaters, individuals who are passionate for debate fall in love with their institute experience. 

Aside from the debate skills your child will learn, there are other benefits as well.  Many parents have commented that their child matured and became more responsible after their experience at debate institute. They live in a supervised dormitory, but they will be away from home. They learn life skills during their weeks at camp.  It is also a good time for your child to learn about the college environment and make friends with debaters across the country.

Debate institutes can be expensive.  There are avenues for financial assistance, including through the Institutes themselves and our GBS Debate Parent Booster Club. It is our hope that every student that wants to go to camp will be able to, regardless of financial barriers.  We work very hard to make sure students that need financial support to attend debate institutes receive it. If you desire financial assistance for a summer camp opportunity, Ms. Tate will coordinate with parents/guardians in a way that always remains confidential and non-intrusive.