Middle School Program - Institute for Speech and Debate

Locations/Dates

ISD: Florida (June 24 - July 7, 2023)

ISD: Carolina (July 9 - July 22, 2023)

ISD: Online (July 9 - July 22, 2023)

Tuition

Residential Program

Get the full ISD experience on-campus! Includes room and board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

2 Weeks	$3,350
1 Week	$2,350

Commuter Program

Commute to and from camp each day! Includes lunch and dinner only.

2 Weeks	$2,050
1 Week	$1,450

ISD: Online

Experience the #ISDDifference from home!

2 Weeks	$1,500
1 Week	$900

Our Middle School program is designed to welcome and support both new and experienced speech and debaters. Our program uses the popular Public Forum Debate format as our model. Our focus will be on research skills, collaborative work, and public speaking through presenting clear arguments while also examining ﬂaws in opposing viewpoints. The program prepares students for competitive debate as well as advanced classroom work, like writing research papers and presenting to their class.

How we teach | How students grow

Our expert Middle School division instructors, led by NSDA Hall of Fame Coach Jay Rye (Montgomery Academy, Alabama), have years of experience working with students in grades 6-8. In addition, students have access to our entire high school senior faculty. ISD is committed to giving all campers, both new and experienced debaters, equal access to our top instructors.

As with all of our programs, our Middle School Debate Division is focused on learning, not tricks, in a personalized setting. We uphold the integrity of speech and debate and provide students a solid foundation upon which their interest in debate can continue to grow.

From Our Curriculum Director

"ISD recognizes that debate at any age has a positive impact on the development of critical thinking skills, however how you approach a middle school student is different than a high school student. Our program for middle school mirrors the content for high school, but the approach and the pace is geared to the middle school mindset."

– Jay Rye, Curriculum Director - Middle School Speech & Debate

Typical Daily Schedule for the Middle School Residential Program

8:00 - 8:45am	Breakfast
8:45 - 9:00am	Opening Meeting
9:15 - 10:15am	Lecture on the Topic of the Day
10:30am - 12:00pm	Lab/Practicum/Hands-On-Experience/One-on-One Work
12:00 - 1:00pm	Lunch (provided)/Break
1:00 - 2:00pm	Lab on Public Speaking
2:15 - 3:15pm	Research/One-On-One Work
3:30 - 4:50pm	Collaborative Work
5:00 - 6:15pm	Dinner
6:30 - 8:00pm	Activities/Logic Games designed to reinforce the lessons of the day
8:00 - 10:00pm	Recreational time
10:00pm	Beginning of quiet hours