‪+1 (866) 833-2283
Location
3204 Tower Oaks Blvd, Suite #225
Rockville, MD 20852
Dates
Mar 10 - May 5
Pricing
$625 (8 weeks)
Junior Varsity & Varsity Courses
Junior Varsity courses are for experienced debater with prior competitive debate experience. During class, students will continue to practice their debate skills, while learning new advanced concepts such as argument weighing, round strategy, judge adaptation, and more. Debaters who've taken a debate course with us in the past should refer to their evaluation email for placement recommendations.
Varsity courses are the highest possible level of placement on our team for debaters who have a strong grasp of debate fundamentals and seek to compete in the highest level of the national circuit. Classes at the varsity level are adapted to student’s experience, tournament participation, and individual needs. Students in this class focus on topics from collapsing and weighing to "progressive debate" in the form of "Ks" and theories. All students will debate the high school topic assigned by the National Speech and Debate Association. Previous Potomac Debate debaters should refer to their evaluation emails for placements.
Please note that students registering for JV, and Varsity courses will be joining classes that began in January as a final opportunity to learn in our classes. Our curriculum is structured so that students will join class at a refresh point in the semester, with the final 8 weeks of class on a new topic cycle (April NSDA topic), while covering core skills and practicing/refining those abilities. Students looking to join in-person Novice Courses should wait for August course registration to open in next couple of months.
Junior Varsity (Semester 1) | Grades 6 - 8
Sunday @ 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM ET
Varsity | Grades 6 - 8
Wednesday @ 06:45 PM - 08:15 PM ET
Our Track Record of Success
Since the start of the school year, we have:
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Competed in 46 debate tournaments in 20 states
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Won 294 team awards
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Won 140 individual speaker awards
Debate Tournaments
Outside of class, all students can compete at debate tournaments. Our programs hosts an online tournament once a month that is open to all students. Once a student moves up to the Junior Varsity level they are able to compete on the national debate circuit, which may include tournaments such as Georgetown University, Harvard Invitational, and the annual Tournament of Champions. Please note that tournaments happen outside of class and are not included in tuition because registration fees for tournaments vary and are beyond our control.
Skills: • public speaking • argumentation • critical thinking • logic reasoning • analysis • research & writing
Frequently Asked Questions:
What should I expect?
Each class meeting is unique and designed with the needs of the students in mind. We strive to get students up and debating as fast as possible and work to teach fundamental debate skills that are appropriate for the course level. Students will participate in speaking exercises and mock debates, learn important skills, such as how to conduct research and write cases, and improve their public speaking skills through the lens of a debate topic of global importance.
What type of debate do you do?
Our team specializes in Public Forum debate, which is a partner based debate format where students present arguments for and against a set resolution.
What skills will my child develop by joining your team?
Debating helps students improve their public speaking, critical thinking, logical reasoning, research and writing skills. Students who participate in debate will also be able to identify logical fallacies, gain confidence, and expand their understanding of current events. Studies show that debaters, on average, have higher grades in school, stronger test scores, and better college admission outcomes. In fact, our top ranked debaters are consistently admitted into the top colleges around the nation, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.
What is a free trial/tryout?
Our free trial is similar to a tryout. It is a great way for families to learn more about our program and assess if debate might be for them, as well as an opportunity for our team to assess if students interested in debate are ready for our program.
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What if I realize debate is not for my student?
If a student new to our debate team drops from the team after the first class, a full refund will be provided as long as the coach is notified at least 24 hours before the start of the second class. If a new student drops from the team within the first three classes, a pro-rated refund will be made as long as the coach is notified at least 24 hours before the start of the fourth class. No refunds will be provided outside of this window.
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3204 Tower Oaks Blvd, Rockville, MD 20852
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