A place for students to experience personal growth, to work collaboratively with others, to experience the joys of winning, losing, and many other emotions.
The Boston Debate League’s FREE* Debate Camp provides an excellent opportunity for students to spend time this summer engaged in debate and argumentation, to develop their public speaking and leadership skills, and to learn about the Policy Debate topic for next year. Camp has been instrumental to students’ growth as debaters, public speakers, and leaders on their debate teams, with camp participants often assuming a mentoring role within the team and bringing back the skills learned at camp to their debate community.
But most importantly, camp is a place for personal growth, to work collaboratively with others, to experience the joys of winning, losing, and many other emotions—such as struggling to learn a new skill and eventually succeeding. And, of course we saved the best for last, it’s a place to have fun. One of our values as an organization is joy in learning, and during camp, the JOY is emphasized—believing that no matter how good the content is, if students are not having fun and enjoying the process, we’re not living up to our values.
We look forward to connecting with students and engaging them in safe, community-building activities. Ultimately, we hope debaters leave learning a little bit more about the world, but our real goal is for them to leave camp learning a lot more about themselves.
Camp Details
Registration: Opens March 2023Â |Â Sign-up Deadline: June 30, 2023
Camp Dates:Â July 17 – August 11, from 8:30am – 3:00pm
Location:Â Madison Park High School
Eligibility & Selection Criteria: Students will be selected on a first-come-first-serve basis. No prior debate experience is necessary.
BPS & BDL Member School Students: Students currently enrolled at BPS school or a BDL Member School can attend camp for free.
Non-BDL Member School Students: For students that attend a school that is not currently a BPS or a BDL Member School, the cost is $600 for the two weeks.
Contact: Ranner Faugas, Camp Director, Ranner@bostondebate.org
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is BDL Debate Camp? What is the earliest drop-off and latest pickup?
Debate Camp will be held Monday-Friday, July 17 – August 11, 8:30am – 3:00pm. The earliest drop-off time is 8:30am, and the latest pickup time is 3:00pm. We will have breakfast and registration from 8:30am – 9:00am, with the formal program beginning at 9:00am. We will close the formal camp programming at 3:00pm, and end-of-day pickup is between 2:30pm and 3:00pm. In advance of camp, we will send information about the specific room/location for drop-off and pickup.
Who will be teaching and leading the camp?
Debate Camp will be led by a team of eleven educators, composed of BDL staff, debate coaches, and Boston Public School teachers. Seven of those facilitators are also alumni of the BDL program. Everyone on the camp staff team brings unique skills and gifts, and a commitment to ensuring that your student is welcomed, affirmed, learning, and having fun throughout Debate Camp!
How many campers will be in each cohort/group? Will they be with the same group the whole time?
During much of Debate Camp, students will be placed in cohorts – or what we call Debate Camp “labs”-  of about 15 – 25 students. Each lab will be determined by students’ skill level and interest. Students will likely stay with the same group for the duration of the camp—unless they’re not being challenged in their lab, in which case they may move up to a more advanced lab.
Do parents need to sign campers in and out each day?
If your child is 12 or under, we ask a family member to sign them in with BDL staff. If your child is 13 or older, they can sign themselves in with BDL staff when they arrive. We will email you again closer to the camp start date with a specific location for drop-off and pickup.
Are meals/snacks provided?
Only the best! We will provide cold breakfast, a hot lunch, and snacks.
Who should I contact at Debate Camp with questions or concerns?
Ranner Faugas, BDL Debate Camp Director | Email: Ranner@bostondebate.org