This intensive workshop deepens students’ argumentative skills through in-depth feedback, technique lectures, and multiple practice debates. The workshop focuses on the parliamentary debate format in preparation for competitions during the school year and is geared toward high school students.

The vision of the camp is to offer a top-tier debate camp that is affordable and accessible for the entire community. The camp is designed for beginning and experienced high school debaters, but may also be suitable for middle school students who are willing to work intensively on debate skills.

The cost for the camp is $500 for two weeks. Students are encouraged to sign up for the full two weeks, but may sign up for Week 1 only. Please email annmarie@practice-space.org to inquire about a one-week option or to request our tuition assistance and waiver program.

Instructor: Joel Jacobs, AnnMarie Baines

Cost:$500 for two weeks ($300 for one week) – tuition assistance available.

Staff

AnnMarie Baines is the Founder and Executive Director of The Practice Space, non-profit organization that builds confidence and community voice through communication skill development. As a volunteer coach in high school speech and debate for nearly two decades, her students have qualified to multiple state and national championships and elite tournaments of champions. A recognized expert in adolescent development and inclusive education as well as a former special education teacher, AnnMarie believes in elevating youth voice through strong team relationships and supporting all students to advocate for themselves. She holds a PhD from University of Washington in the Learning Sciences, the study of how people learn.

Joel Jacobs has been involved with debate for more than three decades, as a competitor, judge, and coach. Debaters he coached have won national championships at both the high school and college levels. Joel competed in Policy Debate and Lincoln-Douglas Debate in high school. In college, Joel competed in APDA parli for four years, where he won the New York University and Williams invitationals. He was a semifinalist at Harvard and UPenn, and took top speaker at Harvard. He placed in the top ten teams and speakers at virtually every major tournament his senior year, and was a contender for APDA Speaker of the Year. Joel is an environmental lawyer, and coaches debate at El Cerrito High School and the Debate Society of UC Berkeley.