Chicago Debates Summer Institute

Yes! Students will receive breakfast and lunch daily while at camp. Students are encouraged to bring water bottles to stay hydrated throughout camp.

This is a commuter camp. In-person speech and debate camp runs from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for all formats. We will be serving breakfast as early as 8:30 am.

A typical day at camp starts with breakfast followed by instruction. During each lesson students will focus on a variety of skills specific to their level and experience with debate. After the lesson students will break for lunch. Middle schoolers also get recess time. The day will wrap up with community building activities and offer the chance for students to meet other debaters from across the city. We typically dedicate the last two days for a camp tournament -where students get to put into practice what they’ve learned.

Students who attend a Chicago-based charter school should register under the CPS student price. Charter students are also eligible to apply for the Title I scholarship if their household meets the income threshold. View FAQ below about Title I qualifications.

Regardless of what CPS school you or your student attends, any household meeting the following United States Department of Agriculture income guidelines would qualify. There are 50 scholarship spots available for Title 1 eligible students. These spots are applicable for speech and debate camp and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If all 50 spots are filled, Title I students will have to pay a reduced registration fee. If you qualify and would like to apply for a full camp scholarship, register for camp and select any of the options titled “Title I” and submit your information. We will be in touch to verify your income status and confirm your registration.

CDSI registration will close on July 14, 2025, 7:30 PM CST.

During the two-week CDSI experience students will engage with top debate instructors from around the country. By the end of camp, students will have increased their public speaking, critical thinking, argumentation, research, writing, and persuasion skills. Students who participate in the two-week Policy Debate camp will engage with the 2024– 2025 Policy Debate topic, and get a head start in engaging with the Core Files. Students who participate in the two-week Public Forum camp will start researching and building knowledge on the upcoming season’s topics. The aforementioned skills and experiences will directly impact students academic performance and success in the upcoming school year. Most importantly, participants will build new relationships with students from across the region through active listening and civil discourse.

• You will receive a full refund of the camp fee if you cancel any time before July 1.
• You will receive 50% of the camp fee if you start camp and withdraw immediately after the first day.
• No refunds are offered after the first Wednesday of Week 1 of the child’s camp

It is within the mission of Chicago Debates to ensure every student who wishes to attend camp has the option to do so. If the financial cost of attending camp is preventing you from registering and you do not qualify as a Title 1 student, reach out to Sonny Patel for assistance.

Missing days will impact the experience of a student and for that reason we prefer students do not miss any days of camp. If a student must miss days of camp, Chicago Debates can send resources to help your student stay on track. Please inform us by July 15th of any absences to obtain the needed materials. There is no prorated price for students who miss camp.

First see what style of debate your school offers. Chicago Debates works with a variety of CPS public and charter schools across the city. Review our list of schools and the format of debate they offer. If you do not see your school or your school does not offer debate, you are free to register for your preferred format. Middle school students we’d recommend public forum debate. High school students we’d recommend Public Forum or Policy Debate. Contact Sonny Patel if you have any questions about which format is right for you.

If you do not have any formal debate background, sign up for novice/beginner. If you have finished your first year and are entering your second year of formal debate enter junior varsity/ intermediate. Finally, if you have more than two years of formal debate experience, sign up for varsity/advanced.

We are actively recruiting for camp instructors for all camps. If you have experience with either format and are interested in helping lead one of our camp sessions, apply here.