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Program Info: SK Debate Institute 2025

  • Writer: Staff Writer
    Staff Writer
  • 1 day ago
  • 2 min read

Are you ready to develop powerful communication skills, master persuasive argumentation, and join a community of articulate young leaders? SK is excited to announce our 2025 Speech & Debate Institute: an intensive one-week program designed to transform participants into confident public speakers and skilled debaters.


Why Speech & Debate Matters

Speech & Debate isn't just a competitive activity—it's a life-changing educational experience that builds skills essential for success in today's communication-driven world:

  • Critical thinking and analytical reasoning through constructing and deconstructing arguments

  • Persuasive speaking and rhetorical excellence refined through various speech and debate formats

  • Research and evidence evaluation developed through case preparation and rebuttal

  • Confident public presence cultivated through regular performance and feedback

  • Adaptability and quick thinking strengthened through impromptu and extemporaneous events

These skills extend far beyond tournaments, preparing participants for success in college applications, academic endeavors, and any number of prospective career paths.


Bootcamp Structure: One Week of Immersive Learning

Our virtual bootcamp runs from June 15-21, 2025, and our curriculum is heavily practice-oriented:

  • Lectures: Get a deep-dive into competitive speech & debate formats—and some of the informal best practices/skills that can give you an edge

  • Daily Skills Workshops: Get hands-on practice and feedback on argument construction, evidence analysis, cross-examination techniques, and delivery styles

  • Assignments: Draft and receive personalized feedback on speeches and cases to get a taste of how you can improve your skills ahead of your next tournament

Participants will leave with a portfolio of practical resources, including argument templates, strategic flowcharts, evidence organization systems, and performance techniques they can immediately apply at their next competition.


Program Instructors

 

Swasti

Swasti is a freshman at the University of Michigan (and recent Success Koach alumni!); she is pursuing a track in Urban Technology and is passionate about about how cities of the future will incorporate data science and technology. In high school, public speaking was a big part of Swasti's life, with 8 years of debate experience and 4 years of high school model UN, and she is more than ready to bring that expertise to SK students! While she loves a good debate, she also is fostering a long-time passion for writing, with 4 years of experience as Editor-in-Chief for her school's yearbook under her belt. For fun, she enjoys spending time with her family (+dog!), taking pictures on her DSLR, and exploring San Francisco with friends.

 

Tessa Conrardy

Tessa recently graduated from Harvard with her BA in Government and her MA in Regional Studies of Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. In the course of her work on Russia and the post-Soviet space, Tessa has competed and presented in a number of public speaking capacities. Tessa placed first in the advanced division Speech Contest at the 2024 New England Olympiada of Spoken Russian. Tessa has also presented her research during conferences at Columbia and Harvard, and has spoken on academic panels—most recently, during a conference at Tbilisi State University.

 

To learn more about speech & debate, check out our other speech & debate blog posts!



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