#1 Ranked 2026 Summer Debate Camps

Speech and Debate Summer Camps for Middle & High School Students

Structured camps for middle and high school students — built by classroom teachers and top-ranked debate coaches. From first speech to TOC prep, every level has a pathway. Hosted at the University of Illinois Chicago

Explore All Camps
A large group of students seated at round tables in a classroom, working on laptops and writing, with a projector screen at the front displaying a blue error screen.
Hosted By
Logo for Public Forum Boot Camp with a green hexagon containing a podium and microphone graphic next to bold black text.
5+

Years of Camp

500+

Students Trained

98%

Parent Satisfaction

30+

Expert Coaches

Classroom with students sitting at tables using laptops while an instructor writes notes on a whiteboard.
Instructor talking to three students sitting at tables with laptops in a classroom.

Who Are CDA Summer Camps For?

Any middle or high school student who wants to get better at debate — whether they've never competed or they're chasing a TOC bid. We run separate programs by experience level so beginners get real foundations, not trial by fire, and experienced debaters get coaching that actually pushes them forward.

Our Camp Options

Summer Debate Camps by Skill Level

CDA Speak event banner with dates July 12-22 in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a Chicago skyline silhouette and abstract shapes.
CDA Speak

First speech? Start here. A guided 10-day introduction to public speaking and Public Forum debate for complete beginners.

Introductory
Housing & Meals Included
July 12 - July 22, 2026
Learn MoreAdd to Cart
Graphic poster for CDA Launch event in Chicago, Illinois from July 12–22 featuring a stylized city skyline, stars, and waves in maroon, gold, and blue colors.
CDA Launch

Ready to compete? For novice and JV debaters building the skills to break into Varsity-level Public Forum.

Novice / JV
Housing & Meals Included
July 12 - July 22, 2026
Learn MoreAdd to Cart
PFBC Varsity event banner with dates July 12-22 in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a stylized city skyline and abstract shapes.
PFBC Varsity

Train with the best. Intensive PF prep for experienced competitors focused on elimination rounds, TOC qualification, and nationals.

Advanced / Varsity
Housing & Meals Included
July 12 - July 22, 2026
Learn More
Learn More

Why CDA Summer Debate Camps?

Group of nine diverse young adults standing and smiling in front of ASU Chandler Innovation Center sign with palm trees and buildings in the background.
Curriculum-Driven

Every camp follows a structured, day-by-day curriculum — not improvised lectures. Students always know what they're learning and why.

Active Learning

Practice rounds, speech redos, and real-time drills from day one. Students learn by doing, not by sitting through slides.

Boost Confidence

Low-pressure reps build confident speakers. Students practice in guided settings before competing — so they're ready, not rattled.

Competition-Ready Skills

Argument construction, flowing, refutation, crossfire, weighing — the specific PF skills that win rounds, taught in progression.

Debate Skills

Students learn by doing, with expert teachers building critical thinking.

Top-Tier Faculty

Coached by classroom teachers and nationally recognized debate coaches with results at NSDA Nationals, TOC, and state championships since 2016.

Bundle & Save

Bundle Camp + Accelerator to save $200!

Get a Head Start — Add CDA Accelerator

Online prep classes that run before camp starts. Students build foundational speaking and argumentation skills so they hit day one ready to go — not playing catch-up. Four programs matched by age and experience level.

Online — Live Classes
Pairs with any CDA summer camp
May 4th - June 28, 2026

Interested? Add a camp first, then select Accelerator as an add-on at checkout.

Explore Camps
Two young men in black suits and red ties holding large trophies, standing in front of a National Speech & Debate Association backdrop.
Logo for Public Forum Boot Camp with a green hexagon containing a podium and microphone graphic next to bold black text.

Hosted by
Public Forum Boot Camp

All CDA summer camps are run in partnership with PFBC — the nation's premier Public Forum training program. Same proven curriculum, same championship-level coaching staff, one seamless experience.

Learn More About PFBC
The Program Directors

The Camp Captains

Young man with glasses and short dark hair smiling, wearing a dark patterned button-up shirt, with blurred green trees in the background.
Bryce Piotrowski

Head Coach | St. Luke's

Bryce coached Public Forum for the Lakeville Debate Team, growing the squad from a couple of students to a nationally competitive squad of a dozen debaters. Bryce also served as the President of the student-run Minnesota NPDA and is the foudner of Public Forum Boot Camp

Smiling young woman with long light brown hair and green eyes wearing a light blue top on a pale pink background with thin red abstract lines.
Katheryne Dwyer

Director of Debate | Civic Debate Academy

Katheryne was top speaker at Harvard , top-5 speaker awards at Valley, Blake, and Bronx, semifinalist at the TOC, 2x champion of the Valley, finalist at the Harvard, and semifinalist at Blake. As a coach, Katheryne has worked as an assistant at Taipei American School as well as ISD and NSD

Five people standing behind a table with a debate state champion trophy, two young men in suits wear medals.
Christian Vazquez

Assistant Coach | The Blake School

Christian has worked as an assistant debate coach at the Blake School. Since then he has coached multiple invitational, state, and national champions, (NDCA and TOC) and was a Senior lab leader at the Harvard Debate Council’s Summer Workshops

8:1 Student-to-Coach Ratio

Championship Coaches Who Know How to Teach

Our staff aren't just award-winning debaters — they're trained educators. Every coach completes dozens of hours of instruction training before camp. That's why CDA students get coaching that actually transfers to competition results.

The camp staff list will be available soon...

What’s on your mind?

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CDA offer online or in-person classes?

CDA offers both online classes across the country and in-person class in Chicago to fit students’ needs, ensuring flexibility and access to high-quality coaching regardless of location. The National Debate Club Travel Team is hosted online with in-person and online tournaments.

‍

How can I get started with CDA?

Getting started is simple! Explore our class options with our easy to use class search tool or apply to join the National Debate Club for a competitive travel team.

‍

What makes CDA different from other debate organizations?

CDA provides a full-service academy experience, combining accountability, regular progress evaluations, competitive travel teams, and introductory classes. With everything students need to excel in debate, CDA ensures you never have to look elsewhere.

‍

What is the National Debate Club?

The National Debate Club is CDA’s elite competitive travel team, designed for top-performing students who are ready to compete on the national circuit. Members receive advanced coaching, access to top-tier tournaments, and support to secure TOC bids and achieve success at the highest levels of debate. Click here to learn more!

What is Civic Debate Academy (CDA)?

Civic Debate Academy (CDA) is a premier debate coaching organization dedicated to helping students improve critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills through expert-led classes, workshops, and competitive travel teams.

Stay in the loop with CDA ! Get the Latest News & updates
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Drop us an Email
hello@cdadebate.com
Call Us
+1 (872) 201-6583
Quick Navigation
Homepage
Why Debate?
Why CDA?
Travel Team
Classes
Apply to Coach
Top Cities
Chicago
New York
Vancouver
Miami
Austin
Portland
About CDA
Our Staff
Case Studies
Financial Aid
Try a Free Class
Our Results
More
Club Policies
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Blog
© 2025 Civic Debate Academy. All rights reserved.
Follow us:
Added to Cart !
Checkout NowContinue Shopping

Adding Item..

Please wait while we add your item to cart

Unknow Error!

We had issues, adding your item to cart.If you keep experiencing this issue,please reach out to us at
[hello@cdadebate.com]

Close
Classroom with students sitting at tables using laptops while an instructor writes notes on a whiteboard.
Instructor talking to three students sitting at tables with laptops in a classroom.

We have just launched CDA Camps!

CDA camps are now open for registration — structured programs for middle and high school students, led by experienced classroom teachers and top-ranked debate coaches. From beginners to advanced competitors, every student has a clear pathway to grow.

Learn More

Review & Confirm

Review your selections before adding them to your cart.

Red stylized letter C made of two concentric curved lines on a light pink background.

$CampName

Currently selected

Select type of student*

Stylized letter C logo with an arrow incorporated into the design.
CDA Accelerator - Add On

9 weeks of online prep before camp. Learn More

Bundle Offer $200 off

Tuition & Fees

Camp Price

$Price

CDA Accelerator (Add on)

$AccelPrice

Subtotal

-$Subtotal

Early Bird Discount

-$EarlyBD

Bundle Offer

(Save $200)

-$BundleD

Total Price

$TotalPrice

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.