This "performance" based squad with Open Tryouts, is for students wanting to make debate one of their primary dedications in the coming years. You may think of this like being on a competitive sport club or junior Olympics of academia.
A number of our students have shown the aptitude and have cultivated enough skill to move on to the next step of debate. Many people often wonder where debate can take them. We are lucky enough to have several world class universities right in our back yard, but debate does NOT stop there! Some of our students are ready to begin competing on what is called the debate “circuit”, which consists of an elite collection of debate events. They take place all across the United States and a number are in fact local as well. However, there are some limitations as well. Due to the massive national popularity of these events, many cap the number of entrants we may have. This leads to a very tricky situation on my part, of choosing which debate teams to send. To solve this problem and address this opportunity at the same time, we will be creating a brand new Competition Debate Team! We will be having open tryouts for students from all schools, ages, and levels of experience, to see who may join. Students will have to fill out an application, get permission from their teachers, and have the blessing of their parents. There will be a strict code of conduct and high requirements to participate. Students will also be required to attend several tournaments, including traveling to at least one tournament per year. Being a part of the competition debate team is a privilege, not a right. Students must earn their place and work to maintain it. The students that show the grit and capability of being a part of this team, will be rewarded for their dedication. They will also have the first opportunity to enter elite tournaments like Stanford, Berkeley, SCU and Yale. This class will have no beginners. It will be the absolute highest level. We will be discussing ANY issue that is occurring in the world. Students and their parents must be prepared for this. There will also be challenges and responsibilities outside of class. Once you qualify for the Competition Debate Team and participate for at least one month, you will be given priority entry into all tournaments. This is especially important for limited entry events such as major University Tournaments (Stanford, Berkeley, Yale, etc.) along with States, Nationals and circuit TOC. |
2018-19 Competition Team Details
Wednesdays from 6 - 8 pm
1st - 12th Grade Team Open to students from all schools Requirements
$525
Discounts & Scholarships (see Registration for details) |
Yearly Class Schedule Breakdown
Fall: 9/19 - 12/12 (No class: 10/17, 10/31 & 11/21) Winter: 1/16 - 3/20 (No class: 2/20) Spring: 4/15 - 6/3 |
Menlo-Atherton High School: 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, CA