Coaching Students to Their Highest Debating Potential

https://www.virginiadebate.com/

2026 SUMMER CLASSES

Virginia Debate Academy is excited to open registration for our summer debate camp!

Camp Location: 3460 Centreville Road, Chantilly, VA 20151

Updated: 01/31/2026

Virginia Debate Academy is Open for Summer 2026 Registration!

Unlock your student’s potential this summer with a program that builds confidence, critical thinking, and leadership skills through competitive debate.

Why Choose Virginia Debate Academy (VDA)?

Students learn through interactive instruction, with Socratic seminars, lectures, workshops, mock debates, and public speaking activities.

Students develop essential skills in:

Argumentation

Critical Thinking

Collaboration

Communication

Public Speaking

Research

What Students Will Experience

• A minimum of 3 full debates (many complete 4–5)

• 5+ public speaking activities in addition to debate rounds

• Daily office hours for individualized help and feedback

• A pressure-tested debate case, prep routine, and tournament-ready materials

• Free case review for students who compete in their first tournament after camp

A Proven Record of Success

• VDA students have won WACFL Metro Finals, the VHSL State Tournament, and the Middle School National Championship, and have succeeded at numerous national invitational tournaments.

• Alumni grow into confident leaders and gain admission to top colleges including Duke, Harvard, Princeton, UVA, William & Mary, and more.

• Our curriculum is developed by instructors with over a decade of coaching experience, seven Virginia State Championships, and professional backgrounds in public policy, law, and consulting, blending real-world insight with competitive excellence.

Program Details

When: July 13–17, 2026 or July 20–24, 2026

Where: Chantilly, Virginia

Who: Students in Grades 7–12

Register Today

https://www.virginiadebate.com/camps

Registration Open: 2026 SUMMER CLASSES

At Virginia Debate Academy camps in Chantilly, Virginia, debaters participate in numerous Socratic seminars, workshops, and debates to hone their research, public speaking, and analytic capabilities. Our curriculum, which covers traditional and progressive styles, provides debaters with the critical thinking skills, research ability, and institutional knowledge to excel on local, state, and national debate circuits. Please review our curriculum page for more information, including the class schedules.

Class Location: 3460 Centreville Road, Chantilly, VA 20151

Curriculum

Introduction to Competitive Debate: Middle School

Grades: 6-8
Experience: 0-2 years
July 13 – July 17 2026
9 AM – 3 PM
Spots: Open

Tuition: $725
Early Bird Special: $650 (Ends March 1, 2026)

What’s included

Minimum 3 full practice debates (many students complete 4–5), Public Forum format
5 public speaking activities in addition to debates
Daily office hours (1 hour) for extra help and individual feedback (7–8 PM ET on Zoom)
Free case review for students who compete in the first tournament of the season after camp

Students will leave with

A pressure-tested debate case and prep routine
A starter case + blocks
Personalized feedback (optional)

Competitive Debate: High School

Grades: 9-12
Experience: 0-2 Years
July 20 – July 24 2026
9 AM – 3 PM
Spots: Open

Tuition: $725
Early Bird Special: $650 (Ends March 1, 2026)

What’s included

Minimum 3 full practice debates (many students complete 4–5), Public Forum format
5 public speaking activities in addition to debates
Daily office hours (1 hour) for extra help and individual feedback (7–8 PM ET on Zoom)
Free case review for students who compete in the first tournament of the season after camp

Students will leave with

A pressure-tested debate case and prep routine
A starter case + blocks
Personalized feedback (optional)

Private Coaching

All Grades and Experience

For students that cannot attend camp dates or are looking for coaching during the season, private tutor sessions are available. Tutor schedules are flexible.

Email Us

Curriculum

Virginia Debate Academy’s teaching team is composed of 7x Virginia State Champions that are dedicated to creating similar success for their students. Our instructors have success on the local, state, and national circuit in their respective debating and coaching careers. Current and former VDA teachers hold degrees from or are studying fields pertinent to competitive debate at top colleges. Our unique curriculum was developed by coaches who have experience or are career professionals at elite consulting and public policy firms.

At VDA, we understand how impactful speech and debate can be in a student’s academic and professional life. Our curriculum is designed to equip students with core skills they can use in their personal and later professional lives, even if they do not pursue a competitive team at their respective institution.

During camp, students participate in lectures, workshops, Socratic seminars, games, mock debates, and other public speaking activities to learn and practice competitive debate. They research and present on different topics, including past and present resolutions debated on the competitive circuit. Our low teacher-student ratio provides students ample time and resources to learn and practice the material. Students receive individualized feedback from instructors on their work, in addition to their classmates’ responses.

Introduction to Competitive Debate

Day 1:
Students are introduced to the world of competitive debate with an overview of debate formats and structures. They learn how to construct a debate case, explore the fundamentals of research and card cutting. This foundational day sets the stage for effective argument development and critical analysis.
Day 2:
Focus shifts to the art of rebuttal as students learn the fundamentals of crafting rebuttal speeches. Instruction in weighing and metaweighing techniques equips them to assess the impact of various arguments.
Day 3:
Emphasis is placed on strategizing for the second half of the debate. Students develop their public speaking skills, engage in mock debates, and participate in intensive debate preparation sessions—building confidence and enhancing their ability to think on their feet.
Day 4:
The day is dedicated to review and refinement. Through evidence comparison exercises and round strategy sessions, students consolidate their learning and fine-tune their techniques in preparation for formal competition.
Day 5:
The week culminates with a debate tournament, offering students the opportunity to apply their newly acquired skills in a competitive setting and receive real-time feedback.

Introduction to Competitive Debate Schedule

Day 1

Introduction to Competitive Debate

Constructing a Debate Case

Fundamentals of Research/Cards

Resolution

Position Paper Topic Selection

Day 2

Fundamentals of the Rebuttal Speech

Weighing/Metaweighing

Crossfire

Position Paper Presentation

Judge Adaptation

Day 3

Strategizing the Second Half of the Debate

Fundamentals of Public Speaking

Mock Debate

Debate Preparation

Day 4

Review

Evidence Comparison

Round Strategy

Debate Preparation

Day 5

Debate tournament

Advanced Debate

Day 1:
The advanced class begin with in-depth casing techniques, narrative building, and the application of the Toulmin model of argumentation. Students explore sophisticated round strategies.
Day 2:
The focus moves to advanced weighing and metaweighing practices, along with developing comprehensive summaries and final focus strategies. Instruction in strategizing the rebuttal, including logical rebuttals, further refines students’ competitive edge, supported by rigorous debate preparation.
Day 3:
This day emphasizes judge adaptation and an understanding of judge psychology, helping debaters to tailor their delivery to different adjudication styles. Philosophical concepts are introduced to deepen argumentative frameworks, and advanced public speaking techniques—such as speaking quickly yet clearly—are practiced intensively.
Day 4:
A thorough review day allows for the integration of kritiks into debate strategies and revisits advanced crossfire techniques. Ongoing debate preparation ensures that every detail is honed in anticipation of competitive performance.
Day 5:
The advanced class concludes with a debate tournament, where students demonstrate their mastery of advanced techniques and receive critical feedback to further improve their skills.

Advanced Debate Schedule

Day 1

Advanced Casing

Building a narrative
Toulmin model of argumentation

Round Strategy

Statistics in Debate

Post hoc errors

Resolution

Day 2

Advanced Weighing

Metaweighing

Advanced Summary/final focus

Strategizing The Rebuttal and Logical Rebuttals

Debate Preparation

Day 3

Judge adaptation/judge Psychology

Philosophical Concepts in Debate

Public Speaking – speaking fast, well

Debate Preparation

Day 4

Review

Kritiks in Debate

Crossfire Revisited

Debate Preparation

Day 5

Debate Tournament

Other topics covered in our courses and private coaching:

Argumentation and Analysis

Logic and Fallacies
Weighing
Rebuttal Strategies
Topicality
Framework (when applicable)

Crossfire

Beginner Crossfire
Advanced Crossfire

Judging

Judge Psychology
Judge Adaptation

Progressive

Theory
Kritiks
Spreading

Research and Case Development

Beginner Research
Advanced Research
Cards
Beginner Case Writing
Advanced Case Writing

Public Speaking

Introduction to Public Speaking
Advanced Public Speaking
Impromptu Speaking
Extemporaneous Speaking

Specialized Debate Topics

Economics
International Relations
Comparative Politics
Political Theory
Ethics

Middle School Students:

Since 2015, VDA has worked with a number of middle schools—including Rachel Carson Middle School and Nysmith School for the Gifted—in the northern Virginia area. VDA instructors have worked closely with coaches, parents, and students to improve local debate programs, including establishing a program at Franklin Middle School. In addition to students attending our summer and winter camps and receiving private coaching, we have conducted mock tournaments, team coaching, case review, and provided input on team selection. Our students have won the Middle School National Championship and gone on to captain their High School debate teams. VDA’s continued work in the region helps us prepare middle school students for their competitive team tryouts and circuit.

Middle school and introductory courses cover all of the fundamentals of competitive debate, including public speaking, topic analysis, argumentation, research, critical thinking, and more. VDA students are introduced to basic research skills and source analysis. During our writing sessions, students have the opportunity to practice source integration, argumentative writing, in addition to practicing the many other areas covered in class.

Parliamentary and public forum formats are used for mock debates, the most common formats on the competitive circuit. VDA students work with high school topics, allowing them to explore important and challenging topics and issues. Through mock and impromptu debates, extemporaneous speaking activities, evidence and crossfire workshops, students will have the opportunity to research a variety of topics of their interest.

High School Students:

VDA has conducted similar work with high schools in the state. Students from successful programs—Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Oakton High School, Chantilly High School, Broad Run High School, Walt Whitman High School, and more—regularly attend or receive private coaching at VDA. Like our instructors, these students bring a breadth of experience on the local, state, and national circuit that improves the learning environment for the class. VDA has also taught coaches in the northern Virginia region, and our instructors have run debate teams at local schools. Such experience gives VDA faculty special insight into the competitive circuit on the local, state, and national circuit.

Our high school course covers all of the fundamentals of debate, including public speaking, effective questioning and note-taking, critical thinking, research, and more. Students will research interesting topic areas related to debate, develop position papers and speeches on challenging moral and policy questions, and complete multiple mock debates throughout the week. Students will also be introduced to both traditional and progressive debate styles.

Students in our varsity courses will build on their knowledge in the aforementioned areas and experience on the competitive circuit to hone their skills. VDA’s advanced courses dive deeper into specific forms of argumentation, speaking and case-writing techniques, research, and critical thinking activities to help students succeed on the local, state, and national circuit. VDA uniquely provides students the opportunity to learn from teachers that have professional experience in public speaking and public policy.

VDA participants often have national circuit and debate camp experience. Our students speak about their experiences at other national camps and tournaments, enriching the learning environment.

VDA alumni have championed Varsity and Junior Varsity WACFL Metrofinals, the Virginia State Championship tournament, the Middle School National championship, and reached outrounds at top national invitational tournaments.

Virginia Debate Academy

OUR VISION

Based in Fairfax, Virginia Debate Academy was founded in 2015 and has worked with over 300 students and coaches from over fifty-five schools in Virginia, including selective magnet high schools and nationally-ranked middle schools.

VDA is dedicated to providing a quality debate education to students of all backgrounds. We believe all students should have the opportunity to explore important topics, develop their critical thinking, find their inner voice, and have fun.

Directors & Instructors

Jonah Williams

Jonah Williams co-founded the Virginia Debate Academy with Benjamin Fisher in 2015. Jonah earned his B.A. in Political Science from the College of William & Mary in 2018.

Jonah has taught over fifty courses on public speaking, argumentation, research, and critical thinking during the past decade. His students have won awards at all three national tournaments and multiple national invitationals and have championed WACFL Metrofinals and the Virginia State Championship tournament. When he was the coach of the Chantilly High School Debate Team, the team won over 15 trophies in one year. He has built or reinvigorated four debate programs in Northern Virginia and frequently consults with local debate programs. Jonah has overseen VDA fundraising programs for local debate teams and led seminars for multiple non-profits.

As a competitor, Jonah won the Arlington Diocese once and earned two semifinal bids at WACFL Metrofinals. On the state circuit, Jonah won numerous district titles, one regional championship, and the State tournament in 2013. On the national circuit, Jonah qualified for nationals three times, where he placed in the top 32 when he was a sophomore and reached semifinals at two national invitationals.

Ben Fisher

Ben Fisher co-founded the Virginia Debate Academy with Jonah Williams in 2015. Ben has a B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of Virginia and currently works as a research specialist for the Gartner Business Newsdesk.

He has been coaching students for eight years at local schools, including being the coach of Rachel Carson’s debate team which placed 1st and 3rd at Nationals and being the principle consultant for Freedom High School’s debate program. He was an instructor at numerous camps over the years, teaching hundreds of students ranging from 5th to 12th grade. He was the head captain for Chantilly High School’s back-to-back state championship team.

As a debater, he was ranked the best debater in Virginia three years straight by the National Speech and Debate Association. Ben placed 3rd at three national invitational tournaments, and competed in elimination rounds at numerous other national invitationals. In the WACFL circuit, Ben remained undefeated in Public Forum for two years and qualified for Varsity Metro Finals in Public Forum, Lincoln Douglas, and Student Congress. Ben placed in Impromptu and Extemporaneous forensics events at regional level VHSL tournaments, where his speech team won sweepstakes four years in a row.

Instructors

Jennifer Cheung

Jennifer Cheung received her B.S.Ed. from the University of Virginia in 2022, and she has been teaching upper elementary school students in Fairfax County for the past three years. She also works closely with secondary school students to develop their writing and critical thinking skills, focusing on crafting compelling arguments and mastering the writing process—key components of success in debate and academic pursuits. Through her mentorship, she helps students refine their research, analysis, and communication abilities while preparing for higher education. Jennifer draws on her experience as an educator and tutor to help VDA create a dynamic and engaging classroom environment during summer debate camps, enabling students to build confidence and achieve measurable growth in their skills. As the varsity captain of her high school policy debate team, Jennifer achieved success at both the local and state levels.

Our Services

CAMPS

VDA camps consist of lectures, workshops, Socratic seminars, and games that teach students the skills necessary to excel in competitive debate. Our unique curriculum fosters students’ critical thinking, argumentation, and public speaking skills.

SCHOOL COACHING

Virginia Debate Academy has extensive experience with middle school debate, coaching Rachel Carson Middle School to first place overall at Urban Debate Nationals in 2015. Coaching includes lectures on advanced debate techniques, judging for mock debates, case review, and topic analysis. We can also help your school establish a team.

CASE REVIEW

We critique cases provided to us to improve overall quality. Critiques focus on argumentative strategy, evidence strength, and rhetorical impact.

PRIVATE COACHING

Want to work one-on-one with a VDA teacher? Our instructors are available for personal coaching sessions upon contact. Please contact us if interested.

Last update: 01/31/2026

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