PHS Summer Speech & Debate Camp

For students entering 6th - 9th grade in Fall 2020

Parents, do you see these characteristics in your child?

• Strong Academics
• Articulate
• Competitive
  
• Dramatic
• Informative
• Leadership
  
• Persuasive
• Self-Motivated
• Well-reasoned
  

If so, they might have what it takes for speech and debate!

High school speech & debate offers students the opportunity to compete in a platform that develops a student’s advocacy skills, public speaking ability, and fosters critical thinking on socially significant topics.

Under the guidance of the Prosper High School speech & debate coach and varsity debaters, students who attend the Prosper Speech & Debate Camp will focus on one of the following events (student's choice):

• Public Forum Debate (default for incoming 6th and 7th graders): This event is a two-on-two team debate. Teams debate each other on a predetermined resolution that is based on current events. Designed to be accessible to the public, the goal for each team in Public Forum is to convince the judge that their side of the debate is preferable. The judge is responsible for evaluating each team’s arguments and determining which side presented their position more effectively.
  
  
• Lincoln-Douglas Debate (default for incoming 8th and 9th graders): This event is a one-on-one debate event. Topics range from individual freedom versus the collective good to economic development versus environmental protection. Students may consult evidence gathered prior to the debate. An entire debate is roughly 45 minutes and consists of constructive speeches, rebuttals, and cross-examination.
  
  
• Congressional Debate: This event is a simulation of the U.S. legislative process. In this event, students generate a series of bills and resolutions for debate and alternate delivering speeches for and against the topic in a group setting. Students are assessed on their research, argumentation, and delivery skills, as well as their knowledge and use of parliamentary procedure.
  
  
• Extemporaneous Speaking: In this event, students are presented with a choice of three questions related to current events in the United States and, in 30 minutes, prepare a seven-minute speech answering tone of the proposed questions. Students may consult articles and evidence they gather prior to the contest, but may not use the internet during preparation. Topics range from political matters to economic concerns to U.S. foreign policy. The speech is delivered from memory.
  
  
• Oral Interpretation: In this event, students use a play, short story, or other published work, to perform a selection of one or more portions of a piece up to ten minutes in length. With a spotlight on character development and depth, Dramatic Interpretation focuses on a student’s ability to convey emotion through the use of a dramatic text. Humorous Interpretation is designed to test a student’s comedic skills through script analysis, delivery, timing, and character development. Competitors may portray one or multiple characters.
  
  

Students will also learn about other forms of Speech & Debate competition available to them at the high school level. 

Summer 2020 Camp Details:

• Location: Google Meets
• Dates & Times: June  8 - 10, 2020 (8 am to 4 pm)
• Cost:
• $75  (includes all supplies)
  

Register online at: https://forms.gle/jC48eiwD6cUqSNRk9

Deadline to sign up is June 6, 2020

For questions, please contact Seth Phillips, J.D. at slphillips@prosper-isd.net