Each year more than 800,000 students will build their communication, leadership, cognitive and presentational skills through speech competition. Join the long list of competitive speech and debate alumni from from presidents to Supreme Court justices, from congressional leaders to entertainment greats. Oprah Winfrey, Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elizabeth Warren, Zach Efron, Josh Gad, Paul Rudd, Chadwick Boseman, Jessica Chastain and Stephen Colbert are only a few who found their voice through Competitive Speech.
Competitive Speech students pledge to uphold the highest standards of respect, integrity, leadership, humility and service. Their diplomas carry the honor seal and Speech students wear honor cords at graduation. Come join us this summer for a fun and exhilarating two weeks of games, activities, and hard work that will see you emerge as a poised and polished speaker, ready to begin a year of competition!All Competitive Individual Events Summer Sessions include:
- All Lectures/Seminars given by National Champion Coaches
- Small class sizes.
- Work one on one with National Champion Coaches
- Meet like-minded, motivated students
- Work on a major event and have the choice of a minor event
- Finish the institute with a competition-ready individual event
- Guaranteed catch-up, private coaching session during the upcoming competition season
- A final camp speech tournament
- A competitive speech packet with 100’s of tools and exercises so you can practice all year
Interpretive Events, which include Duo Interp,(Both Students Must Be Present), Humorous Interp, Dramatic Interp, Programmed Oral Interp, Prose/Poetry. You will learn how to choose material, learn the magic of cutting a play to 10 minutes, learn character voices, character positions, learn how to reveal subtext and objectives. You will walk away with a variety of interpretive techniques to take with you so that you can practice at home.
Platform and Writing Events, which include Original Oratory, Original Advocacy, Expository/Informative. Students will be guided through the entire writing journey from choosing, clarifying and perfecting a topic, where and how to research, drafting a speech (Problem/Cause/Solution), practicing and learning the magic of delivery. You will have hands-on help from start to finish.
Limited Prep Events, include Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu. Here you will focus on speech prep, outlining a winning speech, research, structure, cause and effect, and learning techniques that will improve your overall public speaking in rounds.
Interp Events Curriculum Topics by Week
Week 1
- What is Competitive Speech?
- What are the Events?-Breaking down all of the competitve speech events. Dramatic, Humourous, Duo, Prose, Poetry and Programed Oral Interp.
- Preparation- What are Warm Ups? Tounge Twisters?. Will break down how Focusing, Concentration, Breathing, and Diction for speech all relate to interp.
- -How to find and cut a script- You will learn where to find and utilize all the resources you will need to find the perfect script and learn how to craft the best cutting for you.
- Memorization- Learn the best tips to memorizing.
- Campfire Performance- Will perform the first 3-4 minutes of your interpretation for a fun night under the stars!!
- Physical Approach to Interp- Will learn the fundamentals to character and body positions. Will practice the top three character poses in interp. Will work on the tuning of your body as it is your instrument for performance. Will breakdown physical gestures and how characters are revealed through body positions.
- Finding and Creating a Character Voice- will create a character voice map that will breakdown- pitch, Tone, Tempo, Rhythmn, Flucuation, Voice Placement
- Professionalism and Ettiquette at Touranaments- You are judged from the minute you set foot at a tournament. Become a serious contender by understanding what a dress code is, knowing your space in a round, Exercise positive behavior ina round, The in's and Out's of delivering an intro, the art of listening, Focus, Focus. What is winning and losing gracefully, how to breakdown a ballot, what is useful and what is not, understanding appreciation nd respect at tournaments and being physically and mentally fit for competition.
- End of Camp Mock Tournament- Camp will end with a camp wide interp tournament to be judged by speech champions and coaches.
Limited Prep Curriculum Outline by Week
Week 1
- Understanding Limited Prep Speaking -Students will be introduced to the categories (extemporaneous speaking and impromptu) and start to understand how to thrive in them
- Foundational Argument Structure
- Understanding the 30-Minute Preparation -Students will undergo a step by step training in how to tackle single-speech prep
- Attention Getting Devices and Transitions
- LP Delivery Practice -Students will engage in a number of activities to understand how to give speeches they just write with confidence and grace
- Memorization Strategies
- Foundational Content Lecture: The US and World Economy -In the content lecture series, students will participate in highly interactive sessions while gaining a key advantage in contextualizing future content knowledge
- Foundational Content Lecture: US and World Politics
- Campfire Performance- Will perform speeches as a part of a fun night under the stars!!
Week 2
- Speaking with Fluency
- Personality in Limited Prep
- Universal Thinking Critically -In a highlight session, students will apply their LP skills to the most off-the-wall prompts, reminding them that anything is an opportunity for critical thinking
- Foundational Content Lecture: Foreign Policy and International Relations
- Foundational Content Lecture: Science, Technology, and the Environment
- Foundational Content Lecture: Human Rights and Social Issues
- Practice and Team Strategies in LP -Students will explore techniques they will be able to take home to perfect the skills they learned at camp
- Understanding Tournaments
- End of Camp Mock Tournament- Camp will end with a camp-wide tournament to be judged by speech champions and coaches.
