Official Announcement of the 2013 Chicago Middle School Debate Institute

The Chicago Middle School Debate Institute (CMSDI) is a one-week training camp for all debaters in the Chicago Middle School Debate League designed to teach new debaters the competitive academic debate format and topic, and to improve the skills of returning debaters, preparing them for a successful 2013/14 debate season.

Dates, Times, Location

The 2013 Chicago Middle School Debate Institute will be held July 29th – August 2nd, Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 3:30pm.

The location is Ogden International School, West Campus, 1250 W. Erie St. Ogden School is on the near north side of the city, two blocks southeast of the CTA Blue Line, Chicago stop.

Curriculum, Schedule, and Instructors

The CMSDI has a finely honed curriculum that emphasizes skills building and that is based on the Chicago Debate Summer Institute program, now in its 16th year. The CMSDI serves every level of debate experience — from raw beginner just recently recruited to three-year Varsity veteran– with carefully drawn lab groupings, instructor placement, and individualized learning strategies that ensure that every student attending the CMSDI leaves it an improved debater, and ready for CMSDL Tournament One.

A daily schedule will be posted on the CDL site later this summer.

The CMSDI will be staffed by some of the most accomplished and best-qualified high school and middle school debate coaches.

Additional Provisions

Lunch, but not breakfast, will be provided free daily.

Each student participating will receive a set of 2013/14 CMSDL Core Files and filing materials.

Student incentives will be provided.

CTA passes will be provided daily.

Fee and Tuition

All students must pay a $25 registration fee. The registration fee should be paid by each individual student, not by the school, since its primary purpose is to reduce attrition (to help ensure that the student attends). Tuition is an additional $100 ($125 total), though there are tuition reductions or waivers in instances of financial need.

Please contact Les for the tuition reduction or waiver appeal procedure.

Registration

Each interested student should submit a completed 2013 CMSDI Registration Form by July 8th. Coaches should monitor their interested students’ registration and can submit their students’ electronic forms.

We encourage all CMSDL schools to take full advantage of the very first ever Chicago Middle School Debate Institute this summer! Your students will be very glad they took part!