Lexington Debate Institute

We want to make sure that our students have an enjoyable experience, but we also want to make sure that they leave the Institute having improved in our three target areas: argument structure, research skills, and presentation. Every day will feature a new skill to master. We'll begin with an introduction to argument structure, learning how to construct and deconstruct basic arguments, eventually working our way towards critiquing the structure behind entire argumentative essays. After that, we'll switch gears into honing our research skills, going far beyond a simplistic google search to learn how high school and college researchers get the job done. Next, we'll work on speaking, learning how to speak efficiently and effectively, employing the three pillars of persuasion: ethos, logos, and pathos. Once we've mastered these three core target areas, we'll put them together in mini debates using the structure of Public Forum. The Institute will culminate in a tournament, with the final debate given in front of the entire student body.