KNOXVILLE — UTK Debate hosted a debate camp at Clayton-Bradley STEM Academy in Maryville, Tennessee earlier this month. The camp had 41 students from 6 different schools and home schools in attendance. The camp focused on teaching middle school and high school debaters the tools they will need to become better public speakers, researchers, and the art of persuasive speaking while increasing their rhetorical skills and confidence concurrently.

Throughout the morning, the campers moved into three, 30-minute breakout sessions, in which each camper could choose one of three topics available in each session. These breakout sessions covered lessons ranging from basic public speaking for beginners to advanced tips and tricks for more veteran debaters. Campers had the opportunity to learn effective preparatory research methods, how to communicate with a debate partner, rhetoric and confidence, and using evidence to their advantage.

After the morning’s sessions, everyone filed into the dining hall at Clayton Bradley Academy to hear from the day’s keynote speaker, UTK Debate alum and Knox County Chief Deputy Public Defender, Scott Carpenter. Carpenter’s speech focused on his debate career and how it assisted his journey as a public defender.

After lunch and a session in which UTK Debate’s Executive Team assisted in case prep, campers had the opportunity to debate with a partner in a Public Forum (PF)-style debate round, with two UTK Debate Executive Team members judging the round. The campers then had the opportunity to receive a quick debriefing, and later competed in another mock-debate round before the camp’s dismissal at 5pm.

UTK Debate President Mickayla Stogsdill, when asked about the benefits campers can expect to receive, explained, “In the short-run, the campers will learn invaluable tips and tricks which will likely lead to them winning more rounds and advancing further in tournaments. In the long-run, however, participants can expect to walk away with rhetorical confidence, strong research skills, and understanding fundamental aspects of debating both competitively and for day-to-day use.”

When asked the benefits he believes campers will receive, CBA Speech and Debate Coach detailed, “My hope is the camp encourages more students to engage in this life-changing extracurricular activity and East Tennessee debate becomes a nationally strong region.”

UTK Debate’s mission statement states, "The University of Tennessee Speech and Debate Society believes that excellent communication skills and the ability to have civil discourse are essential for empowering engaged citizens, skilled professionals, and honorable leaders in a global society. We connect, support, and inspire a diverse group of University of Tennessee students committed to excellence through competitive speech and debate activities." This camp served as a purview of our mission by providing invaluable skills to empower future university students to further the principles of open, civil discourse for all.