HELMSMEN INSTITUTE CAMPS
Our Camps offer a unique experience by providing students with expert training and teaching from veteran alumni champions, many of whom placed top 10 in the nation in each of their respective categories. For debate, the Helmsmen camp offers a unique approach by providing lectures geared to educate students on the events and timelines surrounding cases for this year’s debate resolutions, while providing cutting-edge research and portable skills to maximize their potential. For speech, we offer in-depth training on how to master every speech event, and how to specialize in each category. Our champion staff is dedicated to challenging and honing your student’s skill set. The Helmsmen Institute is proud to offer two camps that are specifically dedicated to speech and debate, each lasting an entire week, that will not only give your student a jumpstart on the year but will provide them with skills and techniques that will last a lifetime.
LEVELS OF LEARNING
learners
The Learner’s Track is perfect for new speakers and debaters who are unfamiliar with speech and debate as a whole. They will receive training that helps them to have an understanding of limited prep, platform and interpretive speaking events, as well as to develop their critical thinking skills, overcome obstacles, and develop a solid understanding of the structure of debate.
intermediate
The Intermediate Track is perfect for competitors with some experience in speech and debate, but who are still mastering their speaking and argumentation skills. They will receive training that helps them build upon their strengths, develop their argumentation style and technique, and gain a topic specific education to help them grow and succeed.
ADVANCED
The Advanced Track is perfect for advanced competitors who have seen success, but want to continue sharpening and improving their skills. While they will still review fundamentals and receive topic specific education, they will also be uniquely challenged to become better equipped and unencumbered by ineffective methods, ready to approach the next competitive season as the best speakers and debaters they can be.
PARENTS
The Parent Track is perfect for parents who are interested in receiving topic specific education and training for coaching. Parents learn how to encourage, edify, and ultimately challenge their students to grow into a virtuous and accomplished speaker and/or debater.
DEBATE CAMP
LINCOLN DOUGLAS
Lincoln Douglas sessions will offer a philosophical analysis of the resolution, with lectures geared to educate students on the underpinnings of the resolution while providing cutting-edge research and portable skills. Through analysis of fundamental Lincoln Douglas argumentation and detailed analysis of complex moral framework, our staff will provide students with a never before offered educational and challenging approach to teaching value theory.
TEAM POLICY
Team Policy sessions will offer in-depth lectures that break down the foundations of Policy Debate, and will provide students with essential tools and strategies required to master Policy. Each of our lecturers are highly experienced veteran Alumni and coaches in Team Policy and will bring a wide array of unique and expert knowledge on the nuances of Team Policy. Students will take away an expanded knowledge of argumentation and analysis of Policy Topics. They will be taught stock issues and debate theory at their most competitive and strategic level to succeed.
PARLI
DEBATE
Parliamentary Debate. Helmsmen’s Parliamentary Debate sessions will offer an approach and expertise found at no other camp. All presenters are highly accomplished and experienced in this increasingly popular and rigorous form of debate. Students will build a foundation of strength by focusing on refining time management, research, and mental agility. The student will take away the skills, tools and understanding necessary to reach new heights in Parli.
SPEECH CAMP
The Helmsmen Speech Camp will cover some of the most exciting and challenging events in the league. Campers will have the benefit of working with camp staff that will take the time to help them excel in their delivery, discover their speaking persona, learn how to craft their speeches, and most of all engage in speaking in a way that reflects a Christian Worldview.
PLATFORM
SPEECHES
Platform speech competitors will improve their rhetorical skills while learning how to craft a creative and compelling message that stands out and has an impact on the audience, all while maintaining their voice.
Interpretive speakers will learn how to make literature come to life by diving into the processes that make an interp both enjoyable and successful. Expect growth in the many skills and abilities necessary for understanding literature, as well as the editing process and performance of an interpretive speech.
Limited Prep competitors will learn how to do research that demonstrates their understanding of the material, how to manage their prep time, and how to prepare their hearts and minds to give a speech that is compelling, well-reasoned and impactful.