Premier debate & critical thinking classes for 5th to 12th grade students nationwide
Invest in the lifelong gift of public speaking.
Overview
Eloquence Academy offers engaging academic debate classes and summer camps.
Hosted online and in-person at select community centers, our flagship classes offer a scaffolded introduction into the world of research, argumentation, and academic debate. Public Forum Debate and the Canadian National Debate Format are taught in an effective classroom environment that is inclusive, equitable, and intellectually stimulating. Over the course of two years, students embark on a journey from public speaking novices to confident debaters ready to tackle national circuit tournaments.
Each year, during the second week of August, we host our summer camp, Impactful Storytelling. Students across all experience and grade levels gather virtually to re-connect with friends after a long summer and hone their skills for the fast-approaching competitive season. The morning is exclusively dedicated to debate, offering a combination of lectures, topic analysis presentations, drills, prep sessions, and practice rounds. In the afternoon, students may choose from a variety of elective courses. Throughout the week, students work towards a camp-wide intramural tournament on Friday.
Program Eligibility
✔️ You are in the 4th through 12th grades at the time of registration
✔️ You have stable internet connection (online classes)
✔️ You are able to commute to one of our community learning centers (in-person classes)
✔️ You have permission to register from a parent or legal guardian
✔️ No fees or tuition for any classes
Classes and summer camps in debate take students on an adventure of discovery and growth where curiosity is celebrated and confidence knows no bounds.
More Than Just Debate
Our mission extends beyond competition.
In 2023, we launched the Beyond Debate Initiative, expanding our educational offerings through complimentary programming and partnerships. We equip students with practical, real-world skills that complement the critical thinking, communication, and leadership developed in debate.
Lead Donors
AmeriCorps
Anonymous (2)
Arizona State University
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
Ashoka Changemakers
Bezos Family Foundation
Bill of Rights Institute
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Chicheng Cui
Chloe Kimball
Cornell University
Corporation for National & Community Service
David Hamburger
FirstBook Foundation
GoGift
Google LLC
GripTape Inc.
Hershey Company
Isabella Newman
Jake Weiss
Jee Eun Lee
Karma for Cara Foundation
Liam Glass
Marc Heinrich
Melissa Urfirer Gottesman
Michael Gormley
Microsoft
National Youth Leadership Council
New Jersey Governor’s Office of Volunteerism
Points of Light
Prabhkaran Gopalakrishnan
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Russell Berrie Foundation
Santosh Bari
Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation
Soyon Lee
Splunk Technologies
Srikanth Kollipara
State of New Jersey
Steven Peterson
The Purpose Commons
Youth Service America
YouTube
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Finding Your Voice
We believe that comfort and confidence with public speaking are best acquired through consistent practice and constructive feedback. To this end, we offer a substantive course catalog, a leveled pathway to mastery, and diverse personalized learning structures.
Core Values
Faculty — Holistic Support — Joyful Learning
Faculty
Recruiting experts in their field
Our faculty are a group of dynamic, stimulating, and passionate scholars who make courses come alive for their students. Many competed in debate, often ranking as high as the top 1% of the nation. However, we recognize that a list of accolades does not always translate to the most effective instruction. To this end, we partnered with the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University (ASU). All faculty complete micro-credentials and professional development classes from ASU to acquire mastery in pedagogy.
Holistic Support
Building lifelong skills
While our coaches are passionate and highly dedicated to the act of debating itself, Eloquence Academy commits itself to educating the next generation of dynamic and eloquent leaders. By the time they graduate, we hope our students leave with a sense of self-confidence that can anchor them wherever they go—ready to shape communities with authenticity, purpose, and personal voice. Our field trips, experiential learning, and electives support students’ academic and personal journeys beyond the classroom walls.
Joyful Learning
Cultivating a lifelong love of learning
Eloquence Academy is an educational organization. Above all, we provide enriching experiences that are fun and encourage openness, collaboration, and thirst for further learning. From the earliest classes, students are encouraged to explore their interests and deliver passionate speeches. As their skills and knowledge grow, with the support and guidance of faculty, those interests blossom into creative, polished speeches that are deeply meaningful and relevant to their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are classes hosted?
1
Classes are offered year-round, with each semester lasting 10 weeks. The fall semester runs from October through December. Winter Break takes place from late December through January, during which no programs are held. The spring semester runs from February through April, with a one-week Spring Break in mid-March. The summer semester runs from June through August. Classes do not meet on national holidays.
Each class lasts for one hour and is structured to maximize engagement and learning, bolstered by a competitive 10:1 student-to-coach ratio. Each session begins with 15 minutes dedicated to public speaking. Students deliver a speech and receive feedback on their general persuasive abilities. This is followed by a 30-minute lecture that delivers core debate content. The final 15 minutes are reserved for a critical thinking activity, ensuring that students not only absorb information but develop essential soft skills.
2
Describe a typical class.
All registrations are processed on a rolling basis through our online registration form. Please fill it out to the best of your ability. Once you register, we will place you in the next available semester. If it is early in the current semester (within the first week), we will do our best to enroll you immediately. If the semester is already underway, we hold your spot for the following one.
3
How do I register?
