Policy Debate
RESEARCH | ARGUMENTATION | PERSUASION
The Policy Debate format is the oldest and most distinguished format practiced in the United States. Students debate in-depth on one topic for the entire year and become experts in the subject matter.
In addition to our two-week novice sessions (Session 1 is online; Session 2 is in-person), we are happy to announce the addition of a four-week lab for sophomores and second-year debaters.
The lab will be designed to cater to the very best and students in their second year of debate from both UDLs and school teams from around the country. We are seeking passionate and eager young students to come learn from some of the best policy coaches in the country!
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Beginner or some policy debate experience
Summer 2025 Novice Lab Sessions
Online: Session One: June 29 - July 11, 2025.
In-Person:
Session Two: July 13 - July 25, 2025
Summer 2025 Sophomore Lab Session
In-Person: Session 1 & 2 (4 Week Program): June 29th - July 25, 2025
Tuition
In-person
2-Week Novice Lab:
Online (Session 1): $1,499
Resident (Session 2): $4,049
Commuter (Session 2): $2,949
4-Week Sophomore Lab:
Resident: $5,999
Commuter: $4,499
We will offer a comprehensive curriculum that prepares students to debate and research the upcoming year’s topic along with perennial debate arguments. Each lab will focus on the three pillars of research, argumentation, and persuasion. Students will conduct their research using the Harvard Libraries, the largest private library in the world; will learn to construct strategic, compelling arguments; and will practice speaking with clarity, conviction, and passion.
About the Novice Lab
Designed by successful coaches with teaching and classroom experience, our program offers a fast-paced, yet engaging curriculum that equips students with the skills they need for success at their first policy debate tournament.
From day 1, we emphasize debate fundamentals, introducing students to argumentation theory and providing students with a carefully constructed evidence packet designed to help guide them through the topic.
Morning sessions are spent covering new debate concepts and topic information through engaging lectures and interactive lessons. In the afternoons, students engage in debates, applying skills from earlier lessons. Evenings are reserved for students to work one-on-one with the instructors, reviewing concepts, delivering practice speeches, or discussing new arguments.
About the Sophomore Champions Lab
Students will review fundamental concepts and quickly to proceed to learning and practice more advanced debate techniques and strategies. Students will learn how to make and rebut all forms of arguments, develop their advanced research skills, and participate in numerous practice debates.
What Students and Parents Say
Faculty
Novice Lab Instructors
Jazmine Pickens
Curriculum Director, Policy Debate
Jazmine Pickens is the Assistant Director Of Debate at Harvard. She has more than 13 years of experience in debate both as a competitor and as a coach to students ranging in experience from middle school to college. She attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 2019, where she won CEDA Nationals, and since then has worked with several universities in training their college students. She looks forward to working with students this summer to help grow their interest and love in debate while also developing their skills
LaTonya Starks, Lab Leader
LaTonya Starks debated and coached for the Northwestern University Debate Society for many years before joining the Harvard Debate Council. She has coached numerous national champions and top speakers in both high school and college. She has extensive experience working with students of all ages and experiences.
Tripp Rebrovick
Lab Leader
Tripp Rebrovick, PhD, is the Director of Debate at Harvard University. He has a BA from Harvard and a PhD from Johns Hopkins University. Tripp has over eighteen years of experience teaching at summer workshops and has worked with students of all skill levels. While a debater, he was the top speaker at the TOC, winner of NSDA Nationals, and a four-time elimination-round participant at the NDT.
Sophomore Lab Instructors
Tracy McFarland
Tracy McFarland is co-director of debate at Jesuit Dallas. In this capacity, Tracy has helped coached four TFA State championships in 2000, 2002, 2010, and 2011 along with other top finishes at other national and regional tournaments. Tracy remains committed to educating debaters, with this commitment recognized with awards such as the National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) Educator of the Year award. Tracy is also past president of the NDCA and served for many years on the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance Executive Board. Tracy has taught many summer workshops including Baylor, Michigan, Northwestern, UNT, Darmouth and most recently Gonzaga University. In additional to debate coaching acolytes, Tracy received her MA and PhD in Political Science from UT-Austin and a MA in Dispute Resolution from SMU.
Dan Lingel
Dan Lingel is celebrating his 31st year as the co-director of debate at Jesuit. In addition to coaching, Lingel serves as one of the counselors for the junior class specializing in academic personal and college counseling. In the fall of 2014, Lingel was elected into the Texas Forensic Association Coaching Hall of Fame and in the spring of 2015 the National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) named him Educator of the Year and in 2023 the NDCA awarded him the Outstanding Service Award. In his three decades of coaching at Jesuit his teams have won four TFA State championships in 2000, 2002, 2010, and 2011 and has had finalist and final four teams six other times. He has served as President of the NDCA and the Vice President of High Schools for the American Forensic Association and is a tireless ambassador for debate across the country. He has taught at summer workshops since 1985 including Kansas, Illinois State, Wake Forest, Michigan, Northwestern, UNT, and most recently Gonzaga University.
Diego Flores
Diego Flores is LAMDL's Program Director for File Development and a Volunteer Coach at Huntington Park High School, one of the LAMDL schools. He has coached teams to the TOC and recently coached NAUDL's UDNC Finalists at the 2024 tournament. During his time as a debater at CSULB, Diego was ranked #3 in the nation as a Copeland Panelist, was an NDT Quarter Finalist, CEDA Semifinalist, and won the ADA National championship. He also received multiple top speaker awards and was recognized as Debater of the Year by CEDA and the ADA. He specialized in critical literature surroudning undocumented immigrants, abolitionism, settler colonialism, and antiblackness. As a UDL alumni, being able to go to camp was one of the most impactful experiences for Diego's success in debate as well as forming lifelong relationships, and he is excited to work incoming students during the summer!
Iyana Trotman
Iyana Robin Trotman is a teacher-scholar from Georgetown, Guyana and Newark, NJ. She was the youngest person to ever win the National Debate Tournament and the third team ever to unite the crowns winning both the NDT and Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship in 2023. Despite starting debate in her junior year in highschool, by her senior season she earned multiple top speaker awards, earned over 8 Bids to the TOC and 1 in LD with no prior LD experience. Iyana was apart of the first graduating class in African American Studies and History at Wake Forest University and currently attends Georgia State University in pursuit of a Masters of Arts in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Her research tends to the intersection of legal rhetoric and the durability of gender slavery where she analyzes legal rhetoric in response to incidents of police brutality. Though Iyana has coached multiple teams to the late elims of national tournaments , she currently is an assistant debate coach at Wake Forest University where she’s already coached one JV National Champion and to the finals of CEDA 2024. She also is the head coach of North Star Academy, as an alum of the program, where she has coached TOC qualifying teams.