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 a a four-week lab for juniors.
These labs will be designed to cater to the very best and students in their second and third 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 2026 Novice Lab Sessions
Online: Session One: June 28 - July 10, 2026.
In-Person:
Session Two: July 12 - July 24, 2026
Summer 2026 Sophomore and Junior Lab Sessions
In-Person: Session 1 & 2 (4 Week Program): June 28th - July 24, 2026
Tuition
In-person
2-Week Novice Lab:
Online (Session 1): $1,599
Resident (Session 2): $4,149
Commuter (Session 2): $3,049
4-Week Sophomore Lab:
Resident: $6,049
Commuter: $4,599
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 & Junior Champions Labs
The Juniors lab is a four-week lab intended for students with two years of experience in policy debate. Students will develop their research and file-production skills, strategic decision-making, and other advanced techniques and strategies. Practice debates will be held regularly.
What Students and Parents Say
Faculty
Jazmine Pickens
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
Tripp Rebrovick, PhD
Dr. Tripp Rebrovick has been the Coach of Debate at Harvard College and Director of the Harvard Debate Council since 2017. He received an A.B. from Harvard College in 2009 and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 2016. He has been teaching and coaching debate for over twenty years. As a debater, in 2005 he won a high school national championship and was the top-ranked individual speaker in the country at the Tournament of Champions. As a coach, his students have won the Rex Copeland Award, given to the college team with the best overall regular season record, and have been the champions at nearly every major college tournament.
Deven Cooper
Deven Cooper is the current Vice President of the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) and Director of Debate at CSU Long Beach, where he coaches multiple formats of intercollegiate debate, including Policy, Parliamentary, IPDA. Cooper was the CEDA National Champion in 2008, a finalist at the 2009 CEDA, and a quarterfinalist at the 2009 National Debate Tournament while he attended Towson University. At CSULB, He has achieved such accomplishments as multiple NDT qualifications, a Copeland Panelist team, All-American debaters, ADA championship, Rutgers Round Championship, late elimination round appearances at the NDT and CEDA, countless speaker awards, and recognized as the 2024 Ross K Smith Coach of the Year. Prior to arriving at CSU Long Beach, Cooper obtained a Master of Arts in Communication Studies at CSU Fullerton while coaching debate, qualifying several teams to the National Debate Tournament and late elimination rounds at national tournaments. Subsequently, Cooper became the Director of Debate at Fresno State University, where he coached the first all-black female Policy Debate team in the school’s history to reach the Sweet 16 of the National Debate Tournament.
Eli T. Louis
A Brooklyn-bred graduate of Binghamton University, Eli Turner-Louis received her B.A. in Africana Studies, learning the depths of Afro-spiritualities, diasporic relations, and the domestic/global issues concerning them. This knowledge streamlined into her debate arguments, to where she was the crown jewel of both the university and New York State after helping score many of their historic firsts. She was part of the first New York State team to Champion the Cross Examination Debate Association Tournament since 2003 (which was also the first Bing Team to win a Championship tournament nearly two decades after the founding of the program), and part of the first team in New York State to have won the National Debate Tournament in its 79-year history. Aside from debating, Eli currently serves as the primary Varsity coach for her prestigious alma mater 'Brooklyn Technical High School.' Under her instruction, she was able to successfully qualify two teams to the Tournament of Champions, after a five-year-long hiatus from Tech’s Policy Debate forum. With this workshop, Eli is more than excited to help train prospective students to become champions in their own right. As she always tells her peers and well-decorated students: " Champions raise Champions! "
Tracy McFarland, PhD
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.
Viveth Karthikeyan, M.Ed
Viveth Karthikeyan (M.Ed) is the Associate Director of Debate at Emory University. Viveth has over a decade of debate coaching experience including coaching college and high school national champions. Before Emory, Viveth coached at Harvard from 2018-2024. In addition to coaching, Viveth worked in K-12 education as a Teach for America Corps Member teaching Biology and has worked as the Lead Programming Manger with the NYC Urban Debate League. At the NYCUDL, Viveth focused on developing Public Forum Debate for students including writing a curriculum for a high school debate elective for the NYC Department of Education.
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!
LaTonya Starks
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.