How Much Time Should Students Allocate?

1. Summer programs are intensive and we recommend reserving an hour each day during the program to work on assignments and prepare for practice speeches and debates. These are suggested guidelines and can be adjusted depending on the student's time and organization. The more time a student devotes to improving their skills and preparing, the more they will benefit. We hope that with the nature of game-based activities, and competitive challenges, students will be self-motivated to succeed and find their own balance of time spent developing their skill base and having fun.

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2. We will also periodically ask Students to think about how they can make real-life connections to what they are learning. For example, understanding the give and take during real-world negotiations to help connect to concepts in the context of extemporaneous speech and debate.

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3. Students should try to complete assignments on time, come prepared to live online sessions to participate and to reinforce learning.

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How Is Speech and Debate Different Than...?

4. Speech and Debate is unique - it is a Learning Journey, not an activity. Students are not limited by levels or one-time pursuits. Students can continue through divisions and from 2nd through 12th grade. No other extracurricular is academically proven in study after study to develop such a wide range of skills, and have such a quantifiable impact, especially in a fun-filled, exciting game-based competitive format that kids tend to naturally love. No other activity matches Speech and Debates' influence on improving School Performance through Middle School and High School, as well as with College Admissions in multiple research studies.

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5. Some activities tend to be geared towards a particular personality - extroverts vs introverts; others tend to be STEM heavy or oriented towards students with interests in public policy or economics or the humanities. Speech and Debate uniquely offers a wide range of event formats and there is literally something exciting and a potentially great fit for virtually every personality and subject interest, whether STEM, history, economics, psychology, English, drama, philosophy, or other other humanities and arts subjects. Each student can pursue and extend their passions while developing their unique Voice.

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6. Our events are generally very intense, adrenaline-filled, rigorous and competitive. Speech and Debate is the number one academic journey for success as proven across numerous research studies. Visit our benefits page to learn more. If you still have questions, write to us at support@speechdebateusa.com 

 

7. Many academic activities involve what feels like work or repetition. Speech and Debate instead lends itself to fun and excitement. Our unique curriculum involves gamified learning and includes playing games, engaging in drills, preparing for assignments that are challenges and mini-competitions. Many unit lesson plans are introduced in the form of a game, mock scenarios, real-life issues and more to keep kids engaged, while developing valuable life-changing skills. Learning  should be fun - and when it is, kids learn much more.

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8. With Championship winning coaching from the United States, students uniquely have an opportunity to learn from the best, practice each unit through assignment submissions, and gain valuable feedback to help improve their understanding and skill development.

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9. Regional Workshops and Regional/National Tournaments provide valuable additional opportunities for Students to collaborate and apply their learning in a rigorous competitive format with students from across India with a chance for awards and recognition.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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Getting Started

1. Applying for any course is acknowledgment of reviewing and understanding these terms and conditions. For questions please contact support@speechdebateusa.com  

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2. Students should have access to either a laptop, desktop computer, tablet, or mobile smart phone for live classes at home, with the ability to record short home videos if required for any assignments using either a laptop or their own/parent's mobile smart phone, along with broadband Internet connectivity to stream and upload videos.

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3. Students are advised to keep their device charged in advance, and to maintain a notebook, pens of at two different colors (preferably one black/blue pen and one red pen), a water bottle, and snacks.

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4. Dress code for lessons is casual provided that students not wear any offensive materials or inappropriate clothing. Dress code at Online Tournaments is semi-formal.

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Admissions and Billing

5. We do not charge any fees for applying to the program. We will consider applications on a time-stamped basis – the earlier the application is submitted, the higher priority it will receive as we review applications on an ongoing rolling admissions basis and will place applications automatically on our waitlist once spots for a given location and division are filled to our capacity limitations. We apologize in advance to students and families whom we cannot accommodate. All admissions decisions are final and cannot be appealed. Admission and fees are only for the current term, after which the child will need to be re-enrolled for future programs and terms.

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6. Applications will be reviewed on an equal opportunity basis and independent of gender, ethnicity and social background. Students are generally from top schools and are advanced/gifted for their grade level. We collect certain information for documentation and internal purposes and will maintain this confidentially unless on an exceptional case are required to release it by law. We aim for the brightest children from across India to have their Voices heard and to help them develop into leaders who will shape our future across a wide range of professions, causes, and interests. If you have specific questions about a disability or impairment please email us describing the condition at support@speechdebateusa.com 

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7. We are not seeking a particular type of student interest or background. A common thread is that most of our students attend good schools and have outperformed academically. What's most important to us, is that the student genuinely be excited to develop their skills in a multi-year program filled with fun, hard work, and rigorous competition. This is not a leisure or relaxation activity – challenges will require a combination of skills, concentration, perseverance, thought, maturity, and commitment. Students may experience disappointment and pressure. No prior background or experience is required or expected – your child's passion, an open mind, and desire to advance are what we need. As in many debates, there are no right or wrong answers on the form, we look to bring together a broad range of perspectives, goals and interests. We cannot and do not guarantee any specific results and can only point to historical studies of benefits attained by other students in related programs, but those circumstances may vary and accordingly results can vary.

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8. Electronic billing instructions will be sent automatically by email upon submission of the online application form. Payment must be completed in full for the term. For any other queries related to admissions and billing, write to us at support@speechdebateusa.com explaining your question in detail.

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9. All direct fees are for program participation and electronic materials are provided as part of the curriculum, and does not include any electronic hardware, transportation, accommodations, food or drinks, or any other expenses which are the sole responsibility of students/families.

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10. Classes and tournaments missed cannot be made up and will not be refunded. There are no discounts for not attending live online courses or tournaments. Courses provide students an opportunity to apply and test their skill development. 

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Dietary/Health Restrictions

11. If your child has any health conditions, allergies or may need medical support, during classes or tournaments, please indicate this on the application form. SpeechDebateUSA.com does not take any responsibility for student medication or medical care. For serious medical conditions, please notify us and check during registration as we may be unable to provide enrollment.

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Qualifying for Tournaments

12. Qualifications to Tournaments are solely at our discretion based on class performance and Coach recommendations.
 

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Additional Important Terms & Conditions
13. SpeechDebateUSA.com reserves the right to remove any Student who does not comply with the ethics and standards set forth by the program.

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14. Partial or full refunds are not available under any circumstances.

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15. Students must refrain from inappropriate behavior, illegal acts, and language, treat others with respect, and take responsibility for keeping abreast of updates and managing their schedules, class participation and other work independently. Offenders may be subject to probation or removal from the program with no recourse. Students found cheating, using others' work or not following guidelines will also be subject to removal from the program. Students and Parents are expected to speak and write courteously to our staff and any member of our team as well as to other students at all times. Parents are expected to pass on information to students, who need to take full responsibility for independently managing their own course work and other related matters. Parents are welcome to assist through discussions but under no circumstances should Parents write any portion of student work. At the sole discretion of Speech and Debate India, Students and/or Parents acting in an inappropriate, aggressive or offensive manner to any other families, students, or team member of Speech and Debate India are liable for removal from our programs and disqualification from any tournaments without recourse.

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16. SpeechDebateUSA.com owns full rights to its own materials, and the use of licensed materials from the US NSDA, and reserves full rights to use, display, reproduce, market and promote through its emails, websites, Social Media platforms including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook etc, press releases, press announcements, any media interviews and articles domestically and internationally, and by other electronic or physical means, all materials submitted by or produced by students electronically and physically, or during workshops and tournaments, and reserves the rights to use of all photos, videos, written and communicated submissions, work product, competitions and performances of students for dissemination by any means to display student work, inform parents/guardians of student progress, promote SpeechDebateUSA.com, and for other promotional reasons. Parents agree to the use of materials per the discretion of SpeechDebateUSA.com and consent to terms directly by SpeechDebateUSA.com as well as terms and data collection and use policies as subjected by various third party sites and collaboration partners including Google, G Suite for Education, Facebook, Zoom, and third party learning management system providers and websites utilized in the course of training materials, assignments and other class work. Participation in any program of Speech & Debate India constitutes permission by parents for SpeechDebateUSA.com to create/maintain various accounts including a G Suite for Education account for their child and for Google and other service providers to collect, use, and disclose information about my child per the policies of Google and other service providers available on their respective sites. Sharing of our materials, lesson plans, and other educational content with other students/families not enrolled in the program is strictly prohibited and liable to penalties/damages, and removal from the program.

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17. SpeechDebateUSA.com reserves the right make modifications in the program, schedule, faculty, facilities, locations, logistics, curriculum, and any other aspects as needed for the operations of the program as well as from circumstances outside its control and will apply its best efforts as practical in its sole discretion to make adjustments to maintain the maximum range of benefits possible and overall intent to help its students. 

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18. All rights reserved by SpeechDebateUSA.com and its affiliates and owners.