Emory National Debate Institute (ENDI)

General Information

We are excited to offer 4 distinct institutes for policy debate this summer at Emory.  The dates and tuition fees are set. Download an application  for the 2-week, 4-week, or 6-week ENDI here 2012 ENDI Application update

NOTICE:  We have extended the application deadline for all programs to May 1, 2012!

The 2-week ENDI Click Here
2-week ENDI: June 10-23, 2012

 

The ESDI - Emory 4-week Sophomore Debate Institute Click Here
4-week ENDI: June 24-July 21, 2012

 

The 6-Week Emory Debate Institute Click Here
6-week ENDI: June 10-July 21, 2012

A Middle School Debate Institute - Information at www.pacecamp.com
June 11-22, 2012

A special opportunity for students participating in the Four and Six Week ENDI: For the second year in a row, we plan on hosting a luncheon with Emory University President James Wagner for those attending the 4 to 6 weeks labs.

Application Policy
We will be accepting applications up until April 1st. We will be notifying people of acceptance as soon as we receive their information. The $150 fee will be deducted from your tuition. Anyone not accepted will have their full application fee returned to them.

Admission Policy
No applicant will be considered without submission of a full and accurate application. The extent and quality of the applicant's previous debate experience, including demonstrated potential, will be the primary factors in admissions decisions. Other factors which may be considered include: the strength and number of tournaments attended, speaker awards, the comments offered in the enclosed Letter of Recommendation, and geographic diversity.

Contact Information at:
Please make sure that you identify exactly which institute you are inquiring about:

- 2-week ENDI: June 10-June 23, 2012
- 4-week ENDI for Sophomores: June 24-July 21, 2012
- 6-week ENDI: June 10-July 21, 2012

Emory Debate
James H. Herndon
BARKLEYFORUM@LISTSERV.CC.EMORY.EDU
Office: 404-727-6189

The best means of reaching us is via email. If you must call please feel free to leave a message or ask for James Herndon or Christy Bradley.

Download an application  for the 2-week, 4-week, or 6-week ENDI here 2012%20ENDI%20Application

What can be expected from our camps?

LAB GROUPS
Students will form relationships within specific groups. These will serve as the smaller groups through which most lab instruction will occur. Debaters will spend a majority of their days learning directly within these groups. Lab Groups will include daily activities, group assignments, research groups, and both full and mini practice debates.

ANALYSIS OF THE TOPIC
In addition to the lab setting, debaters will learn the content of the topic through camp wide lectures and through the direct instruction of every lab leader. These lectures will include broad-based coverage of both affirmative and negative arguments. Debaters will also receive a complete analysis of the topic that will prepare them to be experts on the year’s resolution.

Students will receive topic instruction from every member of the ENDI faculty to generate expertise on the subjects. Finally, students will work on specific research assignments and briefs to prepare them for competition.

PRACTICE ROUNDS
All camps include a tournament at the end of the institute to make sure that everyone leaves with a tournament experience on the topic. Additionally, every lab will do a minimum of 2 full practice debates per week within their labs making sure that students leave with experience deploying arguments on the topic.

In addition to traditional practice rounds, labs will focus on other proven debate skill builders including mini-debates, focused one-on-one debates, video-taping debates, and working to improve general skills with time efficiency.

RESEARCH
Students will receive electronic copies of all materials produced during their time at the institute. A camp evidence packet produced by Emory Institute staff--including several affirmatives and negative positions--will be provided to the students at the beginning of the camp. This evidence will be produced by the staff of the Emory Institute.

All research done at the camp will be directly edited and augmented by the Emory faculty for the purpose of creating materials ready for use in competitive policy debate.

OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL ISSUES TO BE COVERED

- How to employ debate theory
- How to maximize the strategic potential of each speaker position
- How to improve speaking style
- How to develop appropriate research technique
- How to generate ideas for research

2012 Staff

James H. Herndon: Senior Programs Director. Director of the Emory National Debate Institute - former director of debate at Chattahoochee High School. Has taught a summer institute lab every year for the past 10 years. Qualified 23 teams to the Tournament of Champions in 4 years. College coach of the 2010 and 2011 Copeland Winners and coach of the 2010 Top Speaker at the National Debate Tournament.

 

Edward Lee: Director of Debate at Emory University. Former Director of Debate at the University of Alabama.  Coached 20 teams to the NDT including the 2007 Emory NDT champions and the 2010 and 2011 Copeland Winners.  Won the James Unger Award for coaching the 2010 Copeland winners and a "top 8" Intercollegiate Judge/Critic of the Decade Award. Over ten years of lab leading experience at national debate institutes. One of the most innovate researchers and instructors of research technique in the country. 10 years of experience teaching the top sophomore debate lab in the country.

 

Maggie Berthiaume:  Director of Debate at Chattahoochee High School and former Director of Debate at Lexington High School.  Qualified 5 teams to the 2010 TOC, more than any other school. Coached teams to the late elims of every major national tournament. Has taught a lab for the past six years.  Top national debater from Dartmouth and long time lab leader at the Dartmouth Debate Institute.

 

John Turner:  Debate Coach at Emory University and former Assistant Coach at the University of Georgia and at Dartmouth College.  Coached more that twenty teams to the NDT, including ten NDT first round at-large recipients and the 2008 NDT finalists.  Eight years lab leading experience teaching juniors and seniors.  Debated at Dartmouth College receiving a first-round at-large bid to the 2003 NDT.

2012 Dorm Staff

At Emory University, we are personally committed to monitoring students throughout their day. The residential Emory Dorm staff has years of experience working not just with high school students but also at residential high school debate institutes.

Statistics About the 2009 ENDI Institutes

100% agreed that they "got substantially better at debate." 100% agreed that they "would recommend this lab to everyone." 100% agreed that "the lectures were excellent." 100% agreed that "the lab leaders are great teachers."

Feedback about Lab Leaders from Previous Students

"I definitely learned a lot during my sophomore year camp experience because of Ed Lee and James Herndon. A lot of other rising sophomores from my squad had gone to a range of other camps, and when we came back from summer I realized that I was far ahead of most or all of them in both debate skills and knowledge on the topic. I benefited a lot from all of the discussions, lectures, and practice debates. If it was possible, I would have returned to their lab for both my junior and senior year."

"i'll be honest, i came to debate camp with a lot of prejudices about my peers in the debate community. maybe it's because i don't feel like i instantly fit into the category of a stereotypical debater, but i was expecting everyone over the summer to be too intellectual and boring to be around. i think herndon was one of the main people to change this perception. whether it was his ability to make fun of his students while still getting along with all of them or the hilarious stories he tells us, i learned a ton from him while having a great time and seeing how awesome some debate coaches and students are."

"Ed Lee is a genius. He can explain any aspect to you, in ways that you are guaranteed to learn, and he may be the coolest guy I've ever met."

"James Herndon may be the sole reason I've had any success in debate so far. Hands down, he's the best lab leader of all time."

"Herndon and Lee combined have given me the most entertaining and learning debate experience of my life. They'll make sure you leave with a better debate mind, and that you had a great time."

"what's awesome about ed is that having him as a teacher at camp for just a few weeks makes him a permanent coach and friend. for example, i was at a tournament last weekend and i saw him on his way to judge a round, and even though he was incredibly busy, he still stopped to throw the frisbee and talk about my year and school. he's got that same attitude towards all his students, so deciding to learn from him at camp was definitely worthwhile."