RDI 2025 OVERNIGHT CAMP
RDI SCHOLARS 2025
SUMMER CAMP
RDI's Overnight Scholars Camp offers teenage students a transformative experience to enhance their public speaking and presentation skills.
Students can be excited to participate in:
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College Dorms: Staying in the state-of-the-art Gladding Residence Center, designed for modern comfort.
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Delicious Meals: Enjoying catered breakfast, lunch, and dinner, tailored to student needs and preferences.
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Life Skills: Daily workshops designed to strengthen students’ public speaking and persuasion skills.
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Fun and Entertainment: Evening activities featuring movie screenings, games, and social events.
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Recognition and Celebration: Concluding the week with an inspiring award ceremony and camp competition.
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Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
July 27th to August 2nd
6 Nights (Sunday to Saturday)
$1,555 inclusive of all meals, room and board
Courses in Speech and Debate
OUR PROGRAMS
Richmond Debate Institute (RDI) fosters critical thinking and public speaking through competitive speech and debate. Our community of state champion coaches, PhD lecturers, and resident counselors make our camp an enriching and memorable summer experience. We are dedicated to making speech and debate an inclusive community, where students can make life long friends and express their curiosity.
8AM
Wake Up Call
Students are woken up for morning showers, breakfast, and team huddle before walking to class
1-Hour
9AM
Walk to Snead Hall
Commuter students join our residential students to begin their scheduled day of classes
15-Min.
9:15AM
Topic Analysis Lecture
Students hear from our PhD lecturers about complex debate topics to understand multiple angles of the resolution.
45-Min
10AM
Research Lab
Work with lab leaders to conduct high quality research, and learn how to navigate evidence and briefs
1-Hour
11AM
Mock Debates
Respond to cross examination questions, and think on your feet!
1-Hour
12PM
Lunch
Enjoy hot catered lunch inside the building, alongside all other debate peers.
1-Hour
1PM
Speaking Drills
Practice speaking exercises which enhance your articulation and clarity.
1-Hour
2PM
Intro to Case Writing Lecture
Learn how to draft a formal debate case using contentions, evidence, frameworks, and more.
1-Hour
3PM
Practice Rounds & Feedback
Perform in a full practice debate round against other students, and receive feedback from your instructors
2 -Hours
5PM
Walk to Shafer Dining Hall
Commuter students are picked up while residential Scholars walk to Shafer Dining Hall.
15-Min.
5:15 PM
Dinner
Our resident scholars enjoy a team meal with their peers and RAs. Dinners are catered, and have clear labels for allergies and dietary restrictions.
1-Hour
6:15 PM
Evening Activities
Students enjoy our planned activities like movie nights, workshops at the VCU Library, office hours with instructors, games in the building lobby, college prep seminars, or lounging with friends!
2-Hours
9:15 PM
Quiet Hours
Students begin to prepare for the night by taking showers, and getting organized for the following day.
1-Hour
10:15 PM
Room Checks
Students are asked to stay in their rooms after RAs inspect all rooms.
1-Hour
EXAMPLE CAMP SCHEDULE
RDI CURRICULUM
Our campers select a speech or debate area as their focus for the camp. Speech events focus on public speaking and presentation, while debate events focus on argumentation and persuasion.
Students can explore classes on the first day of camp to select their preferred area. Many of our students come with no speech and debate background!
To learn more about each event, check out the National Speech and Debate Association's (NSDA's) Event Guide.
Financial Aid
Need-based financial aid is offered to students that attend a public high school in greater Richmond VA area, on the basis of recommendation by their school's speech and debate club teacher. For more information about our financial aid, please reach out to outreach@richmonddebate.com.
Additionally, camp tuition can be financed over a number of months to reduce the burden of one-time payments. Please email us for any additional questions.
ROOM & BOARD
VCU Gladding Residence Center is a state of the art dorm facility, steps away from our camp classrooms, dining halls, and the university library. Students love the modern accommodations while participating in our full day camp program.
CAMPUS MAP
Immerse yourself in the college experience at VCU. Students will walk to classrooms, dining halls, and Cabell library chaperoned by our staff at all times. VCU during the summer is a walkable downtown campus, that gives students a true collegiate experience.
PARENTS TESTIMONIALS
My daughter learned a lot and made connections with other campers. She wants to join her school's debate team and return next year, so that is proof it went well! I also really appreciate the staff; I had only great interactions, everyone was really responsive and I am grateful for that.
- Parent, 2023
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS