I am thrilled to share our ambitious roadmap, aimed at bridging the gap in access to speech and debate resources, specifically for middle school students and underprivileged communities. But our initiative is not just about providing opportunities; it is about building a supportive speech community for everyone.
Our Summer Camp, Mentorship and Training
We are starting a free online novice & middle school camp after NSDA nationals, in late June to early July. This camp will allow us to prepare students well in advance and ensure they have sufficient time to hone their skills before the competitive season begins. We will recruit nationally-competitive extempers with a track record of leadership to lead sessions at our camp. We are committed to making this journey fun and engaging. We’ll incorporate speaking games, fun drills, and ensure we don’t put undue pressure on anyone, we aim to foster an environment of learning and enjoyment.
Coaching students online will make it possible to reach and assist a wider range of students. Unlike other camps, our mentorship will continue throughout the school year.
We will publish all resources used in our camp and sessions on our site to empower mentors across the country running their own in-person camps.
Community Building, Supporting Underprivileged Schools and Online Workshops/Tournaments
We aim to create an inclusive and interactive Slack or Discord, where students can find resources, engage in discussions, and seek advice. We’re also planning to increase our social media presence, with platforms like Instagram and possibly TikTok, to reach a larger audience.
One of our goals is to support underprivileged schools, offering them the experience and ability to participate in high-level tournaments. We are also planning to conduct practice tournaments throughout the school year specifically for novices and middle school students on Tabroom. It is our belief that high quality tournaments with good feedback and judging are crucial for extempers to develop their skills.
All of our tournaments will be either free or charge an entry fee that goes exclusively to charity.
We’re planning to conduct online workshops, focusing on practice speeches and other key aspects of extemp. These workshops will be promoted on our socials and website and open to all.
Timeline and Next Steps
We’ve set a detailed timeline to keep our initiative on track. In June and July, we’ll launch our online workshops, middle school mentorship and training, and outreach programs.
By August and beyond, we’ll continue our mentorship and online workshops, and start practice tournaments for middle school students and novices. We’ll be reaching out to organizations like NSDA for potential collaborations and partnerships.
As we embark on this exciting journey, we’re well aware of the challenges that lie ahead. However, we’re also optimistic and eager to see the impact of our initiative on a community we so cherish. Together, we can build a more equitable, accessible, and enjoyable space for everyone who wants to explore the world of speech and debate.
Sincerely,
The Extemper’s Bible Equity Team