Happy fourth of July!

After more than a week of talking smack, the students finally got to play the staff on the fourth of July. To say that it "wasn't pretty" is pretty generous. The staff won the first game 11-3, the second 11-4, and then the rain came pouring down to save the students from another embarassing defeat.


The kids warm up before the game (too bad it didn't help).


The staff (Maffie, Sarah, Avery, Eli and Ed) shoot around to warm up.


Once Fitz arrives, the staff is good to go.


Finally the game gets underway...

Marching on

After quickly whipping together some solid wave one affirmatives and case negs, the three week campers had to turn it around pretty quickly and start working on their wave two negative assignments.


Aimi gives a detailed lecture about how to be a competitive 2n.


The students are on their best behavior for Aimi's 2n lecture.


The kids flee Aaron's 1n lecture.


Nicole answers some questions after lecture.


Matt Molinaro poses for the camera.


The winners of the Hamraie-Vinson wave one card cutting challenge!


The kids work diligently in the library study rooms.


There are plenty of places in the library to get comfortable and cut cards.


It always seems like Aimi's group works the hardest.


- aaron

Speaking clinics

Speaking clinics have been going well, lots of practice on T, DAs, CPs and Ks. Here's a picture of Osahon giving his speech.

Wave 2 off to a great start

The HV lab finished two great affs (Landmines and the Gag Rule) on Friday and is already off to a great start on wave 2. We're writing a lot of core-of-the-topic arguments that everyone should be able to use throughout the year. These include: the China sphere of influence DA, China CP, Japan CP, UK CP, and a Kritik of representations of Africa and disease.

The lab is very focused and determined to get their work done. Great job everyone!

wave one done!

LS Lab completed it Wave one aff's and now is well in progress on its wave two files. For wave 1 we produced a Global Health Service and a Biotech/ag aff.
For Wave two, the students are working on a Topicality file, an African Union CP, A funding trade-off DA, and a K of the term "Sub Saharan Africa."
Although that is an ambitious wave two list for just 18 kids, we're almost half way done with it. Luckily for us, the Miami library system checks out the laptops to the students - and has a large supply of them - so the students have been super productive.
Despite producing 2 affs and being half way through 5 major neg assignments, each of the labbies have done a minimum of one mini debate or practice speech EVERY DAY.

Students love the lectures!

Okay. Maybe "love" is pretty strong. But they have been getting into them.


The kids talk about Avery Dale's 1a lecture.


Dan Fitzmier tries to answer all the questions from the first half of his kritik lecture.


The kids take a break during Dan's 2 hour plus kritik lecture.


Some of the kids take a break from facebook to take notes.


Dan gets swarmed by over-eager kritik debaters who want to ask more questions.


Coverstone literally hangs out in Dan's lecture.


Ed Lee and Mike Risen find some space in a packed lecture hall during Dan's lecture.


Darth Vader walks the aisles, making sure the kids are taking notes.


Our friendly, neighborhood RA records a lecture.