Civic Voice Academy Washington, D.C. Enroll a student

Debate & Public Speaking · Washington, D.C.

Find your quadrant. Claim your voice.

Civic Voice Academy teaches debate, public speaking and mock trial to students across Washington, D.C., with tournaments and summer institutes for those who want to compete.

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  • Debate classes
  • Public speaking workshops
  • Mock trial
  • Speech tournaments
  • Summer institutes

Programs

Four quadrants. One public square.

We describe our catalog the way the city describes itself: four quadrants around a shared center. Each one is a different kind of practice — argument, delivery, trial work and competition.

NW Debate classes

Argue from a position of evidence.

Weekly classes where students build a case, take it apart, and rebuild it under questioning. Rounds move from prepared speeches toward spontaneous formats as students gain confidence.

  • Case construction and refutation
  • Research and evidence files
  • Cross-examination practice
NE Public speaking

Make the room lean in.

Small-group workshops on the voice itself: pacing, structure and presence. Students draft, rehearse and deliver in front of the group, then revise.

  • Delivery and pacing
  • Speech structure and openings
  • Speaking to a clock
SW Mock trial

Try the case. Then try it again.

Students take on the roles of advocates and witnesses, working a case file from opening statement through closing argument.

  • Opening and closing statements
  • Direct and cross-examination
  • Objections and courtroom procedure
SE Speech tournaments

Put the work in front of judges.

Students enter speech and debate events through the year, and we prepare them for the rounds: what to expect, how to adapt, and how to review the result afterward.

  • Event preparation and strategy
  • Rounds under tournament timing
  • Post-round review with coaches
Students working through a debate case at tables in a classroom
Debate class — Northwest
Students rehearsing a mock trial in a formal hearing room
Mock trial round — Southwest

Summer institutes

A running start before the school year.

Summer institutes are our most concentrated programs: consecutive days of practice in argument, delivery and trial skills, with coached rounds and a final showcase.

They are built for students who want to move quickly — whether they are new to speaking in public or preparing for a competitive season.

What an institute covers

  1. 01Argument and case building
  2. 02Speech structure and delivery
  3. 03Mock trial roles and procedure
  4. 04Practice rounds with feedback
Ask about summer institutes

Tournaments

Host a tournament. Or come compete.

We host speech and debate tournaments in Washington, D.C. and support students who compete through the year. Schools, community organizations and coaches work with us on either side of the table.

Host a tournament Speak with a coach

Enroll

Start with a single conversation.

Tell us about the student — grade level, experience and what they want to work on — and we will recommend a starting point from our classes, workshops and institutes.

  1. 01
    Get in touch Email admissions with your student's grade level and the program you have in mind.
  2. 02
    Get a recommendation We suggest a class, workshop or institute that fits their experience.
  3. 03
    Confirm placement We send the schedule and details before the term begins.

Admissions

Questions about a program, a tournament or a summer institute? Write to us.

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