Why Come Back? The Power of a Second Summer at Ascend
At Ascend, we believe debate education works best when it’s not a one-time experience, but a journey. That’s why we strongly recommend students return for a second summer — not just to revisit old lessons, but to unlock entirely new levels of growth.
Year One: Learn to Fly
Your first year at Ascend is transformative. Students learn the Ascend curriculum, build rapport with their lab leaders, and become familiar with the structure and rigor of the camp experience. It’s an incredible introduction — but more importantly, it lays the groundwork for what’s to come. Ascenders gain their wings and begin to fly.
Year Two: Soar High
Returning students walk into camp with a powerful advantage: they already speak the Ascend language. That means they don’t need to spend time getting oriented — instead, they can immediately dig deeper into:
● Nuanced skill development
● Tailored feedback based on prior performances
● Advanced drills that go beyond the basics
On top of that, many of the coaches already know the student. This familiarity allows instructors to give highly individualized, growth-focused feedback from Day 1. That kind of continuity is rare — and powerful. It leads to faster progress, sharper performances, and meaningful breakthroughs in competition readiness. Mainly through developing a style that is unique to the student. It means Ascenders soar to new heights.
A Guaranteed Lab Bump
If a returning student was not placed in Lab 1 during their first year, we guarantee a lab bump their second time around. That bump doesn’t just come with new peers — it comes with a faster-paced, more intensive version of the curriculum that demands more and returns more. These higher labs are designed for students ready to maximize their time with our most advanced material and most strategic coaching.
When you mix this accelerated curriculum with a returning student’s foundation, the result is the fastest rate of growth we see all year.
What If You Were Already in Lab 1?
Even students who began their Ascend journey in Lab 1 have a compelling reason to return. Why? Because the greatest coaching doesn’t just happen in a single summer — it happens through rapport, recognition, and refinement.
Returning to Lab 1 allows students to work with the same lead instructor they trained with previously — someone who already knows their habits, tendencies, and areas of potential. That familiarity allows for deeply personalized coaching, where students aren’t learning from scratch, but building on existing strengths and addressing specific growth points.
More importantly, this ongoing relationship allows students to begin developing their individual style — the hardest but most essential part of long-term success in Congressional Debate. Style is what separates good debaters from great ones. It’s not just about sounding polished — it’s about becoming persuasive in a way that feels authentic, powerful, and sustainable.
Second-year Lab 1 students are pushed to define and refine who they are as speakers and legislators, not just how well they follow structure. And that’s where everything starts to click.
Our Alumni Speak for Themselves
Many of Ascend’s most accomplished alumni didn’t just come once — they came back. Again and again. Students like:
Tyler Luu, NSDA & TOC Champion
Ishaan Quazi, Emory Champion and Team USA Debater
Aditya Chordiya, Assistant Curriculum Director & State Champion Coach
Adrian Baek, TOC Runner-Up and California State Champion
Vincent Nguyen, Top 5 in the Nation and California State Champion
Anish Beeram, NSDA & TOC Champion
All of them were multiple-time Ascend campers. For them — as for many others — the second year wasn’t a repeat. It was a breakthrough.
Ready to Come Back?
Whether you’re aiming for a national title or just want to grow into your best self as a debater and thinker, your second year at Ascend can be your most impactful yet. We hope you’ll join us again next summer — and take the next step in your debate journey.