I'm not from California, is Ascend California for me?

Absolutely. Over 60% of our students are typically from states other than California, coming from all over the country. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) offers direct flights from dozens of cities nationwide.

When should I book my flights for? Does Ascend offer a shuttle service?

For July 11 arrivals, plan to arrive between 9am and 3pm — shuttle service is available. On July 18, 1-week campers may depart anytime. On July 25, 2-week campers may depart anytime, with shuttle service available for flights after 10am. Shuttle service costs $60 per way.

Does Ascend offer refunds?

Due to costs incurred prior to summer in preparation for your camp experience, we are unable to offer refunds. However, if a conflict emerges, you can defer your enrollment to the next summer by May 31st.

Residential · California · Our Flagship

Ascend California

Two weeks at the University of the Pacific with the best Congressional Debate coaches in the country.

Enroll Now Find Your Program

Dates: July 11–25, 2027
Location: University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
Eligibility: Entering grades 6–11
Tuition: From $1,999.99

Proven Results

Home of the TOC Champion.

Every winner of the Congressional Debate Tournament of Champions this decade trained under Team Ascend. Seven years running.

Rohit Jhawar TOC '20

Andrew Sun TOC '21

Anish Beeram TOC '22

Tyler Luu TOC '23

Fadhil Lawal TOC '24

Swathi Bodduluri TOC '25

Serena Guo TOC '26

ASCEND CALIFORNIA 2026

See What Two Weeks Actually Looks Like

A recap of last summer at the University of the Pacific.

THE EXPERIENCE

Everything Congress, Done Right

Ascend students competing in a Congressional Debate round

Congress Lives at the Core of Ascend

Congress lives at the core of Ascend. We offer both 1 and 2 week programs in Congressional Debate at Ascend California.

Our flagship residential experience brings together the most elite Congressional Debate coaching staff in the country for an immersive summer of mock rounds, one-on-one coaching, lectures, and community — built to take students from first-timers to national finalists.

Learn More

July 11–25, 2027 · Stockton, California

Ascend California will run from July 11th to 25th, 2027 at the University of the Pacific ("UOP") in Stockton, California. Stockton is conveniently served by nearby Sacramento International Airport ("SMF"). For an additional fee, we will be offering transportation from the airport to our campus.

Enroll Now Schedule a Call

Ascend California students from across the country

Students Come From All Over the Country

Over 60% of our students are typically from states other than California. We have students who come from all over the country, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas, among other states.

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) offers direct flights from cities across the Pacific West, Mountain West, Midwest, South Atlantic, Northeast, Texas, and Florida. For an additional fee, we offer shuttle service between SMF and campus at $60 per way.

WHY ASCEND CALIFORNIA

Safety Is a Prerequisite to Learning

Around-the-Clock Safety

We understand that safety is a prerequisite to learning. Our campus is the crown jewel of Stockton. During camp, students are constantly supervised, have nightly room checks, and have 24/7 access to a medical authority; additionally, our campus has a 24/7 public safety department. All staff are background checked per California State Law. See our full safety approach →

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Nightly Room Checks

Students are constantly supervised with nightly room checks and full-time staff presence throughout camp.

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24/7 Medical Authority Access

A dedicated medical authority is available around the clock, alongside the university's 24/7 public safety department.

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Background-Checked Staff

All staff are background checked per California State Law to keep every student safe.

QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to speech and debate! We'd love to chat with you to help you learn about speech and debate — please feel free to find a time that works for you on our Calendly. Our general recommendation for newcomers is Congressional Debate because it combines both speech and debate skills.

Absolutely! Over 60% of our students are typically from states other than California. We have students who come from all over the country, including from Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas, among other states. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) offers direct flights from dozens of cities nationwide.

For July 11 arrivals, plan to arrive between 9am and 3pm — shuttle service is available. On July 18, 1-week campers may depart anytime (no shuttle). On July 25, 2-week campers may depart anytime, with shuttle service available for flights after 10am. Shuttle service costs $60 per way and registration is available in our camp platform for registered participants.

Due to costs that we incur prior to the summer beginning in preparation for your camp experience, we are unable to offer refunds at this time. However, if a conflict emerges, you can defer your camp enrollment to the next summer by May 31st.

Please feel free to schedule a time on our Calendly and we'll give you a call at the time you select!

FREE · YEAR-ROUND

Not Ready to Commit? Train Free First.

Get a feel for our coaching before summer. Ascend Academy offers free live group coaching in Congressional Debate, Public Forum, and Extemp — taught by the same national-champion coaches, open to any high school student.

Start Free Coaching →