Inside Ascend
Life at Camp
Welcome
What Two Weeks at Ascend Actually Feels Like
Camp is more than lectures and rounds. It's a daily rhythm, a small-group lab that becomes your team, and a community you stay close to long after you go home. Here's a real look — in our own words.
A Day in the Life
The Daily Rhythm
Every day is structured but never rigid — mornings warm up the mind and body, days are spent in lab, and evenings are yours.
| Time | What's Happening |
|---|---|
| 8:15 AM | Continental breakfast — hot and cold options |
| 9:00 AM | Morning warm-ups in the grass — games and yoga, every day before debate |
| 9:30 AM | Lab time begins (with short ~15-minute breaks throughout) |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch (until 2 PM) |
| 2:00 PM | Lab resumes (with short ~15-minute breaks throughout) |
| 5:00 PM | Group learning hour — office hours or drills |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner (until 7 PM) |
| 7:00 PM | Student free time begins |
| 10:45 PM | Room checks |
| 11:00 PM | Lights out |
What Is a "Lab"?
The lab is the heart of camp — a small group of students who train together for the two weeks, led by a Lab Leader and supported by Junior Instructors. It's where the real teaching happens: practice rounds, drills, feedback, prep, and lectures.
Every Lab Leader is a senior Ascend coach with years of experience — some of the best Congressional Debate coaches in the country. Your child learns from elite coaches, not first-year volunteers. Labs are set by intake and experience, and they stay stable so students build real trust with their group.
Evenings & Downtime
Camp Should Be Fun, Too
Training hard is only half of it. Free time is where friendships are made — the stuff campers talk about for years.
Day One
Opening Day
The first 24 hours set the tone. Students check in, get their camp gear, tour campus, hear from Quest, meet every coach, and settle in with get-to-know-you games — no pressure, all welcome.
New to debate or feeling nervous? That's completely normal — first-timers can watch the opening round before jumping in. Nobody is thrown into the deep end.
The Middle Weekend
The Most Beloved Day of Camp
Halfway through, the intensity lifts. Saturday is legendary — Quest's campwide "OJ lecture" (ask any alum about it), followed by the enormous, iconic water-balloon fight. The rest of the weekend is for resting, swimming, and hanging out, so students come back refreshed for week two.
The Home Stretch
Final Week & the End-of-Camp Tournament
Week two builds toward the culminating event: the end-of-camp tournament, where students put everything they've learned into practice. It's the proudest moment of the two weeks — and then, on the final Sunday, everyone heads home a stronger competitor.
The Ascend Culture
The Stuff That Makes Camp Feel Like Home
Beyond the schedule, there's a culture that returning campers come back for year after year.
Morning Warm-Ups & Yoga
Every day starts with games and yoga in the grass — led by senior coach Emily Donaldson, whose sessions win over even the skeptics. Nobody skips.
The Water-Balloon Fight
The single biggest spectacle of camp, every middle Saturday. It's chaos, and it's the memory everyone brings home.
Competitive, but Collaborative
The tone is friendly rivalry. The students who get the most out of camp are the ones who lift each other up — and those friendships last for years.