Education Unlimited - academic summer camps and pre-college summer programs

Designed to help students build confidence in their public speaking skills, our Public Speaking Institute trains students in public speaking, logic and rhetoric through an interactive and dynamic curriculum that encourages incremental progress through ongoing practice and exercise. Over the course of the program, students will participate in three main courses: Debate, Persuasive Speaking, and an elective.

Note: Overnight and day camp programs are offered at Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, Tufts, Brown and Georgetown. Day camp only programs are offered at Caltech and MIT. Day camp programs do not include evening electives. 

Debate: Learn the art of verbal combat! Students will learn how to construct persuasive positions, defend against and attack each other’s arguments, and cross-examine effectively. Students will debate a variety of age- and experience-appropriate topics, form teams, and pit themselves against their co-campers. Past debate topics have included: school uniforms (elementary school), pre-emptive strike policy (middle school), and the legal drinking age (high school).

Persuasive Speaking: This useful activity teaches students to craft and deliver convincing speeches. Students start by performing a number of pre-written speeches in order to learn delivery, timing, and intonation. When students display comfort with delivery, they will begin to construct speeches based on their interests. Students learn to choose topics, establish captivating introductions, organize speech content, and deliver compelling conclusions! The focus is on speaking in a natural voice, with few or no notes, rather than writing an essay and merely reading it out loud, the form of "public speaking" taught by most teachers. All students end the week by presenting a speech in front of a large group of fellow campers.

Electives: In the evenings, students will get to choose from at least two of the following four elective speaking activities:

• Model Congress: This event provides an introduction to diplomatic and legislative speaking. Students role-play as members of Congress. Persuasive speaking, negotiations, and compromise are all stressed in a forum that allows students to sample the most exciting part of the political process!

• Negotiations: You can't always get what you want... or can you? The negotiations activity stresses public speaking as a business and personal tool. Students will role-play scenarios in which their abilities to compromise and persuade are developed.

• Reader's Theater: In this fun and popular event, students write and perform a short play (or learn and perform a play for younger students). Students create their characters, devise plot twists, write dialogue, and deliver partial practice performances followed by the whole play.

• Improvisational Speaking: This type of speaking requires students to think on their feet to deliver speeches with little or no preparation time. In the opening class, students are given ample time to prepare for short speeches, and over the course of the program the time to prepare will shorten as the speeches lengthen. Fun and challenging topics are chosen, often with hilarious results!

Public Speaking Institute students experience university life during their week on a college campus. Students live together in the dormitories, experience campus dining, and relax on campus with a wide array of sports and arts activities. Additionally, the camp will take one mid-week excursion to a local attraction, such as an amusement park or sports venue. The most recurrent comment made by students after camp is, “ I never knew I would have so much fun!”

Elementary Education at Stanford University

This is a special session of our Public Speaking Institute intended to meet the needs of younger students entering the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. Elementary Education students will study the same basic skills as standard PSI students in a setting designed to encourage younger students’ enthusiasm for the activities. Our supportive and experienced staff lead fun educational activities and provide supervision that is appropriate for these younger students. Public Speaking students are given tips and plenty of practice to become comfortable speaking in front of their peers. Past topics include: “Should schools mandate uniforms?” and "Should junk food be allowed in school vending machines?" Classroom hours, recreational activities, and supervision are adjusted specifically for elementary school students. During this session, special commuter and extended care options are available, though students may also choose to stay in the campus dorms. Contact Education Unlimited for pricing details.

SUMMER 2018 ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTIONS

SUMMER 2018 HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS

“Unlike many summer camps, your staff clearly demonstrates they are subject matter experts, not just bodies filling an open position.” — Nandini Rao, parent

“Carrie was somewhat hesitant to go to this camp, believing speaking publicly was simply something she wasn’t good at. She has now decided to join speech and debate and school.” — Gail Stuart Read, parent

 

Public Speaking Institute - Regular Program - Staff Profiles

Education Unlimited believes in small-group, immersive learning with subject matter experts and experienced teachers. We strive to provide industry-leading instruction to all of our students and hold all staff to the highest possible standards. Staff assignments vary by program and location. Some of our recent staff members for this program include:

Stephen Buettler — Camp Director

Stephen Buettler is an instructor and public speaking expert with dual degrees in literature and philosophy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  In addition to roles as lecturer and...

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Robert Loy, MA — Camp Director & Instructor

Robert Loy is an assistant professor of Communication Studies at Los Angeles Pierce College.  He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge. Since 2014, he has been a lecturer at CSU Northridge in the areas of public speaking and argumentation.  A director with Education Unlimited since...

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Michelle Alexander — Instructor

A Canadian who just made the move to LA, Michelle is joining EU this year. She is a professional actor and comedy writer with current roles on network TV shows. She has taught public speaking as well as...

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Byron Arthur — Instructor

Byron Arthur is a practicing attorney from New Orleans, Louisiana, and is particularly well equipped to lead our American Legal Experience program which brings an equal focus to mock trial and to public speaking and critical thinking skills. He is a lead instructor in Public Forum debate at the Harvard Debate Council high school debate...

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Lisa Hebert, MS — Instructor

Lisa Casente Hebert is a public speaking instructor at Louisiana State University and is very excited to be teaching for Education Unlimited.  She has recently been promoted to senior instructor and has been honored by the Chancellor for her 25 years of university service.  At LSU, she has served as the course director of basic courses where...

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Jessica Kwack, MA — Instructor

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jessica loves the sun, the movies, and the Lakers! Jessica received her B.A. and M.A. in Communication Studies at California State University Northridge. As a graduate...

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Robert Lebeda, MA — Instructor

Bobby Lebeda just completed his master's degree in communication studies. In terms of public speaking and argumentation he competed in speech and debate in high school for four years. Since then Bobby's been coaching high school speech and debate for 6 years at Chaminade College Preparatory. He coached the past year two years at California...

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Christopher Lim — Instructor

Christopher is a passionate and enthusiastic educator. He is currently a lecturer with the San Jose State University’s (SJSU) College of Business and a public speaking and debate instructor. He is an experienced global executive who has worked with multi-national corporations in the supply chain industry over the past 20 years and now teaches...

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John-Michael Macdonald — Instructor

John Michael MacDonald is a native of Columbia, Maryland and a graduate of St John’s College, the Great Books school.  Philosophy degree in hand, he promptly pursued a career in theater.  After several years as an actor, John-Michael studied at the London International School of Performing Arts and transitioned to directing.

 

Since 1997,...

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Jennifer Newman, MTS — Instructor

Originally from the East Bay area in California, Jennifer Newman now resides in Boston, Massachusetts and is excited to spend her first summer teaching Public Speaking and debate with Education Unlimited! 

 

Jennifer recently finished a Master of Theological Studies degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. While she was studying...

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Jennifer Parker, MA — Instructor

Jennifer Parker (M.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln) teaches Leadership, Business and Professional Communication, and Public Speaking for Creighton University. Jennifer has a strong passion for public speaking and performance, and consults for forensics teams and leadership camps across the country. Previously she taught for and directed the...

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Nora Sepulveda, MA — Instructor

A Ventura County native, Nora received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in...

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We will continue to add additional staff members as enrollment and availability dictate. Details are posted on additional staff members as they are confirmed.