Speech and Debate India leads the way with the launch of Debate Academy

July 16th, India: Speech and Debate India – a life-changing Journey backed by Research, with fun courses and thrilling competitive events,is advancingonline academic and life skills training by launchingthe first-of-its-kind Debate Academy, taught exclusively by U.S. instructors.

The academy aims to nurture the careers, balanced leadership development, and holistic personality growth for students in Grades 1-12from top international and other schools across India. Moreover, it offers a real-world approach, using games and challenges in courses such as Global Leadership 2.0 to engage indebate drills and practices, while gradually imparting theory and encouraging self-reflection, discussions, and articulation of evidence-based reasoning.

The formation of the U.S. research-backed Debate Academy prepares students to advance academics, 21^st century life skills, and engage socially with rigorous training at a formative age to advance their holistic learning, supplementing the traditionaleducational curriculum in IB, IGCSE, CBSE, ICSE, and other boards. The interdisciplinary debate courses will dive deep into each engagingtopic areassuch as Current Events, Global Leadership, Climate Change, Technology & AI, Entrepreneurship, Arts, Cognitive Psychology, College Admissions, and more. Kids are challenged to evaluate evidence from multiple perspectivesbeyond their personal opinions to develop an appreciation for alternative viewpoints grounded in research.

Speech and Debate India recently also concluded the National Debate Tournament, on Reimagining Our Global K-12 Education System,for studentsacross Elementary, Middle, and High School Divisions. It featured India’s top two teams, advancing by competing in an unprecedented 20 rounds of competitive debates with eliminations in each of 4 prior weekends among students from top schools nationally.Winners were honored with Speech and Debate India’s 2020 National Championshipalong with awards like the Best Researcher, Most Creative, Best Cross-Examination, and Team Collaboration to celebrate Indian students from Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Dubai, Hyderabad, Indore, London, Mumbai, New York, and others.

The Debate Academy is the brainchild of noted two-yearconsecutiveU.S. State Debate Champion in the late 1980s, Stanford University and Goldman Sachs alumnus, and the Founder of Speech and Debate India, Mr. Rajiv Kacholia. Post announcing the Debate Academy launch,Mr. Kacholiahighlighted, “The National Debate Tournamentdemonstrated how we empower our students with exciting games and challenges to enhance creativity and collaboration through rigorous analysis and discussion.Coursesin the Debate Academy are designed to bring together some of India’s brightest kids andinspirethese giftedchildrento expand how they thinkcritically about topics beyond their grade level. Students cangradually gain the confidence and tools to express their thoughts systematically, starting with smaller groups where they assimilate quickly, collaborating with teammates.”

U.S. debate is a highly rigorous and research-intensive format where students develop creative solutions for real-world political, business, and societal issues, rather than theoretical or procedural arguments. U.S. debatehas been proven over the past century toattract and develop many of the sharpest minds tofoster balanced leadership, and no other supplementary activity has the extent of research supporting itsacademic, college admissions, and life skills benefits. Alumni of U.S. speech and debate include successful entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Jack Dorsey (Twitter), Ted Turner (CNN), Oprah Winfrey (Oprah Network); entertainment celebrities Brad Pitt, Stephen Colbert, Bruce Springsteen, Adam Sandler; and U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton.

Mr. Kacholia has developed a unique pedagogy to teach students important content through interactive discussions, while advancing their debate and life skills using supportive drills and debate practices. The academy includes six divisions–Grades 1-2: YE (Young Explorers), Grade 3: JES (Junior Elementary School), Grades 4-5: ES (Elementary School), Grade 6: JMS (Junior MS) or MS (Middle School), Grades 7-8: MS (Middle School) and Grades 9-12: HS (High School)

Further explaining the design of the Debate Academy and its benefits, Mr. Kacholiaadded,“We are at an inflection point in how to deliver globally proven pedagogical advances to bring togethertalented children across the country for rigorous competitions online, while collaborating and learning together. Our approach is very different than traditional courses in public speaking and elocution. This is not an elocution class. We don't memorize speeches or use dramatics. Our format of debate augments the toughest and is designed to extend gifted children with skills needed for adaptability and success in our rapidly evolving 21^st century.”

Research indicates that students in U.S. debate become more efficient in processing information, advancing writing and reading levels, raising standardized test scores, and traditional school work like submitting papers and taking exams becomes easier.

To learnmore about the Debate Academy, available courses and registration process please visit: https://www.speechdebateindia.com/academy

About Speech and Debate India:

Speech and Debate India combines core academic and life skills to empower students with the confidence, adaptability, and an edge to succeed amidst a rapidly changing world. An engaging and rigorous U.S. curriculum is taught exclusively by U.S. faculty to foster each child's creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and leadership skills, to magnify their voice.

Speech and Debate India was inspired bythe childhood passion ofFounder and two time U.S. State Debate Champion and Stanford University alumnus, Mr. Rajiv Kacholia. Mr. Kacholia has developed a unique pedagogy to advance debate and life skills naturally through an augmented version of the most rigorous and evidence-based format, policy style cross-examination debate. Speech and Debate India is a life-changing Journey backed by Research, for grade 1-12 gifted students through fun courses and thrilling events.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.speechdebateindia.com/