Welcome!

CLAREMONT SUMMER – The founding center for the Middle School and High School Public Debate Programs, International High School DebateProgram, High School Civics in Action Leadership Program, and many more educational outreach initiatives for the past 30 years. The Public Debate Program curricular materials, established in 15 debate and argumentation textbooks by John Meany and Kate Shuster, serve as the basis for not only Claremont’s programs but they are copied by debate trainers and classroom teachers throughout the world. John Meany’s approach to public speaking (the PROPS technique), argumentation method (the ARESR model), simple and advanced refutation (4-Step method) – developed and tested form more than 35 years – are used by hundreds of thousands of teachers and students annually. In Summer 2022, public debate, critical thinking, and advanced public speaking training will reach more than 35,000 students in new programs worldwide.
NOTE! SCHEDULE AND ACADEMIC PREPARATION INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING ON THE ‘BLOG’ LINK ON THE HOMEPAGE AFTER JUNE 15.
Claremont Summer Online – the center for Summer 2022 debate and leadership/professional communication programs for middle school and high school students – is a place of teaching excellence and innovative programming. Programming allows students to learn sophisticated public speaking, research, argumentation, presentation, and other essential skills for lifelong earning. Students will be prepared to thrive in academic and career settings. They also have fun!
The 2022 summer programs are fully synchronous – staff are available to lead instruction, support student work, and provide feedback throughout every program day.
Programs and curricular information are not limited to the summer. The Claremont program is the only summer workshop extending competitive and leadership opportunities, as well as curricular support, to its students, at no cost, during the academic year.
SUMMER PROGRAM COST AND PAYMENT
The Middle School Debate session is $750 for the SuperSession (Middle School Debate Session and Summer Tournament). The High Schoo Leadership session and Summer Conference is also $750.
Applicants must pay by check. All checks are payable to Claremont McKenna College. Please do not mail your payment to Claremont McKenna College. Mail your payment to John Meany, Director of Forensics, 749 Lancaster Drive, Claremont, CA 91711.
The registration fee includes the selected academic session and related event (middle school tournament or high school leadership and conference), supplemental open forum options (course electives and additional optional instruction, strategy board gaming for argumentation and negotiation skill development and informal communication practice, and additional curricular materials and exercises delivered to summer students in newsletters during the 2022-23 academic year. Summer students are eligible to register for academic year Claremont debate and leadership communication programs for reduced or no fees.
Students of all experience levels may attend any session.
2022 DATES AND DEADLINES
Apply by July 12
July 18-23, High School Leadership/Professional Communication ($750)
July 28- August 3, Middle School Debate ($750)
Registration opens June 12.
PARENT GUIDE
The 2022 Parent Guide to prepare for the online program will be emailed to parents of registered students at least two weeks before the beginning of their session.

ONLINE SUMMER 2022
Online Programs

Middle School Debate
Institute programming is comprehensive and detailed. The online classroom environment is designed as an interactive and engaging model. As with the traditional on-campus summer programs, students get the time and attention to succeed in a challenging and fun debate format.

High School Leadership
A modified version of professional communication and management training for students interested in organizing and leading clubs and organizations, gaining and succeeding in internships, and developing school and community service and civi engagement programs. Students practice specific communication skills – public speaking, discussion, interviewing, social professional communication, multimedia presentation. They participate in a competitive academic conference, with awards for top paper submission, panel presentation, and multimedia presentation. And they learn to mentor peers using these techniques for more effective school and community clubs and organizations.
What parents say
Thank you for giving my daughter the opportunity to attend this summer. She was new to the program and understandably nervous. But she loved the program and was so happy that her hard work paid off. It was a unique program and we hope that she can attend every summer!
― Grade 6 middle school parent
John Meany is a living, breathing national treasure. Anyone who has the opportunity to study with him should afford themselves of the rare opportunity to study with the Mozart of rhetoric, speech, and debate of our age!
Parent, molecular biologist/patent attorney
Promoting Academic and Career Achievement
Our Success
10,000+
We have witnessed dramatic changes for many thousands of student – improved confidence, professional speaking and writing skills, critical listening development, argumentation and advanced presentation and leadership skills. One sign of success – half of the students attend a session and return for another session or another summer.
98%
Surveys and testing reveal that students, depending on their program, learn the essential skills of public speaking, research, organization, note-taking, argumentation, refutation, discussion, management skills, and multimedia presentation.
20+
We have produced the results that students and parents are looking for – more than 20 years of basic and advanced debate, scholar skills for academic success, and professional communication skills for club, organization, and community service leadership positions, internships, and civic engagement.
Program cost?
All 2022 sessions are $750.
Checks are payable to Claremont McKenna College. They must be mailed to the attention of John Meany, Director of Forensics, 749 Lancaster Drive, Claremont, CA 91711. There are no refunds for 2022 programs.

About Us
We are Claremont Summer, the leading innovator in summer debate and leadership communication instruction.
Your children will learn the skills required for academic and career success and lifelong learning.
News
Address
john.meany@cmc.edu
John Meany
Director of Forensics
749 Lancaster Drive
Claremont, CA 91711