Bergen Debate Club, the top debate academy in New Jersey, is an educational program delivered in person and online, focused exclusively on the development of critical thinking, persuasive argumentation and public speaking skills for students ages 10 to 18 years old. Operating two centers in Fort Lee and Glen Rock with an annual enrollment of 350+ students, Bergen Debate is the largest and most accomplished debate academy in the United States.
At Bergen Debate, students are introduced to several formats of competitive debate, including Parliamentary, Policy, Public Forum, and Lincoln Douglas. They learn how to structure arguments, appeal to judges, and work with a partner. In addition to regular debates in the classroom, at the end of every semester, debaters are invited to participate at the formal intramural debate tournament.
Developed and continuously perfected over a decade by Oksana Savransky, Bergen Debate Club’s Founder and Executive Director, the program’s curriculum is delivered by top-notch teaching staff to transform the lives of young scholars. Students arrive shy and learn quickly how to project confidence. Bergen Debate Club's unique and engaging lesson plans are tailored to impart talents that will last a lifetime, while teaching students how to argue effectively, speak clearly and confidently, and to excel at academic research and analytical writing. And, this is why so many of Bergen Debate’s alumni go on to become leaders in school and their communities, as well as attending some of the most prestigious universities. Some of this year’s high school students of Bergen Debate have been admitted to Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, The University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown University.
“We aim to enrich the social, intellectual, and academic lives of our students through debate. We believe that, under our expert guidance, with our proven curriculum and personal approach, Bergen Debate Club's scholars are able to achieve outstanding results in debate while acquiring life skills and leadership qualities that are vital to success in today's ever more competitive educational and career environment,” said Oksana Savransky about the mission for her debate and public speaking academy. Mrs. Savransky founded the program in 2013 and has led it to become a recognized leader in debate and public speaking education in North America.
Classes are divided into three parts: public speaking, debate, and critical thinking. The public speaking portion of class teaches students the art of persuasion and delivery, providing skills that carry over into other domains of their lives such as school education and leadership roles. The debate portion of class develops mastery in argument construction and research, while engaging students to learn more about the world and current events. Finally, classes hone students’ critical thinking skills with fun games like logic puzzles and trivia. Students leave class each week feeling empowered and intellectually curious.
Bergen Debate Club students competing at Georgetown and Princeton.
Students who have attended the Bergen Debate Club for at least a year are encouraged to join the Bergen travel team. Over the course of a debate season, its members will compete at prestigious state and national level tournaments, such as Georgetown, Harvard, and the Tournament of Champions. The travel team is a way for students to put to the test what they are learning in class, as well as an opportunity to meet great friends.
During the Fall, Winter, and Spring academic semesters, debate coaches work hand in hand with members to conduct research, prepare arguments, and practice intensely. That is why year after year, the academy’s students and faculty continue to raise the bar, achieving victory at the largest and most difficult competitions.
Among the thousands of successful entrepreneurs, global leaders, business executives that have all greatly benefited from their mastery of discourse, John Sexton, the President of NYU (New York University) says it the best in just a few lines, "Those 4 years in debate were the educational foundation of everything I did. And I don't mean that in some simple form...I'm saying the finest education I got from any of the institutions I attended, the foundation of my mind that I got during those 4 years of competitive policy debate." However, do not just take his word for it, come find out for yourself at one of the Bergen Debate Club's regularly scheduled classes or specialty workshops.
BERGEN DEBATE CLUB 440 West Street, 3rd fl, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 251 Rock Rd, 2nd fl, Glen Rock, NJ 07452
Telephone: 201-421-8621 Email: info@njdebate.com
Office Hours
Tue-Fri 2PM-8PM
Sat-Sun 9AM-4PM
Mon CLOSED