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Clarion University offering mock trial, debate camp

Clarion University’s Honors Program will offer two Summer Academy camps for high school students during 2008, Mock Trial Camp, July 13-18; and Debate Camp, July 20-25.

Enrollment in the camps is limited to the first 40 qualified applicants. Applications, available on-line at www.clarion.edu/honors, must be postmarked no later than June 13. The applications must be filled out completely and legibly, signed by the parent, and returned with a check for the $300 registration fee made payable to Clarion University, a high school transcript, and a brief statement of 500 words or less expressing why the student is interested in participating in the camp.

Applications materials and high school transcript should be returned to Hallie Savage, Honors Program Director, Clarion University, 840 Wood St., Clarion, Pa. 16214; or faxed to 814-393-2430. Additional information or questions should be addressed to Lynn Hepfl, Honors Program coordinator, at lhepfl@clarion.edu or call 814-393-2585.

At Mock Trial Camp, students will have the opportunity to learn and practice skills helpful with the pursuit of various careers, including the legal field by gaining a better and more thorough understanding of the nature of legal advocacy and courtroom behavior. Attention will be given to the differences between an argument and issue, defense and prosecutorial case construction, witness preparation, and the use of questioning in a trial process.

Students will have the opportunity to learn and practice theoretical concepts as well as hear from experts in the field. The academy will culminate with actual mock trials held in the Clarion County Courthouse in which students will participate on either a prosecution or defense team.

Faculty/Advisory Board for the camp includes: Marie Batista-Kerle, Esq.; Dr. Myrna Kuehn, mass media arts, journalism, and communication studies; Jim Lyle, Clarion University Debate coach; Barry McCauliff, mass media arts, journalism, and communication studies; Dr. Todd Pfannestiel, history; Dr. Jamie Phillips, philosophy; Dr. Hallie Savage, Honors Program; and Dr. Barry Sweet, political science.

The topic for Debate Camp is, “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.” When students arrive on July 20, they will receive a set of evidenced arguments which allows them to engage and debate the topic upon arrival, but which will also require additional work and research to be conducted during the week to complete the set of blocks. Students should expect to return home with at least two affirmative arguments and relevant negative evidence, one generic disadvantage, and one generic counter plan

A more detailed curriculum will be provided at the time of arrival, but students should expect to receive a thorough introduction to the 2008-2009 topic, argument types and strategies for both the affirmative and negative sides of the topic, an introduction to debate theory, and participation in several debates over the course of the week, including a concluding workshop tournament.

The staff will include:

Clarion University Debate coach Jim Lyle, who has helped rebuild the debate program leading teams to the finals of the novice and junior varsity divisions, including the 2006 junior varsity championship, at the American Debate Association (ADA) National Championship and qualifying varsity teams to the National Debate Tournament (NDT). Lyle teaches argumentation and debate, discussion, environmental rhetoric, public speaking, persuasion, and the communication and dissenting voices class at Clarion. He served as an instructor at the Wake Forest Summer Debate Workshop and Policy Project for nearly a decade before joining Clarion University. Prior to his Clarion experience, Jim was an assistant at Wake Forest, where he earned his master’s degree in communication and helped coach several teams deep into the elimination rounds of virtually every national tournament, including the NDT and CEDA Nationals. Between his time at Wake and Clarion, Lyle worked with an information technology consulting firm and served as an assistant coach with Mary Washington College, helping guide them to a novice championship at the ADA National Tournament. As an undergraduate, he debated for the University of Pittsburgh, where he advanced to the elimination rounds at most national tournaments, including the NDT.

Rob Noerr, who debated at Clarion from 2003-2007 and was part of the first team in school history to qualify for the National Debate Tournament. In addition to his NDT experience, Noerr

advanced to the elimination rounds and won speaker awards in all three divisions, novice, junior varsity, and varsity, during his career at numerous tournaments across the country. In 2007-2008, he helped the Clarion University Debate team as an assistant.

Aaron Swanlek and Andrew Zachar, who were new to the Clarion University Debate Team in Fall 2007 and climbed the novice ladder, successfully transitioning to the junior varsity and varsity divisions during Spring 2008 semester. They cleared to the elimination rounds at virtually every tournament they debated at in novice and junior varsity and won numerous speaker awards at tournaments, including both the CEDA Junior Varsity/Novice National Tournament and the ADA

National Championship.

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