Towson International Debate Institute a Success!
The Towson International Debate Institute, or TIDI, had its third successful summer. Students from across the city converged on Towson's campus to improve their debate skills and learn about the new high school topic. The camp included staff from Towson, the University of Vermont, Emory University, Catholic University, Wake Forest University, Cornell University, and Columbia University, as well as successful high school coaches from Forest Park, Manhattan Center for Math and Sciences, and Loyola Blakefield.
There were four tracks of the TIDI this year: a research track which contributed to the largest camp packet produced so far at the TIDI, a skills track which engaged in numerous practice rounds and speaking drills, a beginner track with what veteran camp staffer Tom Durkin said, "might be the best group of new kids ever", a middle school track, which had high school mentors judging intense topicality and counterplan debates, and a teacher track, with new and experienced coaches sharing tricks of the trade, watching practice rounds, and discussing ways to build thier teams.
When all the shirts were tie dyed, pizza and hotdogs eaten, markers dry, and tape rolls empty, students went home exhausted, but prepared to win some rounds in the fall. As one student put it: "I truly think the camp is very educational. I’m learning a lot about interesting things from it but it is still very fun. "
