Foundational Courses

Littles Speech

• Grades: 1st and 2nd
  
• Description: These sessions will be a fun, interactive experience for our youngest speech students. Class activities will include storytelling, confidence building, basic debate, presentation skills, and online speech games and activities. This class aims to get kids comfortable with public speaking, logical thinking, telling and understanding stories. Looking for the FUNdamentals of public speaking and debate for your young ones? Look no further!
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $999.84 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester)
  
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Minimal
  
• Competitions: None

Speech and Debate Comprehensive

• Grades: 3rd-5th; 6th-8th; 9th-12th
  
• Description: This class is a foundational class that any student with no experience in speech and debate can take! Students will learn skills in four fundamental categories: limited preparation speaking, research-based speaking, acting, and debate. This class is great for students who are just starting out, are trying to build their confidence, or refine their speaking skills. After taking this class, students can take the Intermediate Speech and Debate Comprehensive, start the Debate Comprehensive, or move on to specialty classes. Our students love this class because it is a fun way to help them develop their writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. 
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
  
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Intermediate Speech and Debate Comprehensive

• Grades: 3rd-5th
  
• Description: This class is for returning Speech and Debate Comprehensive students. Students will refine skills in the major four categories (limited preparation speaking, research-based speaking, acting, and debate) as they analyze new subcategories in each domain. After taking this class, students can start the Debate Comprehensive or move on to specialty classes.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: Speech and Debate Comprehensive
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Debate Comprehensive

• Grades: 3rd-5th
  
• Description: If you argue with your parents a lot and want to understand how to become better at persuasion and argumentation, this class is for you! In this class, students will learn the fundamentals of Spontaneous Argumentation, Team Spontaneous Argumentation, and one major debate category. This class will lay a solid foundation of debate and teamwork skills. Students will enhance their critical thinking, speaking, note-taking, logical problem-solving, listening, and research abilities. Above all, this class is fun! Debate can sound intimidating, but this class provides the opportunity for new debaters to grow alongside others at their own level.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Debate Specialty Courses

Public Forum Debate

• Grades: 6th-8th
  
• Description: In this debate class, students will learn the public forum debate format. The students will learn how to work with a partner to construct and argue a case concerning current events. In public forum debate, there is a new debate topic every one-two months. Consequently, our students will go in-depth with each topic, enhancing their abilities to do deep research and critical thinking. Taking this class will help students learn how to analyze and respond to arguments, listen more effectively, take better notes, and develop their reading and speaking skills.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
  
• Prerequisites: Debate Comprehensive
• Homework: Medium
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Intro to Lincoln-Douglas Debate

• Grades: 7th-12th
  
• Description: Lincoln-Douglas (LD) is a one-on-one debate format sponsored by the National Speech and Debate Association; the topic changes every two months. Traditionally, LD is a philosophical, values-based debate. This class is for students who want the immersive experience of LD and still want to compete, but are not looking for the advanced level of competition and requirements of the progressive, policy-style LD class. In this class, students will learn how to research, deepen their knowledge base, understand multiple perspectives on issues, deal with ethical questions, and learn note-taking and reading skills.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Medium
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Returning Lincoln-Douglas Debate

• Grades: 6th-8th; 9th-12th
  
• Description: This class offers a more advanced, intense, policy-style, progressive Lincoln Douglas debate format for students who want to compete on the national circuit. This class is best suited for students who are interested in competitive debate, want a topic that changes every two months, and prefer one-on-one debating. Lincoln Douglas is research-heavy. To be successful in LD, students most demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic and their ability to provide extensive evidence. In this class, students will deepen their knowledge base, learn how to understand multiple perspectives on issues, deal with ethical questions, develop their note-taking and reading skills, and learn how to quickly process and communicate complex information.
• Commitment: One semester (only offered during summer for middle schoolers, offered year-round for high schoolers)
• Cost (for 16-18 2.5-hour lessons): $1960.99 (per semester)
  
• Summer Cost (for 18 classes): $1499.99
• Prerequisites: Intro to Lincoln-Douglas Debate
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: Mandatory; students will compete during an average of 2.5 weekend tournaments per month

World Schools and Parliamentary Debate

• Grades: 7th-12th
  
• Description: This class is for students who are interested in team debate and current events. In this format, debaters will get a new topic every time they debate, which earns them a wide array of knowledge on current events over time. They debate in pairs against rival partners. Parliamentary debate helps students learn how to work together to construct a case, how to listen well and engage in cross examination, and use logic to defend their arguments. World Schools debate, one of the most popular categories across the globe, teaches students how to debate complex combinations of prepared and spontaneous topics in teams of three to five. In this class, students will develop research skills, quick critical thinking, writing, note-taking, and extemporaneous speaking skills.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Medium
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Intro to Policy Debate

• Grades: 6th-9th
  
• Description: This class is for students who are passionate about debate and are on track to engage in high-level competitions. Students will learn how to research and improve their analytical skills. If you are interested in public policy, politics, and diving deep into topics, you will love this class. The goal of this class is to help students try out Policy Debate before joining the team later in on the season.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged

Policy Debate Nationals Team

• Grades: 6th-8th
  
• Description: This class is for students who want to succeed at the national level against. Students will learn how to research and improve their analytical skills. If you are interested in public policy, politics, and diving deep into topics, you will love this class. This class requires a high commitment level from the students.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 2.5 hour-long weekly meetings and specialized workshops): $3900 per year (fall and spring)
• Prerequisites: Interview (to establish the student's readiness for the team)
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: Mandatory; students will compete during an average of 2.5 weekend tournaments per month

Parliamentary Debate Nationals Team

• Grades: 6th-12th
• Description: This class is designed for students who aim to excel at the national level in parliamentary debate. Participants will enhance their research, analytical, and public speaking skills, delving deeply into public policy and political topics. Students will learn to debate in teams, engaging in spontaneous debates on issues of fact, value, and policy. This course demands a high level of commitment and dedication from students.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (includes 2-hour-long weekly meetings and specialized workshops: $3900 per year (fall and spring)
• Prerequisites: Interview (to establish the student's readiness for the team)
• Homework: Heavy
• Competitions: Mandatory; students will participate in approximately 2 weekend tournaments per month.

Lincoln-Douglas Nationals Team

• Grades: 6th-8th; 9th-12th
  
• Description: Our Lincoln-Douglas nationals team is a small group of students who use tailor-made curricula from our coaches to excel at national tournaments. On the nationals team, students attend weekly sessions to prepare for competitions by improving Lincoln-Douglas debate skills. Please read about the benefits of competitive debate in admissions here. 
• Commitment: One year
• Cost (for 2.5 hour-long weekly meetings and specialized workshops): $3900 per year (fall and spring)
  
• Prerequisites: Interview (to establish the student's readiness for the team)
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: Mandatory; students will compete during an average of 2.5 weekend tournaments per month

Public Forum Nationals Team

• Grades: 6th-8th
  
• Description: Our Public Forum nationals team is a small group of students who use tailor-made curricula from our coaches to excel at national tournaments. On the nationals team, students attend weekly sessions to prepare for competitions by improving Public Forum debate skills. Lincoln-Douglas contests follow a one-on-one format; Public Forum tournaments are two-on-two. Please read about the benefits of competitive debate in admissions here. 
• Commitment: One year
• Cost (for 2.5 hour-long weekly meetings and specialized workshops): $3900 per year (fall and spring)
  
• Prerequisites: Interview (to establish the student's readiness for the team)
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: Mandatory; students will compete during an average of 2.5 weekend tournaments per month

College Enrichment Courses

College Application Workshop

• Grades: 9th-12th
  
• Description: In this class, students are prepared for college writing by exploring four key units. These include lessons on writing a personal statement, preparing interview responses for selective institutions, creating an appropriately formatted and college-ready research paper on a subject of their choice, and planning a student-led service project relevant to their college ambitions. This class was designed for students who want to improve their chances of getting into their right-fit colleges but need to hone their oral and written communication skills to stand out. In a competitive landscape where a traditional way to showcase achievement--standardized testing--is less relevant now than ever before, the techniques this class teaches will help provide clarity, confidence, and strong composition skills to our students. Read more about our college counseling program here.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
  
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: None

Essay Writing

• Grades: 3rd-5th
  
• Description: This class is designed to teach students how to write better essays for both academic and extracurricular endeavors. We'll discuss five-paragraph structure and cover topics like critical analyses, creative pieces, personal essays for applications, and practice pitches for interviews. Mastering the preparation of personal essays and practice pitches is paramount for admission to selective middle schools, high schools, colleges, or even future job prospects. The skill of accentuating your strengths on paper, while still seeming personable, is critical for both education and the workforce.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: None

Creative Writing

• Grades: 4th-6th
  
• Description: In this class, students deepen their written and oral communication capabilities through performance-focused creative writing. By learning and practicing writing devices and exploring different techniques and approaches to written work, students will expand their knowledge of authorship, voice, tone, and communication. Students will accomplish this through poetry, prose, essay, and story writing. When taking this class, students will develop their writing, creativity, speaking, logic, and storytelling skills, as well as their ability to analyze literature. Students who successfully accomplish this class will have a collection of publishable work.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: None

Business Competition Class

• Grades: 9th-12th
  
• Description: This class prepares students to succeed in business competitions. Students are provided an overview of 70+ competitive events and provided specialized training in over a dozen of the public speaking-oriented categories. This course helps students understand business theory, communication, leadership, money, management, case study analysis, organizational development, and a plethora of other skills crucial for 21st-century success in a changing corporate landscape.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Medium
  
• Competitions: Offered; strongly encouraged (but must be attended through a participant's high school)

Screenwriting

• Grades: 6th-10th
  
• Description: This class teaches students to understand and apply new screenwriting terminology and tactics. It follows a weekly format. First, students read through an excerpt or complete short, pilot, or feature, together as a class, before watching the filmed version of that piece, and analyzing what was involved in the adaptation from script to screen. Next, students dive into the nuances of that week’s genre and format, discuss examples the students know and like, and participate in instructional games to help reinforce the themes. Finally, students practice writing in that format and genre, before sharing that week’s writing with the class, and receiving feedback.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: None

Philosophy and Dungeons and Dragons

• Grades: 6th-12th
  
• Description: Dungeons and Dragons (DND) is a fantasy role-playing game where students pretend to be characters inspired by fiction like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson. The University of Melbourne reported in 2019 that students who play role playing games like this “have higher cognitive abilities than the average population…[including] comprehension, spelling, attention span, and critical thinking.” Philosophy and DND adds a layer of ethical thought experiments to the game, where students will first play the game and then discuss the real-life implications and philosophical basis for the challenges they encountered in the game. It makes learning about the liberal arts fun.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: None

Advanced Philosophy and Dungeons and Dragons

• Grades: 6th-12th
  
• Description: This class is for students who are experienced with and passionate about Dungeons and Dragons. It teaches students the leadership, preparation, and creative writing skills to be a Dungeon Master, offers opportunities to play and direct the game, and provides instruction on world-building techniques. Students study geography, mythology, history, language, flora and fauna, and other relevant elements of fictional content creation and game design. Advanced Philosophy and DND has a strong college-focused element: by the end of the class, students who follow the curriculum will publish their material through an official website, providing proof of their passion to colleges and universities.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: Philosophy and Dungeons and Dragons (or an interview)
• Homework: Medium
  
• Competitions: None

Billionaire's Club

• Grades: 3rd-5th
  
• Description: This class, as part of our economics series, gives students the intellectual and decision-making tools that they need to become independent financially stable people by the time they finish high school. Students will learn the basics of personal financial literacy, the elements of building a successful business, finance and investment through the eyes of an investor, and economic theory and history.  It all begins in elementary school, with this course: we teach students about personal financial literacy and public speaking for business.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Light
  
• Competitions: None

Economics, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (Level I)

• Grades: 6th-12th
  
• Description: This class, as part of our economics series, gives students the intellectual and decision-making tools that they need to become independent financially stable people by the time they finish high school. Students will learn the basics of personal financial literacy, the elements of building a successful business, finance and investment through the eyes of an investor, and economic theory and history. In middle school, students transition to learning economics and practical business skills. 
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Medium 
  
• Competitions: None

Economics, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (Level II)

• Grades: 6th-12th
  
• Description: This class, as part of our economics series, gives students the intellectual and decision-making tools that they need to become independent financially stable people by the time they finish high school. Students will learn the basics of personal financial literacy, the elements of building a successful business, finance and investment through the eyes of an investor, and economic theory and history. In high school, students learn about economic history and underlying theories in preparation for the AP tests. Students will also be offered opportunities to compete in math and economics contests.
• Commitment: One semester
• Cost (for 16-18 lessons): $1333.12 (fall semester), $1499.99 (summer semester).
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Medium
  
• Competitions: Math/economics competitions offered

AP Economics Intensive

• Grades: 9th-12th
  
• Description: In this year-long course, students will learn both microeconomics and macroeconomics. This class helps students get an in-depth understanding of economics in order to prepare them for their Advanced Placement test at the end of the school year. ModernBrain does not directly administer the AP test but encourages students to sign up through their school and provides tools and techniques to get a 5.
• Commitment: One year
• Cost (for 34 lessons): $3150
  
• Prerequisites: Passing grade in Algebra I
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: Economics contests

Summer Intensives (One Week)

Speech Summer Intensive

• Grades: 6th-12th
  
• Description: Our middle and high school nationals team invites students who are focused on achieving nationally competitive excellence in acting, prepared speaking, and limited preparation speaking activities. This is a day camp with the goal of helping students prepare nationally competitive speeches. The students meet from Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 5 PM, culminating in an intra-camp competition/showcase on Friday. Students who join the nationals team will develop their speaking, writing, research, peer review, and listening skills, as well as enhance their ability to work as a team. Please read about the benefits of competitive speech in admissions here.
• Commitment: One week (Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 5 PM with a one-hour lunch/game break)
• Cost: $1500
• Prerequisites: Complimentary interview (to find the right-fit coach for you)
• Homework: Heavy (memorization)
  
• Competitions: One (end-of-camp)

Policy Debate Summer Intensive

• Grades: 6th-9th
  
• Description: This class is for students who are passionate about debate and are on track to engage in high-level competitions. Students will learn how to research and improve their analytical skills. If you are interested in public policy, politics, and diving deep into topics, you will love this class. This class requires a high commitment level from the students. This is a day camp with the goal of helping students prepare nationally competitive speeches. The students meet from Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 5 PM, culminating in an intra-camp competition/showcase on Friday.  
• Commitment: One week (Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 5 PM with a one-hour lunch/game break)
• Cost: $1500
• Prerequisites: Complimentary interview (to find the right-fit coach for you)
• Homework: Heavy
  
• Competitions: One (end-of-camp)

Mock Trial Summer Intensive

• Grades: 7th-12th
  
• Description: If you are thinking about becoming a lawyer, enjoy public speaking, are good at communicating, or simply want to join a fun, litigious activity, Mock Trial is an activity you should consider. Mock Trial was created to help students acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. Do you have what it takes to be a lawyer, or do you just want to find out what a lawyer does? Join Mock Trial and find out how to excel as a prosecutor, defense attorney, or witness. This is a day camp with the goal of helping students prepare nationally competitive speeches. The students meet from Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 5 PM, culminating in an intra-camp competition/showcase on Friday.  
• Commitment: One week (Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 5 PM with a one-hour lunch/game break)
• Cost: $1500
• Prerequisites: None
• Homework: Heavy (memorization)
  
• Competitions: One (end-of-camp)