Collage of children and teenagers holding trophies, dressed in formal or school attire, at an outdoor awards event.

ModernBrain's mission is to provide our families with the perfect public speaking pathway to confidence and college.

Group of five young students, four women and one man, pose behind a table with a 'Defense' sign in a large, formal room. The man in front wears a gray suit and tie, holding a paper. The women are dressed in various professional and casual outfits, with one wearing a wide-brimmed hat. They all smile and look at the camera.

ELEVATION: Our three-step system empowers students to succeed.

First, our students begin with our comprehensive classes, where they learn the fundamentals of communication skills. Over 3,000 families have started their journey here.

Second, they transition to our specialty classes and national competition teams, where they have the chance to excel at regional, state, national, and international public speaking contests. Hundreds of our students have earned at least one national ranking.

Finally, our counseling program empowers them to find their perfect fit. Over 95% of our mentees are admitted into top 20-ranked and/or their top choice institutions.

A group of seven children smiling and posing together indoors in a classroom or play area.

EXPERTISE: We prioritize professionalism.

There's a reason organizations in counties like Orange and Los Angeles, including educational institutions representing over 50,000 students such as the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, hire us to support their districts. It's the same reason nationally recognized entities like the National Youth Poet Laureate Program partner with us, why we're an approved provider of the President's Volunteer Service Award, why international college counseling companies like Stoooges Education trust our instructors to prepare their students for the Ivy League, and why the #1-ranked UCLA Trial Advocacy Team sought and received our support.

Our professionalism pervades each element of our approach, from our core values of continuous improvement and customer satisfaction to our year-round, custom-designed lesson plans. Whether it's speech, debate, mock trial, Model United Nations, acting, or more, our coaches are prepared to guide students from elementary school through college and, as our adult clients will tell you, into the corporate world.

Young girl smiling and holding two trophies in front of a wall with framed photographs and awards.

EXCELLENCE: Winning isn't the only goal, but it's the outcome.

Our coaches are the best in the business. We have some of the winningest competitors in the history of the American Forensics Association, multiple National Speech and Debate Association state and national champions who have guided their students to the same accolades they earned, and the only person to win the American Mock Trial Association's national championship as an attorney and witness since 2005. And that's just scratching the surface. ModernBrain's coaching staff is second to none in the country.

It's why, since the start of the 2020 season, our students have won over 1,400 first place public speaking championships, more than 300 bids to the most competitive tournaments in the nation, the NIETOC and Tournament of Champions, hundreds of national awards, and over 6,400 public speaking honors at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Check out our AWARDS page for specifics.

EMPATHY: We cultivate a culture of caring.

ModernBrain is known for our effective, respectful communication. Before you decide to entrust your student's learning to us, we offer free trial classes and seminars to make sure you're given the appropriate class placement. Once your student is enrolled, they'll receive multiple personalized evaluations throughout the semester. Throughout the process, we promise quick and accurate responses to all phone and email communication.

Our instructors are all trained under the National Federation of State High School Association's standards regarding student safety and well-being. We keep class sizes small to make sure your student receives the attention they need to grow. We use vetted technology approved by teachers who've won research awards for communication to keep track of student learning. When your student joins the ModernBrain family, we make sure they're supported.

A group of students presenting in a classroom with a screen displaying a document behind them; the audience is seated, using laptops, and some students are standing and speaking.

EQUITY: Inclusivity guides our decisions.

As educators, we recognize that traditional "one size fits all" models, in truth, fit no one. That's why we've hired a robust coaching staff of geographically, culturally, and ideologically diverse educators: to make sure students from all backgrounds and learning styles are given the tailored training they need. Our organization has thrived for over a decade because we encourage open dialogue and cultivate challenging conversations so we never settle for the status quo.

Some organizations hyper-specialize in particular public speaking categories. They might only focus on some forms of debate or only produce material for students who are coming in at a high level of commitment. We offer training in all forms of American speech and debate, mock trial, model united nations, ethics bowl, and more.

ModernBrain has sponsored city-wide STEAM festivals, contributed money and curricula for K-12 and community college students, with a focus on Title I schools, and run low-cost public speaking competitions as fundraisers for local public school programs. Because of this equitable approach, we've been named a "Top 100 Company Supporting Educational Excellence" by the Irvine Public Schools Foundation for four consecutive years, as of 2022. It's why we've been honored to serve over 3,000 families.