America’s #1 Ranked, Online Debate Classes for Ambitious Students.

Learn debate from national champions who know what it takes to stand out in competition, in school, and in life.

44% Increase in Critical Thinking Skills -- 120 Point SAT Score Increase -- 30% Higher Acceptance Rate to Top-Tier Universities --

44% Increase in Critical Thinking Skills -- 120 Point SAT Score Increase -- 30% Higher Acceptance Rate to Top-Tier Universities --

Our Classes

A 10-week journey from fundamentals to competition.
Apollo’s core program starts with public speaking and argumentation basics, then guides students through research, case writing, and live debate rounds—all in an engaging, interactive format designed by national champions.

  • Apollo’s Fundamentals of Public Speaking (FPS) class is the first step in preparing students with little-to-no experience for excellence in public speaking and competitive debate.

    The curriculum starts with the absolute fundamentals of public speaking and rhetoric, moves to strategic argumentation, and ends with a brief introduction to competitive, Public Forum Debate. At the end of our class, students have the opportunity to participate in real Public Forum Debate rounds, receiving feedback and coaching from national champions.

    Graduates of FPS are well-prepared to dive into more advanced instruction at our Introduction to Competitive Debate class and to succeed as capable, persuasive speakers in school and beyond.

  • The Introduction to Competitive Debate course is built for students who’ve completed our fundamentals course or have prior experience with debate. We go beyond the basics, focusing on case construction, rebuttal strategy, weighing, and crossfire—all through the lens of real competitive Public Forum Debate.


    Led by national champions, students will write original cases, engage in multiple full-length practice rounds, and receive personalized feedback designed to sharpen their competitive edge.

  • Coming soon!

About Apollo

Apollo Debate Academy was created by Julien Benchek and Michael Hansen — both Public Forum national champions and current students at the University of Chicago.

We designed Apollo to offer what we wish we had starting out: elite coaching that’s engaging, interactive, and rooted in real educational value. Our mission is simple—teach students to speak with confidence, argue with nuance, and think critically in a world that needs it.