Skip to content

Carden Conejo School  ·  Fall 2026  ·  Zoom

The Pro & Con

A Quinn Pro Quo Debate & Mentorship Program

The Pro & Con is more than a debate class — it is a mentorship experience. Students learn the craft of competitive debate from a peer who competes at the high school level, with real-world insight and the kind of honest encouragement that only comes from someone who has lived it recently.

Weekly Sessions
$35 · 45 Min

Intensive Prep Days
Pre-Tournament

Quarterly Field Trips
$200 per Experience

Enroll
Email Quinny

Your Coach & Peer Mentor

Quinlan Taylor

Quinlan has trained in Public Forum, Lincoln-Douglas, and Parliamentary debate and brings competitive experience alongside a genuine passion for helping younger students find their voice.

As a peer mentor, she offers something a classroom alone cannot — the perspective of someone who has recently sat where you are, felt the same nerves, and learned to turn them into confidence.

Since before high school, Quinny has sought out the people who live inside the worlds she intends to enter. Driven by a desire to tap into the logic of law and faith, she has gone one-on-one with sitting Supreme Court justices, U.S. ambassadors, and prominent voices across law, government, and public life — because she intends to be in that world.

“I want every student in this program to walk into their first round knowing they belong there.”

What You Will Learn

Public Speaking

Deliver arguments with clarity, poise, and conviction — even under pressure.

Research & Evidence

Find, evaluate, and use credible sources to build airtight cases.

Critical Thinking

Analyze arguments, spot logical gaps, and construct sharper rebuttals.

Peer Mentorship

Learn from someone who competes now — and grow alongside your teammates.

Case Construction

Build full affirmative and negative cases from scratch.

Tournament Readiness

Compete with confidence after a full Intensive Prep Day.

Program Overview

Over 11 weekly sessions, one Intensive Prep Day before each tournament, and four quarterly field experiences, students will build the skills to research, argue, rebut, and perform with confidence.

From courthouse visits with sitting judges to roundtables with regional debate champions, every element of this program connects what students learn in the room to how it shows up in the world. Every student who completes this program will leave knowing how to think on their feet, speak with purpose, and advocate for what they believe — skills that will serve them long after any debate round ends.

Course Outline

Foundations of Debate

Week 1 – 2

Research & Evidence

Week 3 – 4

Case Construction

Week 5 – 6

Rebuttal & Cross Examination

Week 7 – 8

Delivery & Presence

Week 9 – 10

Practice Round & Intensive Prep Day

Week 11 & Intensive Prep Day

Quarterly Field Experiences

$200 per student, per experience · transportation and meals included

Four times a year, The Pro & Con takes the classroom into the real world — courtrooms, council chambers, newsrooms, and champion roundtables.

Inside the Courtroom

Q1 – A guided visit to the Ventura County Courthouse. Students observe live proceedings and meet with a sitting judge for a Q&A on argumentation, legal reasoning, and persuasion.

Meet a sitting judge · Observe live proceedings

Champion Roundtable

Q2 – An intimate session with local and regional debate champions. Students bring their best arguments, ask hard questions, and receive direct feedback from competitors who have won at the highest levels.

Live Q&A with regional debate champions

City Hall & Civic Debate

Q3 – A behind-the-scenes look at local government in action. Students attend a public meeting or council session and debrief on how debate skills shape real community decisions.

Observe civic debate · Meet local officials

Media & the Argument

Q4 – A visit to a local media outlet, podcast studio, or newsroom to explore how argumentation shapes public discourse. Students workshop a short on-camera segment.

Newsroom or studio visit · On-camera workshop

What You Will Need

  • Debate notebook or flow pad (grid paper recommended)
  • Colored highlighters — 4 colors minimum
  • Laptop or tablet for research
  • Zoom account (free) — link sent upon enrollment
  • Debate Timer app (iOS/Android, free)

Program Policies

Preparation
Come to each session having completed the previous week’s homework. Debate rewards those who show up ready.

Respect
We debate ideas, not people. Every student, coach, and advisor is treated with dignity at all times.

Attendance
Two unexcused absences may affect eligibility for the Intensive Prep Day. Please communicate in advance if you need to miss.

Cancellation
Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will incur a 50% session fee. This respects preparation time and keeps the program sustainable.

Zoom Conduct
Camera on for the full session. Join from a quiet space. Mute when not speaking. Sessions will not be recorded.

Academic Integrity
All evidence must be accurately represented. Misquoting or fabricating sources is grounds for disqualification in competition and in this program.

Ready to find your voice?

Learn to debate. Learn to think. Learn from someone who is doing it right now.

$35 per 45-minute session  ·  $200 per field experience  ·  quinlanterrytaylor@gmail.com

Back To Top