What Our Students Think
We reached out to Charis to lead a camp for our region and it was amazing! She not only shared relevant, important information for both novice and advanced debaters, she also had them connecting and building friendships. Charis sets the bar high - she demonstrates professionalism and excellence while being flexible. Most importantly, her heart shows through in all she does; Charis is using her gifts to build the Kingdom. Her passion to develop speakers with integrity who speak boldly for Christ shines through in all she does. I highly recommend partnering with her!
-Jennifer Janssen, parent of 2 Stoa grads & club leader
LD Bootcamp
I highly recommend Charis Baker of Speaking With Grace Coaching for debate training. My son attended her virtual Lincoln-Douglas 1-day bootcamp, which gave him a solid foundation and prepared him well for his first tournament. I chose Charis because of her outstanding character—she's kind, loves the Lord, and genuinely cares for her students. With the heart of a true teacher and a strong role model's integrity, she delivers exceptional value at a very reasonable price.
- Hailey White, 9 year Stoa parent
Summer Camp
The three-day speech and debate camp led by Charis Baker was an outstanding experience for my student. From the very first session, it was clear that Charis brings a rare combination of expertise, enthusiasm, and genuine care for her students. She created an environment where students of very different experience levels could learn, participate, and grow together.
One of the greatest strengths of the camp was Charis's ability to bridge the gap between novice and experienced competitors. In many speech and debate settings, it can be challenging to keep advanced students challenged while making newer students feel comfortable and not overwhelmed. Charis handled this beautifully. She provided instruction that was accessible to beginners while still offering valuable insights and strategies that more experienced students could use.
Charis is well-spoken and knowledgeable. She communicated concepts clearly and her presentation kept the students engaged throughout the three days. Her understanding of speech and debate was evident, but she never made the instruction feel overwhelming. Instead, she broke ideas down into manageable pieces and encouraged students to think critically, participate actively, and put what they were learning into practice.
Another highlight was the variety of activities throughout the camp. Charis understood that these students learn best when they are not simply sitting and listening for hours. She incorporated games, activities, student participation, discussion, and hands-on opportunities that kept the energy high. The students were involved and responsive and the camp had a wonderful balance of instruction and fun.
Perhaps most importantly, Charis created a positive and encouraging atmosphere. Students were given opportunities to participate without feeling intimidated, but pushed just enough to gain confidence. They were encouraged to learn from one another as well. That sense of community made the camp especially valuable.
As a parent, I appreciated not only the quality of the instruction and value for the cost, but also the thought and preparation that went into each day. Charis made excellent use of the limited three-day timeframe that was both productive and enjoyable.
We would highly recommend this speech and debate camp to families at any experience level. Whether a student is just beginning their speech and debate journey or already has years of competition experience, Charis has the knowledge and enthusiasm to meet students where they are and help them take their next step. My student left with a renewed excitement for speech and debate. It was truly an exceptional camp experience.
- Joann Pattara, 15 year Stoa parent
Private Coaching
This is my second year of LD, and in all honesty, Ms. Charis is AMAZING! (Selfishly, I wish I were her only student, but that would be an injustice to the LD community.)
She is by far our family's favorite coach. I was amazed at how quickly she could adapt to my style of teaching. From coaching students on the foundations of LD to teaching them how to correctly execute impact calculus on oddly specific arguments, her coaching intellect and abilities are phenomenal. After my first meeting with her on revising my case and breaking down complex arguments, I went 6-0 at the following tournament. Our sessions have radically improved my understanding of various resolutions, and her coaching style has provided me with an efficient way to structure my thoughts, cases, rebuttals, and questions.
If you're looking for a coach that can instruct you with patience and professionalism as well as someone who can coach you on a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level, the coaching sessions at Speaking with Grace are just for you.
- 2nd year Stoa LD debater