A grand total of 97 FFI alumni advanced to elimination rounds!

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This year the Florida Forensic Institute, one of America's oldest and most successful summer speech and debate institutes, is celebrating its 21st anniversary.  We are often asked how we have, year after year, maintained our high level of achievement.  The answer is in these, our guiding principles:

• An outstanding, safe environment encourages the development of professional and personal growth and integrity.
• Provide expert educators who can recognize the individual needs of each student.
• To reach their potential, students must be taught as individuals.
• Balance freedom with responsibility and accountability.
• Advance the pursuit of excellence.
• Teach skills for life.

Not all summer forensic institutes are created equal, and at FFI we continue to prove it!

Consider some of the top reasons to attend FFI:

• Small labs with top instructors from across the country;
• Specialized curriculum for all levels of expertise;
• Individual attention;
• Supervised hotel accommodations;
• Excellent research and instructional facilities;
• Affordable tuition for a CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE; and
• Optional session extension gives students a chance to delve further or switch gears.

FFI congratulates its 2011 national champions!

Jamaque Newberry, Dramatic Interpretation
Jared Odessky, U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking
Matthew Yasuoka, Extemp Commentary

At the Florida Forensic Institute, the safety and well-being of our participants is a top priority. Therefore, we have taken a different approach to security than most summer programs. Our campus is staffed with security personnel, and the residential facility has security staff 24 hours-a-day. Outside of class, students are supervised by degree-holding senior staff, rather than college-age junior staff. An integral part of our security and safety initiative is our Dorm Mom, Kristie Taylor and Dorm Dad, Willie Warren. Read more about their credentials on the staff page.

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Dear Students, Coaches and Parents,

It is our pleasure to invite you to explore the Florida Forensic Institute Web site. We know you will see what sets our summer program apart from the rest: our commitment to education and our record of success in competition. Most forensic institutes "teach to the speech." Their primary goal is to send each student home with a speech, any speech. What results?Cookie-cutter orations, formulaic, generics-laden extemp, tech-reliant DIs, HIs and Duos of dubious literary merit, which have more to do with effect and less to do with interpretation of the author's words, Public Forum labs that lack focus on research and fundamental and advanced debate skills: cross-examination, analysis, refutation and clear communication, and Congress labs with little or no attention paid or to developing research skills, clear, developed argumentation and in-round strategy.

Students will return from FFI not only with quality speeches for competition, but with the ability to utilize the skills they have acquired to produce future speeches.

We are proud to announce that we have assembled a championship staff comprised of the most outstanding and successful educators/coaches, and the most NFL National Champions, to head any summer forensic institute. The truth lies in the results. Since its inception in 1991, FFI and its coaches have produced more national finalists and champions than any other program. Not all summer forensic institutes are created equal, and we continue to prove it.

Thank you for your support,