Hippo & GavelSMALL BEGINNINGS. BIG IDEAS.
FREE DEBATE COACHING. OPEN POSSIBILITIES.
We help middle schoolers discover what debate can do for them.
Cost to students.
Because opportunity should be open.
A LITTLE PRACTICE.01 / WHY WE’RE HERE
Before Hippo and Gavel, debate was a luxury.
It shouldn’t be.
I couldn’t afford to join my friends in debate when I was in middle school. Looking back, debate would have given me ideas and friendships I couldn’t have found elsewhere.
Ben Campos Co-founder
Debate offered the chance to think more deeply, build confidence, and find friendships. Ben and his debate partner, Aarav, started Hippo and Gavel to help more students get that chance.
Our belief is simple: a family’s budget shouldn’t decide who gets to find their voice.
MORE THAN A ROUND OF DEBATE
THREE THINGS TO GROW INTODebate brings young people together. Through shared practice, conversations, and learning from one another, we want students to build friendships that last beyond the club.
With us, you shouldn’t have to be the loudest person in the room. Our staff specifically supports young people who initially struggle with confidence, especially because that’s how many of us started.
Our final goal is to give middle schoolers an experience that feels like a natural part of growing up. Years later, we hope they’ll look back fondly on the friendships, the first speeches, and the ordinary afternoon when something life-changing began.
02 / FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
Every school is different. We’ll work with you to find a way to bring debate to yours.
We help schools start debate clubs and coach students as they learn to build arguments, listen closely, and practice rounds together.
Let’s talk about a clubTell us about your school.Share your students’ interests and what your school can support.
Find a workable starting point.We’ll discuss coaching, space, and scheduling together.
Make room for practice.Give students an ongoing place to explore, speak, and learn.
Estimated setup: 1 to 2 weeks. We aim to arrange a club within two weeks of our first conversation, depending on school approval, coach availability, and scheduling.
Free coaching · Middle school students · No experience neededIf an ongoing club isn’t possible yet, an introductory workshop lets students and educators try debate and explore what could come next.
Talk about a workshopStart with your students.Tell us their grade levels and what you’d like them to try.
Explore debate together.Introduce building an argument, listening, and speaking up.
See where it leads.A workshop can be the first conversation about a future club.
Estimated setup: 1 to 2 weeks. We aim to arrange a workshop within two weeks of our first conversation, depending on school approval, coach availability, and scheduling.
Free coaching · An introductory experience · Built around a conversation03 / THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT
We know what it’s like to enter a debate room for the first time. We also know why a little support matters.
CO-FOUNDER · NEW YORK
Ben founded Hippo and Gavel after missing out on middle school debate because of cost. He brings experience competing nationally and teaching around 30 students at the Salk School of Science.
camposbenjamin3124@gmail.comBen’s experience includes a top-10 national NPDL ranking and a Harvard tournament quarterfinal finish while competing independently. He qualified for the Tournament of Champions with Aarav during his junior year.
CO-FOUNDER · PRINCETON
Aarav has supported around 30 young students in his Princeton neighborhood over a summer and personally mentored around 20 more in debate. He believes strong coaching should be within everyone’s reach.
Ben and Aarav qualified for the Tournament of Champions together during Ben’s junior year. Both were ranked 75th nationally that year.
Hippo and Gavel is a fiscally sponsored nonprofit through Hack Club Bank.
Teaching experiences and competitive results belong to the individual founders. Student groups may overlap.
04 / A LITTLE MORE TO GO ON
For the people helping make this possible: our volunteer coaches and school partners.
See what coaching involves, what a session looks like, and the support you’ll have before you begin.
Explore volunteer coaching Your role, sessions, and supportOur school partnership agreement will live here. We’re preparing the document that explains how we’ll work together.
HELP BUILD HIPPO AND GAVEL
There’s more than one way to support young debaters. We’ll speak directly with you about the role you’d like and work together to find where you can contribute.
Help connect with schools, educators, and community partners who could bring debate to more students.
Help share our work, create posts, and reach prospective volunteers and school partners.
Help keep communication, schedules, documents, and team coordination organized.
Help research funding opportunities and connect with people and organizations interested in supporting our mission.
These are starting points, not the full list. Email us with your interests, experience, and availability. We’ll talk through the work and expectations directly with you.
A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS
Yes. Our debate coaching is free for students. Making debate accessible regardless of a family’s budget is why Hippo and Gavel exists.
No. Our clubs and introductory workshops help middle schoolers get started, including students who have never debated before.
Reach out about an introductory workshop. It’s a way for your students and school to try debate before discussing an ongoing club.
Our founders have coached in New York and Princeton, New Jersey. Tell us where your school is, and we’ll discuss what’s possible.
Absolutely. Tell us about your student and their school. We can start a conversation about how a club or workshop might work.
THE NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
Tell us about your school, your students, or the experience you’d like to share. We’ll take it from there, together.
Tell us your school’s name, location, and whether a club or workshop feels like the right starting point.
Let’s start a conversation