THE BALLOT BLUEPRINT

Winning Debate from the Judge’s Perspective

Oregon Policy Debate Workshop Series

Most debaters focus on speaking faster or making more arguments.
The debaters who win consistently understand something different: how judges actually decide rounds.

The Ballot Blueprint Workshop Series, created and led by Nicholas Bogdanoff, is designed to help students see debate from the judge’s perspective and learn how to build arguments that truly win on the flow.

Nicholas began debating in 6th grade, competing in Parliamentary and Public Forum before moving into Policy debate at Fort Lee High School. Through extensive judging and competitive experience, he has developed a deep understanding of how rounds are evaluated and where debates are actually decided.

This program focuses specifically on Oregon Policy Debate and is designed for students who want to improve their strategy, clarity, and overall competitive performance.

Instead of just learning how to speak in rounds, students will learn how to think like the judge — the skill that separates strong debaters from winning ones.

Materials from the Spring 2026 Ballot Blueprint series are available for download in our Free Resources section.

The next session is currently planned for September–October 2026.

Program Details

📅 September 12, September 19, September 26, October 3
⏰ 10:00–11:00 AM
💻 Live on Zoom

Registration opens on August 1, 2026.

The pre-registration form is available below.

The Bergen County Middle School Debate League (BCMSDL) does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other categories protected by United States law or identified by the BCMSDL in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.