As Both College Student and Entrepreneur, Jessica Sun Is Instilling Confidence in the Thousands of Kids at Her Debate Camp — and in Herself
Jessica Sun has vivid memories of her time on the high school debate team. At just 20 years old, she is still deeply connected to that experience, considering it the most influential part of her high school life. In fact, her love for debate led her to co-found Lumos Debate, a company that aims to provide thousands of students with the same transformative experience.
Lumos Debate originated from a fundraiser organized by Jessica’s high school debate team. Today, the company offers two-day and week-long debate camps and clinics to over 2,000 middle and early high school students in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
According to Jessica, the skills learned through debate are incredibly valuable. The process of conducting research, analyzing information, and engaging in debates enables participants to view issues from multiple perspectives and thoroughly dissect them.
The camps and clinics operate in small groups of eight to twelve students, led by instructors who come from the same community. This approach creates a local and familiar atmosphere. All instructors are either high school or college students, deliberately chosen for their ability to build trust and establish personal connections with the campers. They are also required to tailor their teaching methods based on the students’ personalities and interests to create dynamic learning environments.
Jessica emphasizes that Lumos Debate’s instructors are their greatest asset. They recruit individuals who have a minimum of four years of experience in competitive debate or public speaking. Some instructors also have theater backgrounds or aspire to become teachers. Each instructor brings a unique perspective to the table, contributing to the diversity of classes.
To ensure flexibility and adaptability, instructors design their own schedules for each class the night before. They take into account the feedback and reactions of students to adjust activities and engage them better. Collecting feedback is a mandatory practice, allowing instructors to make improvements to their curricula and topics, ensuring that each student’s experience is truly unique.
At the end of each day, students rate their experience on a scale of 1 to 10, considering how much they enjoyed the camp and how much they learned. Instructors strive to achieve ratings of 9 or 10 from every student by the end of the camp. This continuous feedback loop enables instructors to continually refine their approach and create personalized curriculum plans. Consequently, no two classes have the same curriculum.
The approach of adapting to the situation and making necessary changes has been instrumental in Jessica’s own life since co-founding Lumos Debate with her friend and co-founder, Zeph Chang, who participated in a different high school debate team.
Initially, Lumos Debate experienced rapid growth after its establishment in 2017. However, in 2018, Jessica and Zeph decided to slow down their expansion efforts and focus on developing a sustainable framework for the business. They encountered unexpected logistical challenges that disrupted their workflow due to a lack of infrastructure. Maintaining the camp’s high quality was a priority for them, as compromising it would defeat the purpose of Lumos Debate’s existence.
Although Jessica never anticipated that Lumos Debate would evolve into a significant business venture, it is projected to generate $1 million in revenue this year, according to Forbes. Balancing her studies and managing the company at a full-time capacity has become a complex juggling act for Jessica. Originally interested in politics or philosophy, her experience with Lumos Debate has shifted her focus towards business and economics. She expects to graduate from Northeastern University in either 2021 or 2022 while actively participating in college activities and maintaining the momentum of her business.
For Jessica, managing all these responsibilities feels like residing in the eye of a tornado—a whirlwind of activity where she navigates both her academic pursuits and entrepreneurial endeavors.
Her ability to successfully balance her responsibilities as a student in college and a business owner has greatly enhanced her self-assurance, a characteristic she desires to instill in the participants of Lumos Debate.
"In traditional education, the importance of self-confidence is often overlooked, despite its potential to greatly impact classroom engagement. When students feel empowered by their education, they are motivated to apply their knowledge outside of the classroom, speak up, and explore new ideas. This concept of confidence is particularly crucial during the formative years of middle school, and it is my sincere hope that our program helps students develop this valuable attribute."
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