Last updated: April 17, 2026
Welcome to Ascend Academy. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Ascend Academy website at ascendacademy.org (the "Site") and our speech and debate coaching programs (the "Services"). Please read them carefully.
By accessing the Site, registering for a program, or using the Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must accept these Terms on your behalf. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site or Services.
Ascend Academy provides year-round speech and debate coaching for students in grades 4–12, including free group coaching sessions, paid programs, summer camps, and related resources. Specific program details, pricing, and schedules are published on the Site and may change from time to time.
Our Services are intended for students and their parents or guardians. To register, you must provide accurate, current, and complete information. Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring a student's information is accurate and that the student has permission to participate.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any account credentials (such as Slack workspace access) and for all activity that occurs under those credentials.
Our free group coaching programs are offered at no cost. Attendance is subject to capacity and the Community Guidelines. Access may be revoked at our discretion for violations of these Terms or the Community Guidelines.
Prices for paid programs are listed on the Site at the time of registration. All prices are in U.S. Dollars and do not include any applicable taxes unless stated otherwise.
Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. By making a payment, you agree to Stripe's Terms of Service. Ascend Academy does not store your full payment card information.
Our refund policy is as follows:
To request a refund, contact info@ascendspeech.org.
All participants in Ascend Academy programs — including online sessions, Slack channels, and in-person events — must comply with our Community Guidelines. Violations may result in removal from the program without refund.
You agree not to:
All content on the Site and within our programs — including text, graphics, videos, logos, curricula, lesson plans, and coaching materials — is the property of Ascend Academy or its licensors and is protected by U.S. and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.
We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use program materials solely for your personal, non-commercial educational use while enrolled. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, publicly display, or create derivative works without our written permission.
If you submit content (such as speeches, essays, questions, or feedback) as part of the Services, you grant Ascend Academy a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, and display that content for the purposes of providing and improving the Services. You retain ownership of your content.
You represent that any content you submit is original to you or that you have the rights to share it, and that it does not violate any third-party rights.
The Services rely on third-party tools such as Slack, Google Meet, Zoom, Stripe, and Calendly. Your use of those tools is governed by their respective terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for the availability or conduct of third-party services.
The Site and Services are provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE," without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
We do not guarantee specific tournament results, competitive outcomes, scholarship awards, college admissions, or any other specific results from participation in our programs.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ascend Academy and its officers, employees, coaches, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Site or Services.
Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the amount you paid to Ascend Academy in the twelve months preceding the claim.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ascend Academy, its officers, employees, coaches, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your violation of these Terms, your misuse of the Services, or your violation of any third-party rights.
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site or Services at any time, with or without notice, for any reason including violation of these Terms or the Community Guidelines. Upon termination, your right to use the Services will immediately cease. Paid program refunds, if any, are governed by Section 4.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in California, and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.
We may modify these Terms from time to time. We will post the revised Terms on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Site or Services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
If you have questions about these Terms, contact us at:
Ascend Academy
Email: info@ascendspeech.org