Every student at VBI is placed in a lab based on their skill, experience, and personal interests. Lab acts as a student's home base, where they focus on developing core debate skills, mastering the practical application of technical concepts, and strategizing about scenarios they are likely to face during the year. Students spend more time in lab than anywhere else, and as a result a debater's closest friends (both during camp and beyond) are often their labmates. 

VBI is dedicated to teaching students the skills to succeed in debate, at any experience level or circuit. We have multiple small labs of 8 to 12 students dedicated to instruction at each of the Novice, Varsity, Advanced Varsity, and Top Lab levels. We have labs that specialize in skills for the national circuit and various local circuits. VBI Curriculum Directors spend over 100 hours placing students with peers and instructors that will help them to achieve their competitive and educational goals.

Students who attend VBI receive top-quality instruction, no matter how much prior experience they have. Every lab at VBI is taught by coaches and former competitors with a proven track record of success on every kind of circuit.