Privacy Policy

Effective date: June 17, 2026  ·  Last updated: June 17, 2026

Vortex Speech & Debate is a free, volunteer-run online debate and public-speaking program for students in grades 5–8. We care deeply about children's privacy, and we built this program to collect as little information as possible. This policy explains what we collect, why, and your rights — and reflects our compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

1 Who we are

Vortex Speech & Debate ("we," "us," or "the Program") is a free educational program in which students are coached by a high-school freshman volunteer, under the supervision of a responsible adult. You can reach us any time at the email address at the bottom of this page.

2 Information we collect

We collect only what a parent or guardian voluntarily provides when registering their child:

• The parent or guardian's name and email address
• The child's first name and grade level
• Anything you choose to include in a message to us

We do not ask children to create accounts or to submit personal information directly to us. We do not collect home addresses, phone numbers, birthdays, photographs, or any sensitive information. We do not use advertising trackers or sell data to anyone.

3 How we use information

We use the limited information above solely to operate the Program — to communicate with parents about scheduling, to organize students into appropriate class groups, and to run live sessions. We do not use it for advertising, and we never sell, rent, or trade it.

4 Verifiable parental consent (COPPA)

Because some of our students are under 13, we obtain verifiable parental consent through a signed registration and consent form before collecting any information about a child. A parent or guardian must register the child; children cannot register themselves.

5 Session recordings

We may record sessions so that registered students who miss a class can watch later. Recordings are shared only privately within the Program group and are deleted at the end of the session. Parents may opt their child out of appearing in recordings on the consent form.

6 How we store and protect data

Information is kept in a password-protected account accessible only to the Program's adult-supervised organizers. Coaching sessions are one-on-one, and we encourage a parent or guardian to be present or nearby; sessions can be recorded at a parent's request. We use secure, business-grade video platforms with waiting rooms and passwords enabled.

7 How long we keep it

We keep information only as long as needed to run the current program session, and then we delete it. We do not retain children's personal information indefinitely.

8 Your rights as a parent

At any time, you may:

• Review the information we hold about your child
• Refuse to allow any further collection or use of that information
• Request that we delete your child's information

To exercise any of these rights, simply email us using the address below and we will respond promptly.

9 Changes to this policy

If we update this policy, we will revise the "last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify registered families by email.