Privacy Policy

Ascend Speech & Debate (“Ascend,” “we,” “us”) operates the Ascend Academy Learning Hub at learn.ascendacademy.org (the “Platform”). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. If you have questions, email info@ascendspeech.org.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide when you create an account

Depending on the role you select (Student, Parent/Guardian, or Educator), we collect some or all of:

• First and last name
• Email address
• Phone number (with country code)
• School and U.S. state (or international designation)
• Grade level (for students)
• Team leadership status (for students)
• Parent/guardian name, email, and phone (for students; second parent optional)
• Marketing preferences (e.g., whether you want to learn about Ascend’s summer camps)
• Password (stored as a salted hash, never in plain text)

If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email, and a Google account identifier from Google. We do not receive your Google password.

Information generated as you use the Platform

• Modules you start, complete, and the badges you earn
• Quiz answers and the timestamps of your progress
• Profile updates and settings preferences (e.g., dark mode)
• Basic technical data sent automatically by your browser (IP address, browser type, and device information) used for security and abuse prevention

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and maintain your account, including authentication and password recovery.
• To save your learning progress so you can resume where you left off.
• To personalize your experience (showing your name, awarding badges, surfacing the right next module).
• To send you essential service emails such as email verification, password resets, and notices about material changes to this policy.
• To send marketing communications about Ascend programs (camps, year-round coaching) only when you have opted in. You can opt out at any time from any marketing email or by emailing info@ascendspeech.org.
• To improve the Platform, such as identifying which modules students struggle with so we can refine the curriculum.
• To prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents.

3. Children’s Privacy (COPPA)

The Platform is intended for students in middle and high school and the educators and parents who support them. We are committed to complying with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

If a student is under 13, account creation requires verifiable parental consent. The student signup flow collects parent/guardian contact information for this purpose, and parents may contact us at info@ascendspeech.org at any time to review, update, or delete their child’s information. We do not knowingly market to children under 13.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with service providers that help us operate the Platform, under contracts that limit their use of the information to providing services to us:

• Supabase — database, authentication, and edge-function hosting.
• Vercel — web hosting and content delivery.
• Brevo — transactional email delivery (e.g., signup confirmations) and, only with your opt-in, marketing email.
• Google — only if you choose to sign in with Google.

We may also disclose information when required by law, to protect rights and safety, or in connection with a corporate transaction (such as a merger). If that ever happens, we will notify affected users.

5. Your Choices and Rights

• Access and update. You can review and update most of your information from the Edit Profile screen inside the Platform.
• Deletion. You can request deletion of your account and associated data by emailing info@ascendspeech.org. We will confirm and process the request within 30 days, except where we’re required to retain certain information for legal reasons.
• Marketing opt-out. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can also email us to opt out.
• Cookies and local storage. The Platform uses your browser’s local storage to remember you (so you don’t have to sign in every time) and to cache your progress. You can clear this from your browser settings, but doing so will sign you out and remove cached progress.

6. Security

We use industry-standard practices including HTTPS, hashed passwords, and access-controlled databases. No system is perfectly secure, however, and we encourage you to use a unique password for your Ascend account and to notify us immediately if you suspect your account has been compromised.

7. International Users

Ascend operates in the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S. By using the Platform, you consent to that transfer.

8. Changes to This Policy

If we make material changes, we’ll update the “Last updated” date at the top and, where appropriate, send you a notice. Continued use of the Platform after a change means you accept the updated policy.

9. Contact

Email info@ascendspeech.org with any privacy questions, requests, or concerns. We’ll respond within a reasonable time, typically within a few business days.