IT’S TIME FOR NATIONALS 2025! Nats25 dates, deadlines, and updates!
THE FUTURE OF DEBATE: Embracing Technology, Promoting Critical Thinking, and Expanding Access PAGE 22 A TRIBUTE TO THE STUDENTS WHO SAID YES When the world shut down—we reimagined.
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On behalf of Texas Speech Director Dr. Eva Margarita and Texas Debate Director Dr. Brendon Bankey, thank you to all of the students and coaches who joined us this past summer for the 31st Annual UT National Institute in Forensics. The UTNIF continues to be one of the largest and most accomplished summer forensic programs in the country.
Why our students keep coming back year after year: in-comparable education, superior resources, unmatched faculty, reasonable rates, tremendous alumni, and the background of the University of Texas at Austin.
Success in any academic activity is a product of excellent and immensely talented students, incredibly hard working coaches, supportive parents and schools, and an investment in time that may include summer opportunities. It is that understanding that makes UTNIF one of the largest comprehensive institutes in the country year after year, and why we have assembled some of the brightest forensic minds in the nation for our program. It is also that educational philosophy that has enabled alumni of our summer programs to succeed at every level, from high school and well into collegiate forensic competition. UTNIF is one of the best places to get your head start on the season.
Camp dates:
Individual Events and Congress June 29-July 12
World Schools—June 22-June 28
Policy Debate—June 22-June 28
Policy Debate—June 22-July 12
Lincoln-Douglas—June 22-July 5
We offer our most sincere congratulations to all of the students who have qualified for the 2025 NSDA National Speech & Debate Tournament. And to all of our alumni and to our incoming Longhorns, Hook ‘Em!
UTNIF
Dept. of Communication Studies
1 University Station
Mail Code A1105
Austin, Texas 78712-1105
As the NSDA prepares to pass the century mark, we continue to remember our past so we are better equipped to support our present and ultimately inspire our future. Our organization has overcome a lot in the last 100 years—including a World War, financial uncertainty, and a global pandemic. Yet, powerful stories of resilience, community, and innovation shine through.
In this issue, Marcus Viney recalls how the Cheyenne East team found a path forward in the face of adversity during the COVID-19 shutdown. “The students...saved our activity when it would have been easy to let it fade... Their passion for speech and debate didn’t just survive—it thrived.” Mfaz Mohamed Ali, 2022 Humorous Interp national champion, explains how the activity fueled her confidence as a hijabi and taught her the power of sharing a strong message. Molly McDermott, 2018 Duo Interp national champion, credits speech with helping her navigate her cancer diagnosis and treatment through advocacy skills, plenty of humor, and an outpouring of community support.
As our membership grows, the NSDA is excited to announce a one-year pilot program for the 2025-2026 season, allowing up to 25% of districts to test alternative methods for qualifying students to the National Tournament. This initiative aims to address the evolving needs of our membership by exploring options beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all approach.
Also inside, Cindi and Aaron Timmons make the case for embracing technology, promoting critical thinking, and expanding access to support the future of debate. “As the world undergoes rapid transformations due to technological advancements, shifting educational paradigms, political challenges, and evolving societal needs, debate must adapt to remain relevant.”
There will be plenty to celebrate as we crown a new slate of national champions in June and honor the countless coaches, students, and supporters of this vital activity. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. When the last piece of centennial cake is eaten and the final speck of confetti is swept aside, we will return to the challenging yet equally rewarding work of connecting, supporting, and inspiring the next 100 years of speech and debate.
Happy Birthday, NSDA!
J. Scott Wunn
Executive Director
Rostrum A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION 6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266 | Phone (920) 748-6206
J. Scott Wunn, Publisher
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Vicki Joss, Managing Editor
Annie Reisener, Associate Editor
Emily Bratton, Graphic Design Assistant
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Rostrum (ISSN 1073-5526), Copyright © 2025 by the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA), is published five times per year (Sept., Nov., Feb., Apr., and Aug.) by the NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Business and Editorial Offices: NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Accounting and Circulation Offices: 6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Call (920) 748-6206 to subscribe. Periodicals postage is paid at Des Moines, IA 50318, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Rostrum, c/o NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Rostrum provides a forum for the speech and debate community. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily the opinions of the NSDA, its officers, or its members. The National Speech & Debate Association does not guarantee advertised products and services unless sold directly by the NSDA.
Byron R. Arthur President Louisiana
David Huston Vice President Texas
Jamelle M. Brown Missouri
Dr. Alan H. Coverstone Virginia
Sara Gibson Washington, D.C.
Adam J. Jacobi Wisconsin
Erez Kalir California
Anoop Mishra Treasurer Alabama
Renee C. Motter Colorado
Wendy Orthman California
James W. Rye III Alabama
Holly Williams
Secretary, Administrative Rep
Arizona
To learn more about the Board, visit www.speechanddebate.org/ meet-the-team. You may also contact the Board by emailing board@speechanddebate.org.
I’m so glad I went to ISD. It is truly one of the best decisions I could have made for my speech career.
ISD: CAROLINA - SESSION ONE
JUNE 28 - JULY 11
ISD: COACHES CLINIC JUNE 28 - JULY 11
ISD: CAROLINA - SESSION TWO
ISD: ONLINE
JULY 13 - JULY 26
JULY 14 - JULY 25
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Member students and one chapter advisor per school are eligible to vote!
The PF Wording Committee creates a topic area with two resolutions for each topic cycle. All potential topics for the year are released in June. One week prior to the topic being released for that topic cycle, member students and one chapter advisor per active school will vote on which of the two topics they prefer. The topic that receives the most votes will be the topic for that cycle. The goal of this process is to increase transparency about topic selection and introduce new possibilities for coaches who teach debate in the classroom.
June 23
List of Potential PF Topic Areas Announced for 2025-2026
July 25-31 Voting for the September/October PF Topic Occurs
August 1 September/October PF Topic Announced
October 1 November/December PF Topic Announced
December 1 January PF Topic Announced
January 1 February PF Topic Announced
February 1 March PF Topic Announced
March 1 April PF Topic Announced
May 1 National Tournament PF Topic Announced
New in 2025-2026, the LD Wording Committee will assign a set of two topics to each bi-monthly topic cycle. All potential topics for the year are released in June. One week prior to the topic being released for that topic cycle, member students and one chapter advisor per active school will vote on which of the topics they prefer. The topic that receives the most votes will be the topic for that cycle. The goal of moving to two topics per cycle is to create parity with Public Forum and ensure the chosen topic receives an overall majority of the votes.
June 23 List of Potential LD Topic Areas Announced for 2025-2026
July 25-31 Voting for the September/October LD Topic Occurs
August 1 September/October LD Topic Announced
October 1 November/December LD Topic Announced
December 1 January/February LD Topic Announced
February 1 March/April LD Topic Announced
May 1 National Tournament LD Topic Announced
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) handles selection of the annual topic. Each state organization, the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA), the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL), and the National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) all have voting privileges.
• Topic synopsis released at www.speechanddebate.org/topics in September
• Preliminary voting on five topics occurs online in September and October
• Final voting on two topics occurs online in November and December
• Topic for 2026-2027 released by the NFHS in January 2026
Time for Nationals!
Topics and topic areas to be used during the 2025 National Tournament (including high school, middle school, and supplemental events) are published online by May 1 at www.speechanddebate.org/ national-tournament-topics .
Livestream Encourage students, parents, alumni, and other supporters to watch National Tournament final rounds this June 19-20 at live.speechanddebate.org .
We invite you and your students to send us your debate topic ideas for Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum as well as potential motions for World Schools Debate! Visit our website: www.speechanddebate.org/topic-creation-hub
2-week Policy Debate Institute: June 1-14, 2025
Commuter $1,850; Residential $2,200
For rising 9th - 12th graders and rising 8th graders with coach recommendation
Designed for students who have no experience in Policy Debate and those with 1-2 years of experience, whether in middle or high school
Work with Emory coaches and debaters to learn and sharpen fundamental debate knowledge and skills
Our signature program offered since 1966 For students only available one of the two weeks, please reach out to us
Our district leadership election is underway! District leaders play a crucial role in our organization and the facilitation of local speech and debate. All active coaches are eligible to serve on their District Committee. To vote, one advisor per active high school school may log in to www.speechanddebate.org/account and select “NSDA Voting” from the left side menu. Voting concludes April 30, 2025.
The highest honor for any high school speech and debate coach is election to the NSDA Hall of Fame. Current Hall of Fame members and active coaches with three or more Diamond Awards may vote to select this year’s inductees. Log in to www.speechanddebate.org/account and select “NSDA Voting” from the left side menu to access the online ballot. Voting ends April 30, 2025.
Stay up to date on recent rules changes and other decisions impacting your NSDA membership. Find minutes from past Board of Directors and Competition and Rules Leadership Committee meetings online at www.speechanddebate.org/minutes-archive.
Middle school speech and debate builds confidence and a sense of belonging at a critical age. We seek to celebrate the coaches who make it possible through their leadership, advocacy, and encouragement. Sound like someone you know? Recognize their work by completing a short nomination for Middle School Coach of the Year at www.speechanddebate.org/middle-school-coach-ofthe-year-nomination-form by May 1, 2025.
Commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month in May and Pride Month in June with our literature collections and special poster series featuring speech and debate coaches and alumni! Find these resources and more at www.speechanddebate.org/celebrating-diversity
As you nurture the talents of your current speech and debate students, don’t forget that our alumni community is a valuable resource for you and your team. Encourage your 2025 graduating seniors to join our alumni network so they can stay connected, access valuable resources, and give back. Learn more at www.speechanddebate.org/ alumni.
Are you retiring? Leaving coaching? Changing schools? If you’re making a change for the upcoming school year, share the details with us so we can continue to support your program by advocating for or onboarding your replacement. Visit www.speechanddebate.org/ coachdeparture to access the online form.
Public Speaking
Congress
Novice & Sophomore
Policy Debate
World Schools
Lincoln-Douglas
SESSIONS
Session One: June 29 - July 11, 2025
(Online & In-Person)
Session Two: July 13 - July 25, 2025
Only)
The NSDA (formerly the National Forensic League, or NFL) announced a new award in 2000: the Academic All American. The January Rostrum from that year read:
The sage of the South, Dr. Kenny Barfield, debate coach extraordinaire and principal at Mars Hill Bible School in Alabama, approached the NFL Executive Council some time ago with a world class idea: Why not honor students who really excel at both academics and forensics?
Why not, indeed! Entering the new millennium, it is absolutely time to honor “NFL’s brightest and best, ” those students who have achieved the top rank in their NFL careers and in their academic pursuits.
In the 25 years since, the Academic All American award—often referred to as “AAA” or “triple A”—has recognized thousands of students for their competitive success and academic achievement. The award is extremely prestigious, recognizing less than 2% of NSDA members annually; just 1,384 students were named Academic All Americans in the 2023-2024 school year.
We caught up with Lora Retherford, Dr. Barfield’s daughter and one of the first Academic All American award recipients, to discuss her memories of the award and her dad’s legacy.
“I was excited to get that first award, and I was so excited for Dad for having that visionary thought to recognize students putting in time to achieve academically and at tournaments,” Lora remembers. “He truly believed in helping others achieve their best. He saw such hope in the younger
The late Dr. Kenny Barfield was a six-diamond coach from Alabama.
generations. He taught kids to listen, to respect one another, to see both sides, and be a better communicator. All of this leads to being better in your professional life.”
Both Lora and her sister Amber were coached by their father, and Lora remembers long weekends at tournaments full of fun. “My dad was amazing. His legacy lives on in so many people. What he did for his community locally and across the nation has left a profound impact on our family and others.”
Lora is now a mother of three. Her oldest recently attended a Model UN competition and delivered a speech to an audience of 400. The Barfield legacy lives on!
Lora Barfield and Ben Grover were among the first Academic All Americans named in 2000.
NSDA member students use the following words when describing what it means to earn the Academic All American award:
Earning Academic All American celebrated my accomplishments within the activity without focusing on the awards earned within tournaments. The award acknowledged my success in this activity as a whole and gave me the opportunity to be viewed holistically, taking into consideration my academic dedication alongside my love for speech and debate. Academic All American gave me the chance to be seen outside of speech and debate as the successful competitor I’ve worked so hard to be.” — Pegah Vasighi-Ansarifar, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (MS)
It’s important that the NSDA honors academic and competitive success because speech and debate is demanding, requiring hours of research, practice, and tournaments. Recognizing both highlights the commitment students make to balancing this activity with their educational responsibilities. Earning the AAA award mattered to me because it represented what I put into speech and debate: my heart, soul, and lots of time! It celebrated the many hours I spent volunteering, coaching, and stressing through long tournament days.” — Taylor Luna, Mountain View High School (CA)
compiled by Annie Reisener, Director of Membership at the NSDA
To be eligible for the AAA award, students must have:
• Earned the degree of Superior Distinction (750 points)
• Completed at least 5 semesters of high school
• Demonstrated outstanding character and leadership
• Earned a GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent)
• Been nominated for the award
Students who meet the points requirement are marked with a yellow box that says AAA? on the Student Roster on the NSDA website. There is no cost to nominate students for the award.
In Poetry, students choose one or more poems to perform in competition, using language and form to inspire critical thought, reflection, and emotion in their audience. By bringing another writer’s words to life, students refine their interpretive skills, mastering the art of conveying complex emotions and ideas through vocal delivery and body language. The goal is to explore some truth about the human condition through poetry.
Unlike other events, Poetry can be a long, single work by a single author, a collection of works by a single author, or, as we’ll explore here, a collection of poems by different authors. This type of Poetry is called a program and features work by between three and seven authors that addresses a central argument or theme.
Constructing a program can be a daunting challenge. Poetry is everywhere, so finding the right poems to suit your argument or theme can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are a number of ways to begin your search. I started by reading poems and then discovered my argument. Others begin with an argument and find works that address that argument. This can sometimes be extremely difficult. For example, if you learn about something on the news that bothers you and you want to construct a program about that issue, there may not be literature on that subject.
The easiest way is to start by reading poetry. If a poem reminds you of something you think about, something that makes you passionate, then use that poem as the foundation and build the program around it. When you are compiling poems for a program, try to balance specificity and diversity. Each poem needs to address your particular topic in some way. If it does not, then the audience will be confused as to why it’s there.
However, there must also be levels to your program, so try to find a diversity of viewpoints on the theme or subject. You may, for example, want to include a character or poem that reflects the antithesis of your program’s argument. Collect anywhere from three to seven poems that represent your argument. Now you’re ready to cut.
Think of a Poetry program like a documentary film. Consider how documentaries are put together. A documentarian collects interviews from different individuals speaking on the same subject. The documentarian then edits the interviews together, letting them build into the climax of the film. This editing process in program construction is known as splicing the work. In a documentary, each interviewee generally speaks on camera more than once. Their viewpoints build in relationship to the viewpoints of other interviewees. Your Poetry program can do the same thing by breaking up each work into two or three parts and splicing them together or having one work introduce a concept that is exemplified by the next. Consider the example of a potential Poetry program format on the next page (sidebar).
Sample Outline of a Seven-Minute Middle School Poetry Program:
TEASER
• Poem #1 (15 seconds)
• Poem #2 (30 seconds)
• Poem #3 (20 seconds)
INTRODUCTION
• Original Writing (30-45 seconds)
• Poem #4 (40 seconds)
• Poem #3 (20 seconds)
• Poem #1 (30 seconds)
• Poem #2 (20 seconds)
• Poem #4 (15 seconds)
RISING ACTION
• Poem #3 (25 seconds)
• Poem #2 (20 seconds)
• Poem #1 (15 seconds)
CLIMAX
• Poem #1 (30 seconds)
FALLING ACTION
• Poem #2 (15 seconds)
• Poem #4 (25 seconds)
RESOLUTION
• Poem #3 (20 seconds)
This content is excerpted in part from the textbook Interpretation of Literature: Bringing Words to Life by Travis Kiger and Ganer Newman, which is included with NSDA membership and available at www.speechanddebate.org/ interpretation-textbook .
Notice how each of the poems comes back more than once. That way, the different perspectives can speak or respond to one another. The program builds and builds until it reaches a climax. There is no one particular formula or structure to construct a program of Poetry. What matters most is that there is structure. In general, the teaser will introduce the basic concept of the program and should introduce most of your central characters. These central characters will be threaded throughout the program, building the argument. Thread poems have a beginning, middle, and end. You may find a few short poems that perfectly exemplify the argument. We sometimes call these poems bit poems because they only show up once or twice. Bit poems are great for adding humor or an interesting technical moment to your program.
Arrange the works so that they “speak” to each other. If the poems you have selected really exemplify your central theme, then chances are they will share certain linguistic choices. Arrange the works so that each poem communicates with the previous. This can be a response, a reaction, or an addendum to their predecessors’ argument.
Finally, consider the performance arc of your piece. Just because you are performing poetry doesn’t mean that you get to ignore all of the things discussed in this book that make great performances. Humor is necessary, especially in the beginning. Sometimes, programs become too technical or too heavy, and this can be exhausting to listen to for ten minutes. Additionally, there should still be a type of performance arc similar to the energy of a dramatic arc. Many programs introduce some mechanism of frustration early in the performance, and have the theme “solve” the frustration by the end of the performance. The program should end with a sense of closure, a sense of resolution.
compiled by Annie Reisener, Director of Membership at the NSDA
Who knows the needs of students better than students themselves? The NSDA Student Leadership Council has created a new video onboarding series for students!
compiled by Annie Reisener, NSDA Director of Membership
The Intro to NSDA Student Membership series is a structured guide for new members navigating speech and debate. Organized into six modules, the course covers key milestones students will encounter—from selecting an event to navigating their NSDA Account. Contained within each module are a series of targeted lessons. These short, video-based lessons voiced by the four NSDA member students featured here offer students the flexibility to follow a structured path or access specific topics as needed. By providing clear, accessible guidance, this course equips all students with the knowledge and confidence to maximize their NSDA membership.”
— John Otto, SLC peer mentor and project lead
While there is a course available for new coaches, the SLC wanted to create an equivalent resource for new NSDA student members. Through its in-depth overview of many topics related to speech and debate, this project allowed us to create novice-friendly content that simplified complex information and answered commonly asked questions. Ultimately, our goal was to get new students excited about the world of speech and debate with a course that allowed them to develop their passion for the activity and grow their skills.” — Adele Fuzaylov, SLC member from Shrewsbury High School (MA)
I want this course to be an accessible starting point for all new competitors to get a preview of speech and debate! In addition to fundamentals, the series also discusses the little things that students might not learn in the classroom: the best items to pack for tournaments, ways to de-stress, and terms like ‘breaking.’ However, I also believe that these lessons can apply to anyone. I’ve been debating for five years now, but in filming for the series, even I learned new things about the NSDA website, resources, and opportunities.” — Manvitha Narasimhan, SLC member from Bentonville High School (AR)
There are so many helpful parts of this series, but the most useful ones are those that take new members through the mechanics and logistics of speech and debate. For example, the segment on how a tournament works can be a great tool for new students to familiarize themselves with what to expect at a tournament, which may otherwise be scary or confusing. Even the videos that guide students through Tabroom.com and the NSDA website are extremely helpful in making speech and debate less intimidating and more fun. This course truly opens the door to increased access and more empowerment in this activity.” — Brianna Zhang, SLC member from Portage Central High School (MI)
Participating in this project felt like an opportunity to return to the basics of speech and debate—to reflect on how it’s affected my life and why I love it. When I was a freshman, I remember navigating the world of online Policy Debate mostly alone, but my best guidance came from older debaters from a neighboring program in my state. Now, as a graduating senior, it’s an honor to be able to pass on the information, tips, and encouragement that I’ve seen work firsthand. While working on this content, I felt excited and hopeful for the speech and debate careers it will influence!” — Taite Kirkpatrick, SLC member from Mount Vernon High School (WA)
The course takes about two hours to complete in full, or it can be watched in parts. Consider pulling segments, like event explanations from students, to show at practice or recruitment meetings, or lighten your coaching load by requiring new members to take the course as they join the team in the fall. Learn more at www.speechanddebate.org/ learn/courses/intro-to-nsda-student-membership.
by Shunta Jordan -
Imagine your laptop losing power while entering your ballot or when you’re attempting to get rounds started on the tabulation side. You turn to using your mobile device but become further frustrated as you shift between the portrait and landscape view of Tabroom.com.
Well, good news! The platform now has a new and improved mobile look.
One of the goals of the software rewrite is to address the look of Tabroom.com on mobile devices. We’ve created a mobile-icon based interface for smartphones. The main difference from the past mobile look is the menu. The menu and the top bar have been turned into icons instead of words so they fit a smaller screen better (figure 1)
If there is a sidebar menu on the page, it will only be visible if you use the “hamburger” menu—the three horizontal lines icon that appears at the far right (figures 2 and 3)
To learn more about Tabroom.com features, visit
Another change relates to the search function. The search box is now activated by a search icon instead of taking up horizontal space on the screen (figure 4)
Finally, the new mobile device design has significantly improved the online room checking process. One can check and mark the status of rounds from the portrait view on a mobile device without the need to switch to landscape view (figure 5)
Whether you are a frequent user of Tabroom.com on a mobile device or trying it for the first time, we hope you enjoy the improved design and functionality. 5
Big Questions is a debate format designed to open students’ minds and encourage them to engage in life discussion that may not align with their previously held beliefs. Whether or not students change their opinion, the rich experience of this debate event will advance their knowledge, comfort, and interest in learning more about the subject matter based on the intersection of science and philosophy.
f Big Questions Final Rounds Archive
f Big Questions Judge Training
f Big Questions Round Introduction
f Topic Resources
f Community-Provided Resources
Big Questions debate is a structured format for debating philosophical questions or issues of ethical significance. It encourages participants to engage in critical thinking, articulate arguments clearly, and defend their positions using evidence and reasoning. Overall, it fosters intellectual exploration and helps develop communication and analytical skills.
by Chris Paulson, Manager of Performing Arts and Sports at the NFHS
Producing a resolution that is strong enough to foster engaging discussion for an entire Policy Debate season is no simple task, and it starts with the collection of potential topic areas produced by interested parties from across the country. To guarantee that proposed topic areas meet a minimum standard, the NFHS guides authors through the writing process and evaluates proposals based on specific criteria. Topic paper authors research a relevant policy issue, provide historical and legal context, outline affirmative and negative arguments, and craft precise resolution wording.
Authors can propose their own topic areas or select from a list of topic areas offered at the conclusion of the previous year’s topic selection
meeting. Traditionally, there are anywhere from 15-25 diverse topics that are identified each year as strong potential areas for debate, and successful authors craft and revise their topic papers throughout the year.
Successful topic papers must establish the relevance and timeliness of the issue. A topic should focus on a current issue in public policy, law, or international affairs so that debaters can engage in relevant and thought-provoking discussions. The topic should address a problem that is significant across a wide range of the population, not simply within a single demographic. Timeliness is also important, as the topic should allow for a steady flow of new evidence and evolving arguments throughout the debate season.
Topics should be understandable by participants of all skill levels, and there should be a wide range of historical and contemporary
reference materials available to all debaters. A wellcrafted topic paper presents a balanced discussion that equips debaters with a wide range of arguments on both the affirmative and negative sides. Additionally, wording of the proposed resolutions for any topic must be carefully considered, ensuring that the topic is neither too vague nor too limiting for a full season of debate.
New and emerging authors need not be intimidated. The paper writing process stretches over several months with production checkpoints along the way. Often, veteran authors will partner with firsttime authors to guide them through the process of crafting a well-written topic paper. Throughout the process, authors receive feedback from experienced reviewers who assess the clarity, balance, and research depth of the proposals. Regular videocalls allow new and emerging
Inspired to submit a topic paper or attend the meeting?
Find more details at www.nfhs.org/articles/2025policy-debate-topic-selection-meeting or contact Chris Paulson at cpaulson@nfhs.org .
2025 NFHS Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting
— AUSTIN, TEXAS — J uly 31 – August 3
authors to receive additional support and clarification.
Once topic proposals are in their final form, the annual NFHS Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting allows for additional refinement and critical discussion around each proposal. During the meeting, authors must be prepared to answer questions and defend their proposed resolutions.
The annual Topic Selection Meeting serves as the foundation for an entire season of Policy Debate, determining the resolution that will shape discourse, argumentation, and student learning nationwide. At this pivotal event, debate educators, policy experts,
and voting delegates refine potential topics before selecting the resolution for the next season. Coaches and experienced debaters play a valuable role in ensuring that selected topics promote equity, depth, and argumentative balance. Whether you are a veteran contributor or attending as a first-time delegate, an understanding of the meeting’s structure and expectations will enhance engagement and impact.
The annual Topic Selection Meeting is held in different locations across the United States, in late July or early August. Past locations include Portland, Oregon, and Des Moines, Iowa, and the 2025 Topic Selection Meeting will be held July 30 through August 3 in Austin, Texas. No matter the location, each meeting follows the same basic structure over three working days.
After a brief introduction of each submitted topic paper, participants in the meeting move into Debatability Roundtables, where topic authors present their research and address concerns raised by attendees. These sessions refine the scope of proposed resolutions, clarifying ambiguous wording and ensuring that each resolution is debatable at all levels of competition.
Following the roundtables, Marshall Subcommittee Discussions assess relevance, availability of research, competitive balance, and debatability for each topic.
In short, participants discuss whether the proposed topics align with pedagogical and competitive goals. Each committee produces one draft resolution per paper to be forwarded along to the Wording Committee for additional scrutiny.
At the conclusion of the first day, attendees participate in a Straw Vote, which is an informal polling mechanism used to determine which topics will move forward. A topic must receive at least 25% support to remain under consideration in the next stage.
The second day centers on the Wording Committee, where selected resolutions undergo rigorous scrutiny to finalize precise wording. Even the smallest changes can dramatically shift the scope and strategy of a debate. Attendees must pay close attention to these modifications to ensure the final wording preserves competitive fairness and potential for high-quality debate.
On the final day of the Topic Selection Meeting, voting delegates participate in the Top Five Topics Vote, noting their preferred resolutions from all that remain. Voting delegates include representatives from state associations and national organizations such as the NSDA, NAUDL, NCFL, and NDCA. Each voting delegate selects five preferred topics, and the topics with the most votes emerge from the Topic Selection Meeting as the national “top five” finalists.
As a final piece of the official business meeting, and in preparation for the next year’s process, attendees suggest possible topics for consideration and volunteers can be identified as potential authors.
Once the Topic Selection Meeting concludes, there are a few final steps by which a final topic is officially selected. In mid-August, the top five topic finalists are sent, along with a voting ballot, to national debate organizations and all state associations for further voting. Over the following weeks, these organizations deliberate and submit their votes, narrowing the selection to two final topics.
In mid-October, a second ballot is sent out with the “final two” topics. The final ballot is returned at the beginning of January, and once confirmed, the NFHS formally announces the final resolution, determining the Policy Debate topic for the upcoming season and launching preparations for the next debate cycle.
First-time attendees should come prepared to engage actively in discussion and analysis. Reading the topic papers in advance and familiarizing oneself with past resolutions will provide valuable context. While non-voting attendees cannot directly influence the outcome, they play an essential role
in shaping discussions by providing feedback, posing questions, caucusing with their voting delegate, and networking with experienced participants.
The Topic Selection Meeting also serves as an opportunity to develop deeper insights into debate pedagogy and strategy. Coaches and educators attending for the first time can observe how topics are framed to support educational and competitive objectives. Experienced attendees often mentor newer participants, ensuring that a broad range of perspectives is represented in discussions.
The NFHS Topic Selection Meeting is the backbone of high school Policy Debate, setting the stage for a year of rigorous intellectual engagement. For those interested in shaping debate at a national level, authoring a topic paper or attending the selection meeting provides a meaningful opportunity to influence the process and help ensure that debate topics remain relevant, balanced, and educationally valuable for students across the country. By understanding and contributing to this process, participants at every level can elevate the quality of competitive debate while fostering a richer, more inclusive discussion of public policy issues.
by Cindi Timmons and Aaron Timmons
Debate has been an integral part of political and academic discourse in the United States since colonial times; it has been an invaluable tool for cultivating critical thinking, public speaking, and civic engagement. With collegiate debate beginning in the late 19th century and high school debate formalized by NSDA in 1925, the activity has had a vibrant history.
However, as the world undergoes rapid transformations due to technological advancements, shifting educational paradigms, political challenges, and evolving societal needs, debate must adapt to remain relevant.
The future of debate lies in its ability to reach new populations, integrate emerging technologies responsibly, and navigate concerns about the use of artificial intelligence while preserving its core purposes of promoting critical thinking and oral advocacy.
Rather than replacing debate with discussion and dialogue, educators should recognize its unique value in preparing students for leadership, advocacy, and informed public discourse. By leveraging technology ethically, embracing inclusivity, and reaffirming the necessity of competitive debate, the activity will remain an essential tool for shaping articulate, analytical, and engaged citizens in an increasingly complex world.
The rise of digital platforms and artificial intelligence has already begun to reshape competitive debate. As we learned since 2020, video conferencing software, virtual tournaments, and online coaching have made participation more accessible for students who might otherwise lack the resources to travel to in-person competitions. This increased accessibility fosters greater diversity within debate communities and ensures
that talented students from all backgrounds can compete at the highest levels. While most of us prefer the “live” experience, we also appreciate that increasing access to the activity is worth the tradeoff. The advantages we have gained from having our activity flourish online aside, the rise of AI has completely altered the future of debate. AI-assisted research tools are revolutionizing the way debaters prepare for rounds. Natural language processing (NLP) models can rapidly summarize complex literature, generate counterarguments, and even simulate debates. While these tools can enhance preparation efficiency, educators must ensure that students develop the ability to critically assess AI-generated information and dynamically engage with the appropriate platforms.
Stefan Bauschard, founder of Educating4ai, writes that AI comes with both advantages and disadvantages:
PROS
“As AI can produce many of the products—essays and papers—we often ask our students to produce better than they can, education will shift to more performative assessment in order to retain the development of critical thinking skills. Every study that reveals how AI has increased cognitive offloading also suggests approaches such as classroom debate to
protect student thinking. In this way, demand for debate will grow. At the student level, debaters will have a free to low cost assistant coach that is available 24/7 to help them practice and prepare as much as they wish.”
“Debate has always been a space where students could say anything— make any argument they wished. Some of their ideas were ‘crazy’ or politically unpopular, but we always need out of the box thinking, and it’s great for students to do it when they are young. In the future, however, unless we maintain strong support for free speech, there is a risk that most of what we say will be largely monitored, directly or indirectly. ‘Acceptable’ ideas will be largely limited by those that control the bots to what the bots are taught to teach us. If we are not careful, free, open-ended debate may not be part of the future. We may very well end up with something like a ‘political credit score.’”
Perhaps most importantly, technology enables a resurgence of public debate. Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and other social media spaces have created a new arena for debate beyond the confines of academic institutions. Additionally, wellstructured public debates,
modeled and adapted from traditional competitive formats, can engage everyone from local community members to global audiences, providing an alternative to the often toxic and superficial discourse that dominates social media. Encouraging prominent debaters, scholars, and students to participate in structured online debates can help elevate public discourse and promote factbased argumentation over misinformation.
As artificial general intelligence continues to develop, its impact on debate education must be scrutinized. While AI can be a valuable research aid, its potential misuse raises serious concerns.
One immediate issue is the outsourcing of argument development to AI, leading to a decline in human analytical skills. If students rely excessively on AI to craft arguments, rebuttals, and evidence, they may fail to develop the deep critical thinking skills that debate is
designed to foster. They may also have shallow research and organizational abilities and exhibit poor oral and written communication.
Moreover, the use of AI in real-time debate scenarios presents ethical dilemmas. If AI systems become capable of constructing and delivering arguments indistinguishable from those of human debaters, competitive fairness could be compromised.
Debate leagues should implement clear policies regarding the ethical use of such tools, ensuring that human reasoning remains at the core of competitive discourse. Rather than responding to evolving technology by banning it, limiting access to it, or making it irrelevant to who wins, we should encourage coaches and students to learn how to use AI as a tool to help them grow their skills instead of overrelying on AI to replace those skills.
On a broader societal level, the ability of AI to generate persuasive but misleading arguments could be weaponized to
spread disinformation. However, debate can help limit the spread of AIgenerated misinformation by fostering critical thinking, media literacy, and ethical reasoning. Through debate, students learn to question sources, evaluate evidence, and recognize logical fallacies, making them more resistant to misinformation. They also develop media literacy skills, enabling them to fact-check sources, verify claims, and assess credibility. Engaging in debates about AI ethics and misinformation regulation encourages informed discourse on responsible AI development.
Additionally, debate strengthens advocacy and communication skills, allowing students to counter misinformation with wellresearched arguments and educate others on its risks. By promoting civil discourse and reducing the influence of emotionally manipulative falsehoods, academic debate serves as a frontline defense against AI-driven misinformation.
Once aware of these challenges, a professional
debate community that embraces AI and seeks to be on the forefront of developing portable skills in this area will be one that better prepares its students for the reality of the world in which they will live, making them more able to navigate their futures with superior skill sets. The debate community has a responsibility to prepare students for a world where AI-generated rhetoric will be increasingly sophisticated and difficult to counter. Teaching students how to identify logical fallacies, fact-check sources, and recognize AI-generated arguments will be essential in maintaining the integrity of public discourse.
and the Shift in Educational Preferences
In some educational circles, there is a growing reluctance to use the term “debate,” with some institutions shifting their focus to “dialogue” and “discourse.”
This trend, while well-intentioned, risks undermining the essential skills that debate cultivates. While dialogue-based approaches emphasize collaborative understanding, they often lack the rigorous argumentation and structured refutation that competitive debate requires.
Debate teaches students how to analyze
opposing viewpoints critically, construct logical arguments, and defend their positions under pressure. These skills are crucial in an era of deep political and ideological division, where the ability to engage in reasoned, evidence-based argumentation is increasingly rare. While civil discourse is essential, it should not come at the expense of teaching students how to advocate for their positions effectively. Rather than replacing debate with dialogue, educators should seek a balance that incorporates both approaches.
The idea that discussion and dialogue are inherently superior to debate is based on a flawed assumption about what debate actually is. The word “debate” originates from the Latin debattuere, meaning “to argue” or “to fight,” with the primary goal often understood to be “winning.” However, this definition overlooks the critical function debate plays in the exchange of ideas—far beyond just victory. The notion that debaters only listen to respond, rather than to understand, is a gross mischaracterization. True debate demands that participants engage deeply with opposing viewpoints, forcing them to listen critically, defend their positions, and, often, refine their arguments. Far from being a mere
verbal sparring match, debate is a platform for exploring diverse solutions to complex problems, challenging assumptions, and testing ideas with rigor. To claim that it is solely about winning is to miss the broader, more profound purpose of debate: to engage in thoughtful, structured inquiry that illuminates multiple perspectives.
Without debate, we risk falling into passive “agreeto-disagree” discussions that avoid confronting uncomfortable truths and tough questions. Debate, in its most effective form, fosters a dynamic dialogue that demands accountability, encourages critical thought, and actively seeks paths to meaningful solutions. It is not a replacement for deliberation, but a powerful supplement to it—forcing us to listen, understand, and respond with intellectual integrity.
Many who dismiss debate are reacting to bad examples—shouting matches, unproductive bickering, or rigidly competitive formats that prioritize winning over learning—rather than recognizing debate as a rigorous intellectual practice that interrogates power, dismantles oppressive structures, and forces critical engagement with competing perspectives.
Unlike surface-level dialogue, which often assumes that all ideas deserve equal respect regardless of their merit or harm, debate compels participants to challenge assumptions, justify claims with evidence, and expose the real-world consequences of certain viewpoints. Furthermore, the emphasis on “civility” in dialogue is often a means of protecting privilege, as it discourages necessary confrontations with harmful ideologies. True debate is not about personal attacks or rhetorical gamesmanship; it is about equipping individuals with the skills to analyze, deconstruct, and effectively counteract misinformation, bias, and systemic injustice. Those who advocate for discussion over debate are often rejecting a misrepresentation of debate rather than the practice itself, failing to see how structured argumentation is one of the most powerful tools for social change.
One of the most promising aspects of debate’s future is its potential to reach all learners. While elite academic institutions and affluent communities have long enjoyed robust debate programs, many students— especially in linguistically diverse, rural, or lowerincome areas—lack access to these opportunities. These challenges will likely increase
with cuts to grant funding and the loss of DEI programs. Urban debate leagues (UDLs), like those under the umbrella of the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL), are one way for these students to receive similar debate opportunities to their peers. For example, initiatives such as ESL debate programs can help students develop argumentation skills in their native language before transitioning to English. Such models not only empower bilingual students but also encourage family engagement in learning processes, thereby strengthening community ties to schools.
Other communities are also in danger of losing access to debate due to teacher shortages, funding issues, and more subtle pressures. This makes the need to expand the vision of who can engage in debate, who can attend debates, and what topics debate resolutions can cover that much more critical.
Sara Sanchez, Director of Programming and Communications at NAUDL, notes the importance of topic selection in futureproofing the activity:
“Nothing matters more for the future health of debate than recruitment and retention at both the coach and student level.
Topic selection and novice resources should prioritize debating topics that
focus on the experiences of novice coaches and students. Part of the magic of learning that happens in debate occurs because of the complexity of information students engage with on new topics. Making that learning process even more difficult and esoteric with obscure topics that may interest a handful of varsity debaters while alienating those who are new to the activity is a frustrating and easily avoidable mistake.”
Expanding the activity through debate across the curriculum projects and embracing the skills that debate offers for postsecondary success (such as CCMR in Texas—college, career, military readiness) into vocational education and adult learning settings presents untapped potential. While traditional high school and collegiate debate circuits serve academically inclined students well, debate can also help professionals in fields like business, law enforcement, and healthcare refine their decision-making and advocacy skills. Organizations that emphasize lifelong learning could integrate debate methodologies to foster workplace leadership and problem-solving. Public institutions and community organizations must recognize the value of debate and invest in its expansion. Grants, public-
private partnerships, and digital accessibility initiatives can make debate available to a broader demographic, ensuring that all students— regardless of socioeconomic background—develop the ability to analyze arguments and engage in reasoned discourse.
Focusing debates on local issues can transform the way community members view the activity while simultaneously engaging them in important conversations. Dallas Urban Debate Alliance (the Dallas UDL) debaters have participated in debates on topics ranging from housing inequality in Dallas, the proposal of school vouchers in Texas, presidential election reform, and the use of AI in educational settings. In each case, the modified format and localized issue made the debate accessible to the community members in attendance and showcased the value of the activity. Furthermore, involving area community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities in these public debates has numerous benefits, including exposing high school debaters to the college debate programs, increasing the audience reach availability, utilizing academic experts in a variety of fields, and attracting the interest of local leaders and media. Such events promote needed civic and civil discourse.
As misinformation proliferates, political polarization intensifies, and digital communication accelerates the spread of unchecked claims, debate is more vital than ever. Unlike casual discussions or opinion-sharing forums, debate forces participants to rigorously engage with opposing perspectives, assess evidence, and articulate their positions with clarity and precision. Debate also plays a crucial role in preparing students for leadership roles in politics, law, business, and media. Many of history’s most influential figures, from Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama, honed their skills through debate. In an era where decision-makers must navigate complex global challenges, the ability
to argue persuasively and respond to counterarguments thoughtfully is an essential skill. Furthermore, the rise of AI and automation will place a premium on uniquely human cognitive abilities— such as critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and persuasive communication— that debate fosters. While machines may eventually surpass humans in raw data processing, the ability to construct and evaluate nuanced arguments will remain a distinctively human strength.
The future of debate is bright, but it requires conscious effort to expand access, integrate technology responsibly, and defend the discipline against emerging threats. By embracing inclusivity, leveraging AI ethically, and resisting the temptation to dilute debate by substituting discussion and dialogue, educators can ensure that debate remains a powerful force for intellectual and civic development. At a time when informed and articulate voices are desperately needed, debate is not just relevant—it is indispensable.
is the
Celebrate the Centennial and showcase the commemorative 2025 Des Moines Area National Speech & Debate Tournament!
Limited quantities are available, so we encourage you to preorder by May 23, 2025, to ensure we have your size selection (S – 6XL).
IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES:
NSDA LAST-CHANCE QUALIFIER
• April 17 – Deadline to register
• April 24-26 – Happening online
MIDDLE SCHOOL NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
• May 15 – Deadline to register
• June 17-20 – Happening in-person
HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
• May 15 – Deadline to register
• June 1 – Deadline to register alternates
• June 14 – Deadline for final scripts
• June 15-20 – Happening in-person
HIGH SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTAL EVENTS
• May 15 – Deadline for coaches to pre-register students
• June 17 – Coaches must re-register students in supps to confirm their participation
• June 18-20 – Happening in-person
THE WILLIAM WOODS TATE, JR., MEMORIAL FUND “ROAD TO NATIONALS” TRAVEL GRANTS
• March 10 – Application opens
• April 20 – Deadline to apply
• Early May – Grants announced
NATS25 MERCH
• May 15 – Deadline to pre-order shirts through Tabroom.com for pick up at the National Tournament
• May 23 – Deadline to order shirts online via the NSDA Store and receive in the mail pre-tournament
Our annual National Speech & Debate Tournament will be held June 15-20, 2025, in Greater Des Moines, Iowa. Tournament info is available on our website, including tentative schedules, logistics, hotel details, and more. As a reminder, staying in the hotel block saves your team 15% on main event and supplemental event entry fees! We also have day-by-day breakdowns for high school and middle school to get a feel for the flow of the event. Please visit www.s peechanddebate.org/ nationals and use the tabs to navigate around. Read on for several highlights about events and qualification.
Students will be able to re-register in up to two total supplemental speech events (one per pattern) at the 2025 Nationals. In late May, all pre-registered supplemental entries will learn if they are competing in the Goldfinch group or the Wild Rose group. Each Extemp Debate group will compete separately on Wednesday and combine to one division on Thursday. Each speech group will compete separately until they have the top three entries in each event who will compete in the final round.
Every member high school has the opportunity to enter up to two nonqualifying students in supplemental events at the 2025 National Tournament. To be eligible, students and their schools must be NSDA members. Participation at districts is not required.
registration will take place in Des Moines the evening of Tuesday, June 17, and competition will run Wednesday through Friday.
The Last-Chance Qualifier will be held online April 24-26, 2025. Eligibility requirements remain the same: schools must have attended their district tournament to participate, but students do not need to have attended the district tournament. Only students who did not qualify in a main event may enter.
Share photos of your national qualifiers to be displayed during the National Tournament as part of our Centennial Celebration! www.speechanddebate.org/centennial-pics
Everyone deserves a tournament environment that is safe, welcoming, and fair. If you need assistance during the tournament, please consider the following support options.
EXAMPLE AREAS
EXAMPLE CONCERNS
• Rooms
• Scheduling
• Food
• Accessibility Accommodations
• Elevator Access
• Judge Assignments
• Judge Training
• Judge Paradigms
• Time Limits
• Plagiarism/ Cheating
• Rules Clarification
Find your Supervising Adult (e.g., coach, caregiver, etc.) or go to the Tournament Office and ask a staffer for help.
EXAMPLE AREAS
• Interpersonal Support
• Inclusion/ Exclusion
• Harassment and Discrimination
EXAMPLE CONCERNS
• A powerful performance triggers an emotional response
• A contestant bullies another contestant
• A judge yells at students and/or coaches
• A student feels alone and wants to withdraw from the tournament
Find your Supervising Adult (e.g., coach, caregiver, etc.) or go to the Tournament Office and ask to talk with a Belonging and Inclusion Advocate.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure full access and participation for all individuals at the National Tournament. This article outlines our process and offers helpful tips for submitting ADA accommodation requests.
We have created a dedicated ADA accommodation request web page, where participants may submit their requests online at www.speechanddebate.org/accessibility
Requests will be reviewed through the day before the National Tournament begins; however, we encourage participants to submit requests as early as possible to ensure timely support. Decisions will be communicated via email. Once competition starts on Monday, all ADA accommodation requests must be made in person at your building’s tournament office. Note: Only coaches may submit ADA accommodation requests on behalf of students.
We use two features to communicate ADA accommodations in Tabroom.com.
ADA Room Assignments: Our staff sets aside a number of first-floor rooms near common areas for students and judges with mobility limitations. The best way to make sure we’re aware that someone from your school needs those rooms is to mark the “ADA rooms” button next to the individual’s entry in your school’s National Tournament registration in Tabroom.com.
Ballot Notes for ADA Accommodations:
For more specific needs, we put a note on the student’s ballots informing judges of approved accommodations. Note: To protect student privacy, only essential details are included.
When submitting a request, please avoid oversharing information or compromising the student’s confidentiality. You should provide no information beyond the bare minimum necessary to communicate the ADA accommodation. Here are two examples:
X Incorrect: Contestant A has Tourette’s and may have verbal tics or need to leave the room. They may also make nonverbal noises.
Correct: Contestant A may have verbal or nonverbal tics and/or need to leave the room after performing. Please do not take this into account when ranking.
X Incorrect: Contestant B is legally blind and requires verbal time signals instead of hand signals.
Correct: Contestant B is approved to request verbal time signals. The contestant should not be penalized for lack of eye contact.
Providing accessibility through reasonable ADA accommodations remains a priority as we prepare for the National Tournament. For further details on the request process, please contact Dr. Paul Porter at paul.porter@speechanddebate.org.
by Zach Prax
As the National Tournament registration deadline approaches, so does the work that goes into identifying judges for the main event final rounds that will take place Thursday and Friday, June 19-20, 2025.
Though final panels aren’t fully identified until shortly before each round takes place, the efforts to create those panels begin the morning of May 16; indeed, selecting judges for the final rounds is one of the most challenging parts of the National Tournament. While the process keeps getting better with time, the judge pool team is focused on continuous improvement.
Before the Tournament
As soon as National Tournament registration ends, the team is focused on final round judge pooling. We’ve had more than 3,000 judges at the
National Tournament each year for the past several years. With 25 events that each have a final round panel between nine and 15 people, we pool close to 500 judges for final rounds alone (that doesn’t include semifinals!) and narrow those pools down to final round panels once we are able.
Each year, final round judge pools are made for one or two events (for instance, a LincolnDouglas judge pool, a DI/POI judge pool, etc.), which are determined based on the nuances of each event as well as the schedule of when final rounds take place.
As we begin pooling judges into final round events, there are many criteria that the final round judge team uses to determine our pools. They include:
Geographic Diversity:
Each final round judge pool is comprised of judges that come from
all geographic corners of the NSDA’s membership. As speech and debate can have regional stylistic differences, it is a goal to make sure that a final round judge pool (and final round panel) be composed of individuals reflecting a wide geographic range of the NSDA’s membership.
Experience and Representation: Each final round pool is made up of highly experienced judges who represent different backgrounds, school types, and approaches to speech and debate.
Judge Availability: As final round judging does not count toward a school’s judging obligation, we can only include judges in our pools who have been nominated for final round judging.
In the past few years, the final round judge team has made a number
of changes in how we determine the composition of our final round event pools and panels, and they have helped improve our paneling process by enhancing experience levels within each panel.
For instance, a standard was set that each judge in a final round judge pool should have a minimum of two years of experience in coaching, judging, or competing in their judge category (debate, interpretation, public address). This standard helps ensure that judges on final round panels have experience with the nuances of the category they are judging; at the same time, two years of experience isn’t so strict that it excludes recent alumni or coaches/judges without the means to have a Diamond Award or be in the Hall of Fame.
In addition, we have made changes to our nomination questionnaires that allow the final round judge team to be more thoughtful in how we pool judges. In the past, nominated judges were asked whether they could judge debate, interpretation, or public address generally. This didn’t allow a nominated judge to share their
experience with events in the same category that can be very different from each other (for instance, Humorous Interpretation and Program Oral Interpretation are both “Interpretation,” but they are very different events).
In order to more specifically pinpoint each pooled judge’s experience, the questionnaire now asks judges the specific events in which they have at least two or more years of experience in coaching, judging, or competing, and this has allowed the final round judge team to match each judge’s area of expertise more specifically to different events.
For sure, some elements still offer opportunities for the judge team to grow (i.e., how can we better account for state constraints of judges in the semifinal round and its impact on final round panels?) but overall, we are working to keep improving each year.
The work on our final round pools and panels begins as soon as possible, and our success in establishing experienced panels is completely dependent on the willingness of YOU—coaches and judges attending the National Tournament—to be pooled! To be clear, being pooled and/or serving on a final round judge panel does not count as a day of judging toward a school’s obligation, and we rely on the volunteerism of judges who are willing to help us select the next national champions.
There are a number of ways that coaches and judges at the National Tournament can help with our pursuit to continue improving our final round judge pooling and assignment process. Overall, it comes down to our major goal: we want to be aware of the excellent judges you are bringing to the tournament! Ways you can help with this include:
Judges, consider selfnominating yourself.
On Tabroom.com, you are given the ability to self-nominate yourself for late elimination round judging. Please consider doing this! Each year, the final round judge
team tries to reach out to judges we think would be great individuals to have in a judge pool (particularly in those events that don’t have enough experienced judges that have selfnominated); we’d love to know about your expertise and willingness earlier than later. District leaders, consider nominating others. Often, some of the most thoughtful judges do not believe they are strong enough to serve on a final round panel; even more often, they are and just need some encouragement from you! District chairs have the opportunity to nominate judges from their district to serve in late elimination rounds (of course, they should first make certain that those judges are available and willing). Sometimes, all it takes is some affirmation and support to encourage strong judges to be available to be pooled.
Finally, for judges who will be at the tournament but not in the high school judge pool—let us know you are coming! Because of the complexity of the pooling process, we are unable to make additions to our judge pools during the National Tournament. If you are not already in the high school judge pool and want to be considered for a final round judge pool, please let us know by emailing info@speechanddebate. org. We will let you know what you need to do to be considered.
Whether or not you serve on a final round panel, we are so appreciative of each judge who serves at the National Tournament and who continues to live out the NSDA’s mission to empower students through speech and debate.
Note: This pilot is for the August 2025 to June 2026 season and will not affect the 2025 National Tournament qualification process.
The National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) is excited to announce a one-year pilot program for the 2025-2026 season, allowing up to 25% of districts to test alternative methods for qualifying students to the National Tournament. This initiative aims to address the evolving needs of our membership by exploring options beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all approach. Our goal is to empower District Committees to design qualification systems that better serve their schools and students while maintaining a rigorous review process to ensure the National Tournament continues to feature high-quality competition.
To be considered for this pilot, district chairs must submit a detailed application outlining their proposed alternative qualification system. These applications will go through a review process by the national office, with selections capped at 25% of districts. In 2026, we will assess the pilot’s effectiveness to decide whether to extend, expand, or discontinue it, working closely with the participating districts throughout the evaluation.
The application window opens August 1, 2025, with a submission deadline of September 15, 2025. Approved districts will be notified by October 1, 2025, which is also when the district dates form for all districts will become available. Before submitting an application, district chairs must secure majority approval from their District Committee and gather written feedback from local coaches. This feedback must be included in the application to ensure that the proposed qualification method reflects the needs and preferences of the district’s coaches and
schools. A minimum of two-thirds of committee members and two-thirds of active member schools must approve of the proposed alternative qualification method before an application can be submitted.
Applications will ask districts to provide a detailed description of their alternative qualification method, including eligibility standards, fees, and how alternates will be selected. We will also ask districts to explain why current NSDA qualification rules do not adequately serve their schools and students, as well as how the proposed alternative would improve the process. Additionally, districts must address potential challenges or drawbacks of their proposed method and outline strategies to overcome them, while also considering the impact on diversity and inclusion for schools and students who qualify for Nationals.
What types of alternative qualification methods can districts propose?
Districts can propose any method that has local support and serves their schools’ needs, such as using state tournament results, implementing an application-based process, or running a tournament with modified pairing priorities.
Are there software requirements for running a pilot tournament?
No specific software is required. Districts may use any tournament software but will be limited to standard support options.
Will Tabroom.com licenses be provided for free?
Yes, approved districts will receive grants for Tabroom.com licenses, but NSDA Campus will not be available for free.
How will qualifiers be submitted to the NSDA?
Approved districts must manually submit qualifiers using a specified spreadsheet template, following verification of eligibility and confirmation of attendance.
By making this announcement before the 2025-2027 district leadership election, we aim to ensure that district leaders elected will have a clear mandate regarding participation in the pilot program. We are excited to explore new ways to make the National Tournament qualification process more flexible and responsive to the needs of our membership.
When the NSDA was founded in 1925, it started with just three districts—Eastern, Central, and Western—but as more schools (called chapters) joined, the system expanded to five districts in 1926 and then 10 by the following year. These districts, stretching from Pennsylvania to California, gave teams a sense of regional identity and friendly rivalry.
By 1927, “District Chairmen” (the title used regardless of the chair’s gender) were introduced, with leadership initially decided by whichever chapter had the most voting power. That system was used until 1935, when elections took over, giving teams a direct say in their representation. October 1927 also brought the first-ever district rankings, adding an extra layer of competition and recognition. What started as a simple way to organize chapters quickly became a defining part of the NFL/NSDA experience—shaping traditions, building connections, and making speech and debate feel like a national community.
One hundred years later, the NSDA currently has 112 districts that are measured in four ways—number of active schools, programs with an NSDA charter, new members, and new degrees. Below are the top district rankings from the 2023-2024 season.
Active Schools
1. Virginia (78)
2. West Los Angeles (59)
3. Florida Panther (57)
4. New Jersey (56)
Chartered Teams
1. East Texas (30) - TIE
1. West Los Angeles (30) - TIE
3. Tall Cotton (27)
4. California Coast (26)
New Members
1. California Coast (630)
2. Virginia (625)
3. East Texas (611)
Today, the NSDA is divided into 112 districts located across the nation and around the globe.
Lauren McCool serves as Leadership and Education Specialist at the NSDA.
4. North Texas Longhorns (564)
Number of New Degrees
1. California Coast (2,166)
2. Southern Minnesota (1,846)
3. Central Minnesota (1,680)
4. East Texas (1,673)
Each year, we select top debaters in the country to represent the United States in international competition. Applications for the 2025-2026 USA Debate team are open now. Invite interested students to get started or learn more about the stages of the application process on our website!
In January, Team USA traveled to Singapore to take part in the International Debate Weekend (IDW). Students had the opportunity to test their skills against some of the best debaters in the world, including teams from across Asia and Canada.
Beyond the debates, teammates enjoyed exploring the country, eating different foods, and spending time with fellow international teams.
USA Debate members now set their sights on the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC), slated to be held in Panama City, Panama, later this summer.
The 2022 Humorous Interp national champion and recent graduate of Apple Valley High School in Minnesota is featured in the SPEAK . documentary that premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Here, she shares more about her speech and debate journey—and her path to becoming a TikTok sensation!
— compiled by Amber Gracia
What initially drew you to speech and debate?
One of my closest friends, Lucinda Standafer, who also competed in speech, told me to give it a shot! She felt I would enjoy it and that I would find some success. I was super hesitant to join at first and told her there
With so many events to choose from, how did you discover which ones best aligned with your strengths and interests?
Humorous Interpretation was a given for me. My TikTok videos are basically one-minute versions of HI, just without the popping. I play different characters, come up with stories, and act them out, so it felt very natural to compete in HI. I loved being able to do what I did on TikTok in longer form, with even more creativity and powerful messaging behind it.
Oratory came to me my second year. During my 2022 Humorous Interp performance, I delivered an introduction that definitely had some Oratory magic in it! I related Muslim representation to my piece about American beauty pageants, and it felt so rewarding that a heartfelt message received such a positive response from the audience.
You’ve found success in content creation, amassing a following of over three million on TikTok. How would you compare the feeling of making the final round stage in speech and debate to the excitement of your content going viral?
Both are unique but equally rewarding in their own ways! I made the final round three times, and waiting to find out each time was even more nerve-wracking than the year prior. There was an intense rush while waiting, and my tears usually flowed even before I opened my eyes to see. It was an instant reaction, and the energy was electric! On stage, it always felt surreal. Stepping back down after I performed felt like walking off a cloud and back into reality. I always had a mix of emotions and that feeling of, “Did that really just happen?”
was no way I would be able to memorize a 10-minute speech. I was super close to not joining, but I am so glad I did. Her pushing me to audition was the best decision ever. Little did I know, it was going to change my life. I definitely never imagined becoming a national champion, especially not as a novice!
After that, I knew my advocacy couldn’t stop there. My coaches recommended I give Oratory a chance. Although I certainly was hesitant and didn’t know if I could do it at first, I quickly fell in love with the category. The rest is history!
On social media, it isn’t always instant. Sometimes, a video goes viral immediately, and other times, it takes a few days before it blows up. It is different from speech because there is never a live audience. Even if the video gets millions of views, it’s always just me behind the camera when I’m filming. Tiktok comments are kind of
like my own ballots! I love seeing how people relate my videos to their own experiences. It is 100% one of my favorite parts about posting.
How did you stay motivated and focused throughout the competition season?
Staying motivated isn’t always easy. Speech requires a lot of energy, especially when covering hard topics. For me, I always went back to my why. Why was I doing this? Why did I want this message to be heard? Why does it matter now? Asking those questions before a round or tounament kept me grounded and motivated me to always push to be the best version of myself.
During my speech career, I kept a notebook with me in my purse at every tournament. I wrote little notes and printed out pictures that related to my message and glued them on the pages. From pictures of hijabis at pageants, to my mother, to Elmo, to Palestinian children smiling, my notebook was truly special. Before a round, I would look at the images and remember what was important to me and the impact I was spreading beyond competition.
As the NSDA celebrates its 100th birthday this year, what is your hope or vision for the next 100 years of speech and debate?
I hope the next 100 years bring about even more diversity and inclusivity. I was the first hijabi on the stage for Interpretation, and that next year, there were three more. I want that number to continue to increase, and for other communities to continue to find their way to the NSDA and the final round stage.
I also hope that people are never afraid to advocate for what they believe in, especially in times like these. I want the NSDA to continue to be a beacon of hope for the future, and to show that speaking our truths loudly and boldly will never be taken away from us. At a time when many voices are being silenced, I hope the NSDA continues to amplify and empower.
I hope it will always be a place to fight for what is right, with no fear.
If you could give advice to students currently competing, what would it be?
I would say that the process is just as important as the
outcome. It can be easy to fall into the trap of focusing only on the future and never the current moment. I always remember this saying that Apple Valley alum Reese Johnson would tell my team: Keep your mind where your feet are. Instead of thinking about the final round during round one, think about where your feet are: round one. If you are always thinking about what is next, you miss out on so many important moments that matter. This mindset changed so much for me. It helped me give every round my best. Once you focus on that, you will easily grow from every round. Take a breath, put your all into the moment, and you will soon discover that the outcome will follow when you make every moment count.
How has being a speech and debate alum/national champion impacted your life beyond competition?
First, is confidence. There is something about performing and sharing a powerful message in front of so many people that changes the way you carry yourself. I have learned how to read a room, adapt in the moment, and even change the energy of a room with
my words. It is a skill that truly cannot be learned anywhere else.
Speech has also taught me the power of sharing a strong message. In both Humorous Interp and Oratory, I learned how to craft stories that people want to listen to, and how to convey what I want to say creatively. The discipline is also undeniable. All the late nights, repetition, and emotional roller coasters taught me that success cannot happen overnight. Finally, being a part of the SPEAK. documentary is truly an experience of a lifetime. Having my senior year captured so authentically is truly a privilege, for which I am so grateful. The documentary premiered at Sundance, and has already made its way to film festivals all around the world. It has begun and will continue to show the world what speech is all about, beyond competition. As one of the Rotten Tomatoes reviewers puts it, “A hopeful and inspiring documentary that celebrates the transformative power of speech and the boundless potential of youth.”
It’s 2018, and Molly McDermott stands backstage at the National Tournament, preparing to perform in the final round of Duo for the third time. It’s her last high school performance, and her final chance to claim an elusive national championship.
In a departure from her previous, more emotional final round performances, Molly’s Duo is an all-out laugh fest. She also has a new partner following Ben Marshall’s graduation. Molly
by Annie Reisener
selected a piece titled Bad Words, wherein a pair of children mistakenly attach the word porn (and other words) incorrectly to social media and other things in school, throwing their principal Mr. Rooney into a tailspin. It’s 10 minutes of situational humor and hilarious misunderstandings.
The 2018 National Tournament was held in Broward County just months after the shooting at Parkland High School that launched the March for Our Lives. The setting for the competition shaped the approach Molly and Kamila took to their Duo.
“We had only done Bad three times before going to Nationals,” Molly says. “The straight comedy was probably the most fun I ever had in any speech, but there aren’t a lot of straight funny pieces on the stage. I didn’t think it could win.”
Despite knowing the standard, the pair chose to break it. “We knew there was a lot of power in laughter in a place where something so tragic had just happened that affected a lot of the
speech community. We knew we wanted people to laugh.”
The choice paid off: the performance was a smash, and Molly ended her high school speech career with a national championship and the audience’s laughter ringing in her ears.
In her last semester of grad school at Marquette University, Molly was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that primarily affects children and young adults. Faced with frightening unknowns, Molly embarked on 10 months of treatment and relied on her advocacy skills and humor to carry her through.
“I definitely think speech helped me navigate my diagnosis and treatment,” she says. “Learning how to communicate with people and advocate for myself got me the diagnosis in the first place. I had to be so persistent with knowing that something is wrong,
that I need a scan. Before I did speech and debate, I did not know how to advocate for myself or communicate my needs. I was so shy that my brother Jimmy would speak for me. Then I found speech and had a whole new personality.”
Molly was also comfortable taking in the different perspectives and advice from providers and making an assessment. “Being able to critically analyze information and communicate what I need is one of the most valuable skills I learned,” Molly says.
While her diagnosis was serious, Molly is not. “From day one, I made jokes about it the entire time. Because my family knows who I am, they all joined in. Humor was something stable in my life that I had control over. It really made the experience a lot easier.”
As with Bad Words, Molly called upon laughter to let light in during a dark time. “Molly has always had a natural ability to bring humor into any situation,” says Kamila. “We were speech team partners for a year
and college roommates for another, and throughout it all, Molly’s comedic nature was a constant. She’s always had this way of lightening up even the most high-pressure moments. It wasn’t a surprise at all when she brought that same spirit into her battle with cancer. Her ability to crack a joke, even in the bleakest of situations, never dimmed.”
She was also able to count on her second family: the speech community. Molly is from a speech family. Her dad, Scott McDermott, has coached for more than 30 years, and Molly grew up attending tournaments and speech camps. She’s known coaches from around the country for her whole life, forming an extended speech and debate family.
“The speech community showed up for me every way they knew how from the time that I got diagnosed with texts, visits, gifts, cards, and videos. People I competed with at Nationals sent messages, and I heard from people I haven’t spoken to since high school,” Molly remembers.
Scott describes the level of support as overwhelming, with one fellow Illinois speech family facilitating things to get Molly into the surgeon she needed quickly. “The McDermotts have felt incredibly loved by people
from all over the country,” he says. “I’ve been doing this since 1994, and I think about all the people I’ve met along the way and how they’ve managed in some way, shape, or form to stay in my network. I know that Molly felt like this community of people wrapped her in support and lifted her up.”
This wave of outpouring love buffeted Molly along as she navigated a biopsy, port placement, IVF and egg retrieval, 14 cycles of chemotherapy, 31 rounds of neoadjuvant radiation, and 15 hospital admissions.
“I was sent so many encouraging words,” she recalls. “I would go back and read them through treatment and see how I impacted people and let it drive me to keep going. I would tell myself, ‘You have the ability to bring light to people. As hard and dark as it is now, you have to keep going.’”
When she reached the stage in her treatment that she was cleared to be in large public spaces, the first thing Molly did in public was to go to a speech competition, where she was welcomed back with open arms. In May, Molly graduated with her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology. In January, she learned she has no evidence of disease.
Speech is foundational to the McDermott family.
“It’s probably the single most important thing that any of the kids have done,” Scott says. “They developed a skill of being able to walk into a room and communicate with people. My kids have all found themselves in high pressure situations outside of speech—these skills have greatly benefited them. To me, the confidence that comes with looking someone in the eye and telling a story is really important. I’ve had a front row seat to watching them mature and develop into these incredible, gentle, kind, people. I can tie almost everything back to what they’ve done through speech and the people who have mentored them from across the country.”
Scott has coached speech for 30 years, spending much of his recent career at Prospect High School in Illinois where he coached three of his children.
Julie has no speech experience and declared home a speech talk-free zone. Her sacrifices allowed Scott to travel to tournaments and make an impact on his students while also supporting her own kids to discover their voice and passions.
Jimmy was the 2012 and 2013 Declamation middle school champion, a two-time National Tournament Oratory semifinalist, and state champion in Oratory and Prose. He is currently an entrepreneur in New York City and married to Rhegan Graham, 2016 Informative Speaking finalist.
Molly was the 2013 Dramatic Interpretation middle school champion, a three-time high school Duo Interpretation finalist, and the 2018 Duo Interpretation champion. Molly recently finished grad school and is preparing for a career in speech pathology.
Erin was the 2015 Declamation middle school champion and attended high school Nationals in Duo Interpretation. She works in HR Operations Directing in Austin.
Annie Reisener is the Director of Membership at the NSDA.
Patrick is newly 16. He is currently on Broadway in Stranger Things and is a lead in the film Rust with Alec Baldwin.
As we enter our centennial year, we are not just celebrating speech and debate. We are honoring 100 years of community and impact.
Find your speech and debate connection to support and inspire future generations of public speakers.
SHAPE THE NEXT 100 YEARS
» Contribute to the legacy of speech and debate, ensuring that its benefits continue to influence future generations.
EXCLUSIVE WEBINARS
» Receive invitations to upcoming webinars and access past webinars, including “Transform Your Speaking Skills into a Career.”
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
» Gain access to our Speech & Debate Alumni Community on LinkedIn and to our Community Calls, where alums can share stories, discussions, and professional development opportunities with one another.
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» Sign up for our Judge Board for the opportunity to get hired by schools in your area.
SUPPORT IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR YOU:
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Share your story of how speech and debate impacted your life, career, friendships, and opportunities.
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Help create access to speech and debate education in your community by becoming an Alumni Ambassador.
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Each donation gives speech and debate opportunities to more students and schools. Visit our donation page
“Speech and debate taught me that our greatest achievements are measured not by trophies but by the relationships we build and the communities we nurture.”
— John Otto, Class of 2024
We’re excited to celebrate individuals whose everyday actions embody the NSDA’s core value of equity, making speech and debate a more inclusive and supportive space. Through the actions, attitudes, and leadership shown, these stories serve as a meaningful reminder that even in competition, our community thrives on kindness and care. Each of these individuals was nominated by students, teammates, coaches, or fellow members of the speech and debate community. Join us in recognizing these faces in the crowd!
Independence High School, Kansas
Peyton, a sophomore speech and debate team member at Independence High School, embodies the NSDA’s core value of equity through her leadership and kindness. On Valentine’s Day, she handwrote and cut out 300 hearts with affirming messages, distributing them to students—prioritizing those who seemed lonely— and leaving some in shared spaces. Her thoughtful act ensured every student felt seen, valued, and included. Peyton’s efforts demonstrate how small, intentional gestures foster belonging.
— Nominated by Jessica Childress
Berkeley Carroll School, New York
WK has been actively involved in the speech and debate world for over 10 years: competing, judging, coaching, and now tabulating local and regional tournaments. They have embodied the equity and inclusion values of the NSDA through pushing for various DEIA efforts in the New York state area, including the rollout of tournament equity stations and sliding scale tournament registration fees. She is also the cochair of the NSDA’s LGBTQ+ Coaches’ Caucus. WK proudly shows their strength and compassion to make speech and debate more welcoming to all. — Nominated by Ryan Curran
Lemont Township High School, Illinois
Coach Lazzari, or Lazz as we affectionately know him, is truly dedicated to helping kids spread THEIR message. Not only is he one of the most welcoming, kind, and understanding individuals, but he embodies equity, always treating the speeches he helps to build as a product of the student performing it. He accepts everyone and has worked tirelessly to create our team, putting students at the forefront of his pursuit of inclusivity and diversity in the speech world. We are so very lucky to have him!
— Nominated by Evangeline Topete
VANEE PATTANI
Blue Valley High School, Kansas
Vanee is a bright, fulfilling student who’s always going out of her way to make sure everyone in the community is okay, checking in on her peers who are stressed due to the activity and making it a better experience. Not only does she care for her peers, she also leads them by encouraging them to join forensics after the debate season and shares her immense knowledge on the events and helps other students. She also uses her creativity and art skills to make designs for team merch.
— Nominated by Rameen Zaidi
CATALINA PEDROZA
Cheyenne East High School, Wyoming
As a passionate advocate for speech and debate since high school, Catalina founded an after-school program for elementary students, affectionately called our “speech and debabies,” ensuring all kids, regardless of background, find their voice as early as possible. By pairing high school mentors with young students, she fosters confidence, belonging, and a love for the activity. Her inspiring leadership makes speech and debate a true home for all, empowering students to discover their potential.
— Nominated by Marcus Viney
Eastwood High School, Texas
When I first reached out to my high school’s speech and debate account, Riley responded with enthusiasm, sharing that speech and debate isn’t about medals, but standing up for your passions. At summer camp, she welcomed everyone and helped them find their place. Always eager to assist, Riley offers thoughtful feedback and unwavering support. At competitions, she celebrated every win and also a shoulder to cry on. Without Riley’s kindness and dedication, many wouldn’t have found their voice in speech and debate.
— Nominated by Andre Miranda
Mitchell began as a quiet novice, but over the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of watching him transform into an exceptional leader. As Congress captain at Hagerty, he gives 110% in every tournament, ensuring each speech is prepared and perfected. His dedication inspires our novices to follow his example, and he celebrates everyone’s success as his own. More than a captain, Mitchell is a friend and mentor to each new novice, fostering an environment that draws countless students to debate.
— Nominated by Grace Jackson
www.speechanddebate.org/faces-in-the-crowd
SIERRA Memorial Middle School, Texas
An unwavering advocate for the arts, Laura empowers her Latino students by celebrating their identities and valuing their stories. By integrating cultural heritage and creativity into her teaching, she fosters pride, belonging, and advocacy. Her impact spans generations of siblings, inspiring families and strengthening her community. Through kindness, leadership, and an inclusive vision, Laura demonstrates how speech and debate can drive equity and create transformative opportunities for all.
— Nominated by Matthew Rodriguez
MARCH 7, 2025
SSpeech and debate is more than just an extracurricular activity. It’s a transformative experience that empowers students to find their voice, build confidence, and develop the skills to change the world.
“Over the past two years, I’ve had the honor of coaching and witnessing incredible growth in my students. I’ve watched shy sixth graders evolve into confident, unstoppable seventh and eighth graders who take every opportunity to speak with courage and conviction. Speech and debate offers a place for everyone. It is a family where students support each other, push themselves, and embrace challenges with perseverance and grit.
“Our students dedicate countless hours to researching, writing, and refining their performances. They demonstrate true bravery every time they stand up to speak, learn from feedback, and continue to grow. They win with humility, lose with grace, and adapt with resilience. But above all, it’s the relationships they build; among teammates, competitors, and the judges and families who support them, that truly make this activity life-changing.
“To all the students who speak their truth, to the teachers and coaches who guide them, and to the families who show up to judge and encourage them, thank you. Your voice, your story, and your impact matter.”
— @brookepappasphotography
peech and debate teams from across the nation and around the globe once again celebrated National Speech and Debate Education Day (or NSDE Day, for short)—this time, with a centennial twist! Coaches, students, alumni, and other supporters got involved by making posters, wearing speech and debate swag, writing articles and press releases for local media, and sharing their stories and photos on social media.
For the tenth consecutive year, in a bipartisan effort led by Sen. Charles Grassley and 19 other cosponsors, the United States Senate passed a resolution recognizing the vital role speech and debate education plays in developing students’ communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills. Sen. Grassley also emphasized the importance of the activity, stating in The Des Moines Register: “Your work is more important than ever to engage our next generation of leaders to bridge differences through respectful dialogue.”
@gcuspeechanddebate
SPEECH & THEATRE
Get your Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, in addition to your certification to teach in MO, in as little as 5 years! Truman’s MAE in Speech and Theatre gives students the opportunity to work with award-winning professors to develop leadership skills as the next generation of speech/debate and theatre coaches, directors, and scholars. Discover your distinction and explore your passions at Truman State University.
Example courses:
• Performance Studies
• Directing Forensics
• One-Acts
• Oral Interpretation
• Advocacy & Debate
• Foundations of Education
• Teaching Internship
Visit truman.edu/mae-speech-theatre/ for more information and to apply today!
The faculty have shown me daily what it means to be there for your students. I always felt supported by my professors and peers on my journey to earn my MAE.
by Marcus Viney
Speech and debate was never built for a pandemic. Our activity thrives in packed classrooms, crowded hallways, and the electric buzz of voices overlapping, arguing, persuading—spreading ideas and, unfortunately, airborne particles. When the world shut down, it felt like speech and debate might, too. Coaches and competitors were terrified that this was it—the end of an activity that relies on face-to-face connection, live audiences, and the adrenaline rush of walking into a round.
But we didn’t shut down. We reimagined.
At Cheyenne East High School, like many other teams across the country, we found a way. Between masks, social distancing, and hand sanitizer from a local distillery that smelled suspiciously like tequila, our students did what speech and debate kids always do:
they adapted. What makes them extraordinary is that they said yes to life at a time when the world was saying no
Instead of getting on buses, we got in front of iPads. Instead of live audiences, we pressed record. We held synchronous and asynchronous competitions, transforming boring digital spaces into vibrant carnivals of creativity. When we discovered we could use colorful, steamedsheet backgrounds, every round became an adventure.
Coaches feared that without the thrill of travel, late-night hotel debates, and the roar of applause during awards, students would lose interest. But they didn’t. Their passion for speech and debate didn’t just survive—it thrived.
Duo Interpretation was one of the greatest challenges. Normally performed side-by-side, our
Duo teams faced the reality of split screens and six-foot distances. We experimented: Zoom calls from different rooms (impossible to sync timing), Zoom calls from the same room (echoes and audio bleed). Eventually, we crafted makeshift cubicles with sheets, creating sound barriers that allowed students to hear each other without the microphones picking up cross-audio. It was messy, imperfect, and brilliant. Our administrators occasionally entered the room with concern but left with curiosity.
As a coach, it was one of the hardest times of my life. The fear of a changing world, the grief of daily loss, and the exhaustion of navigating virtual classrooms felt overwhelming. There were days I felt defeated, uncertain if we could
keep the team—or myself—afloat. But in those moments, it was the students who coached me and lifted my spirits. Their resilience, creativity, and unwavering enthusiasm became the lifeline I didn’t know I needed.
This story is a tribute to the students who saved our activity when it would have been easy to let it fade. This is a thank you to those who said yes when everything else said no. This is a celebration of the voices that refused to be silenced, the arguments that grew louder in the quiet, and the stories that thrived in the most unlikely of times.
Marcus Viney is a two-diamond coach from Cheyenne East High School in Wyoming.
We want to hear your stories as part of our Centennial Celebration! Visit our website to share your journey and read more from others in the activity.
Celebration Ideas
Celebration Ideas
Collect Your Stories
Collect Your Stories
Collect Your Stories
Collect Your Stories
Collect Your Stories
» Behind every team, champion, and coach, there is a moment, mentor, or story. With your words, photos, and videos, you help demonstrate the lasting impact of speech and debate. Add your legacy at speechanddebate.org/centennial-stories
Collect Your Stories
» Behind every team, champion, and coach, there is a moment, mentor, or story. With your words, photos, and videos, you help demonstrate the lasting impact of speech and debate. Add your legacy at speechanddebate.org/centennial-stories .
» Behind every team, champion, and coach, there is a moment, mentor, or story. With your words, photos, and videos, you help demonstrate the lasting impact of speech and debate. Add your legacy at speechanddebate.org/centennial-stories
» Behind every team, champion, and coach, there is a moment, mentor, or story. With your words, photos, and videos, you help demonstrate the lasting impact of speech and debate. Add your legacy at speechanddebate.org/centennial-stories .
» Behind every team, champion, and coach, there is a moment, mentor, or story. With your words, photos, and videos, you help demonstrate the lasting impact of speech and debate. Add your legacy at speechanddebate.org/ centennial-stories
ADD YOUR LEGACY
ADD YOUR LEGACY
ADD YOUR LEGACY
ADD YOUR LEGACY
» Behind every team, champion, and coach, there is a moment, mentor, or story. With your words, photos, and videos, you help demonstrate the lasting impact of speech and debate. Add your legacy at speechanddebate.org/centennial-stories
Celebrate in Your State
Celebrate in Your State
Celebrate in Your State
Celebrate in Your State
» Enhance your local, district, or state tournament, add to your student showcase event, or use as a focal point for a fundraiser. Events and celebrations are a great way to honor and support your program. Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial-events .
» Enhance your local, district, or state tournament, add to your student showcase event, or use as a focal point for a fundraiser. Events and celebrations are a great way to honor and support your program. Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial-events .
» Enhance your local, district, or state tournament, add to your student showcase event, or use as a focal point for a fundraiser. Events and celebrations are a great way to honor and support your program. Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial-events .
» Enhance your local, district, or state tournament, add to your student showcase event, or use as a focal point for a fundraiser. Events and celebrations are a great way to honor and support your program. Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial-events .
CELEBRATE LOCALLY
CELEBRATE LOCALLY
» We want to showcase photos of your team’s national qualifiers, which will be on display during the National Speech & Debate Tournament as part of our Centennial Celebration! Individual and team pictures are welcome. Upload yours at speechanddebate.org/centennial-pics.
» Enhance your local, district, or state tournament, add to your student showcase event, or use as a focal point for a fundraiser. Events and celebrations are a great way to honor and support your program. Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial-events .
CELEBRATE LOCALLY
CELEBRATE LOCALLY
Celebrate at Nationals
CELEBRATE LOCALLY
Celebrate at Nationals
Celebrate at Nationals
Celebrate at Nationals
» Join us at the National Speech & Debate Tournament June 15-20, 2025, for the weeklong culmination of the Centennial Celebration! Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial .
Celebrate at Nationals
» Join us at the National Speech & Debate Tournament June 15-20, 2025, for the weeklong culmination of the Centennial Celebration! Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial
Celebrate at Nationals
» Join us at the National Speech & Debate Tournament June 15-20, 2025, for the weeklong culmination of the Centennial Celebration! Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial .
» Join us at the National Speech & Debate Tournament June 15-20, 2025, for the weeklong culmination of the Centennial Celebration! Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial .
» Join us at the National Speech & Debate Tournament June 15-20, 2025, for the weeklong culmination of the Centennial Celebration! Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial .
CELEBRATE AT NATIONALS
CELEBRATE AT NATIONALS
CELEBRATE AT NATIONALS
CELEBRATE AT NATIONALS
» Join us at the National Speech & Debate Tournament June 15-20, 2025, for the weeklong Centennial Celebration in Des Moines, Iowa! Learn more at speechanddebate.org/centennial
LEARN MORE
CELEBRATE AT NATIONALS
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Congratulations to the students nominated for the Student Leadership Council! The SLC provides feedback and recommendations throughout the year to ensure we are meeting students’ needs. Each district’s nominee and selected international students will submit videos this spring sharing why they want to be part of the SLC. From this group of nominees, a range of students will be selected to serve for the 2025-2026 school year. Students marked with a gold star were SLC members in 2024-2025.
London Allen The Benjamin School, FL
Mahad Amin The Pembroke Hill School, MO
Gabriel Andrade Sumner Academy, KS
Ian Arthur Charles M. Russell High School, MT
Alani Avila Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, FL
Natalie Berman Charlotte Latin School, NC
Molly Block Harvard-Westlake School, CA
Natalie Cappelletti Fairview High School, CO
Spencer Chaisanguanthum The Dalton School, NY
Anwesha Chowdhury West Linn High School, OR
Clarissa Coleman Murrah High School, MS
Avery Collier Oologah High School, OK
Peyton Connors Independence High School, KS
Autumn Coovert Gig Harbor High School, WA
Madeleine Devlin Ursuline High School, OH
Helen Fang Troy High School, CA
Patrick Feagan Edgewood High School, WI
Theia Garbett-Chaitram Valdosta High School, GA
Brooke Gemechu Hawken School, OH
Michelangelo Grado Cathedral High School, TX
Raygen Hamilton Wolfforth Frenship High School, TX
Ayden Hicks Delta High School, WA
Diego Holguin George Washington High School, CO
Jace Hubbard Foster High School, TX
Aidan Hurtado Cajon High School, CA
Rahul Iyengar Colorado Academy, CO
Jolie Jimenez Casady School, OK
Mackenzie Jones Glenwood High School, IL
Daphne Kalir-Starr The College Preparatory School, CA
Polina Karaseva Int’l School of Sosua, Dominican Republic
Aspyn Kaskalla Navajo Preparatory School, NM
Maryam Khan LAMP High School, AL
Sneha Khetan North Carolina School of Science/Math, NC
Tristan Khoshyomn Greenwood Laboratory School, MO
Anna Kim Bishop Gorman High School, NV
Charlie Kinkade Danville High School, KY
Luke Kosner Collegiate School, NY
Le Quynh Anh (Elsa) La Saigon South Int’l School, Vietnam
Adeline Law Francis Howell Central, MO
Amy Li Science Hill High School, TN
Gabriel Lopez Carrollwood Day School, FL
Unity Loveless Whitefish High School, MT
Zahra Malik Hunterdon Central Regional, NJ
Meghan McAvoy Neenah High School, WI
Alexander Moscibroda The Bear Creek School, WA
Marcus Myers Sharon High School, MA Manvitha Narasimhan Bentonville High School, AR
Pierce Newcomb Neosho High School, MO
Sarayu Pasumarthi Vista Del Lago High School, CA
Dori Primmer Brownell Talbot College Prep School, NE
Sahlika Qureshi Whitehouse High School, TX
Vivek Rajdev Khan Lab School, CA
Anish Ramachandruni North Allegheny High School, PA
Addilyn Reinhold Pocatello High School, ID
Yoslen Robaina-Santana Logansport High School, IN
Kaylen Sanchez Buffalo High School, TX
Cleo Sandler Corvallis High School, OR
Jana Schodzinski Wheeling Park High School, WV
Eviella Sefu Bethany Christian High School, IN
Vijay Shivnani Shepton High School, TX
Sahana Srikanth Mason High School, OH
Feven Tesfaye Burnsville High School, MN
Anuraa Venkat East Ridge High School, MN
Ross Wheeler Phoenix Country Day School, AZ
Madeline White Gwynedd Mercy Academy, PA
Saniya Yamin Broad Run High School, VA
Brianna Zhang Portage Central High School, MI
Jonathan Zu BC Academy, Canada
LEARN MORE www.speechanddebate.org/student-leadership-council
I decided to include the NSDA in my estate plans because speech and debate is an activity that teaches everything from argumentation and speaking skills to humility and gracefully losing. This activity made me a different and better person, and I want to make sure that students well into the future are afforded the opportunities I was.”
Aarzu Maknojia
NSDA ALUM
The National Speech & Debate Association is grateful to acknowledge the following 1925 Society members for pledging a generous planned gift contribution.
Susan Anderson
Anonymous
Byron Arthur
Phyllis Flory Barton
Jane Boyd
James Copeland
Don and Ann Crabtree
Rob Dekoven
Dr. Mike Edmonds
A. C. Eley
Vickie and Joe Fellers
Aaron Hardy
Bill and Charlotte Hicks
David and Judy Huston
Jennifer Jerome
Harold Keller
Kandi King
Cherian and Betsy Koshy
Paige Lalicker
Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr.
Aarzu Maknojia
Pam and Ray McComas
H. B. Mitchell
Lanny and B. J. Naegelin
Khang Minh Ngo
Albert Odom, Jr.
Randi Oleson
J. W. Patterson
Capt. Joseph L. and Jan Pizzo
David Price
Dr. Polly and Bruce Reikowski
Donus and Lovila Roberts
James Rye, III
Steve and Anna Schappaugh
David Seikel
Michael Shapiro
Sandra Silvers
Yatesh Singh and Liz Vieira
Thadeus Hagan Smith
Richard Sodikow
William Woods Tate, Jr.
Scott and Chan Waldrop
Nicole and Darrel Wanzer-Serrano
Cheryl Watkins
Dr. Sue Wenzlaff
Abigail Wichlacz
Chase Williams
J. Scott and Megan Wunn
Joe and Pam Wycoff
David and Tatiana Yastremski
Leaving your legacy with the NSDA can be done in three easy steps:
1. Add a simple paragraph to your will stating the NSDA as a beneficiary. You can revise your gift at any time.
2. Notify Nicole Wanzer-Serrano that the NSDA has been added to your will. nicole@speechanddebate.org
3. Celebrate knowing that you will impact future generations by joining The 1925 Society!
Contact Nicole for more information: nicole@speechanddebate.org
BARKLEY FORUM FOR DEBATE , DELIBERATION, AND DIALOGUE OF EMORY UNIVERSITY
says THANK YOU to all middle and high school teachers and coaches who make speech and debate opportunities available to their students. The countless hours you spend staying after school to work with students, traveling to and judging at tournaments, making travel arrangements, mentoring students, listening to speeches and performances, and creating spaces where your students can use their voices make a profound and positive impact in the lives of your students. Thank you for your dedication.
Dear Administrators,
I started high school in the fall of 2020 after six months of social isolation and complete disconnect from my friends. During this time, I had barely talked out loud. Like a muscle that isn’t exercised, that skill began to atrophy. I found public speaking to be incredibly difficult and faced significant hardship in connecting to the people around me. In tandem, my time alone during the pandemic brought me a new perspective on the world around me. Suddenly, a concern for the social and political state of the world was alive within me. The world around me had never before been so tumultuous—only I didn’t know what was to be done about it.
Upon entering high school, I discovered something that completely changed my life: speech and debate. Being part of a community wholly dedicated to research, discussion, civics, and resolution pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a new realm of possibility. Through practice, I found my voice. Through the support of my coaches and peers, I found how to use it.
Four years of debate changed me as both a person and a student. I am a firm believer that everyone should have access to this activity. Every student in the United States is currently living through completely unprecedented times. From the pandemic and climate change to global conflict and economic downturn, I would say there is not a single student who does not care about understanding and changing how politics affects their life. As for the few students who seem not to care, the truth is they absolutely do—they just don’t have a place to speak on it.
Here’s the thing: if at any point in your career you have deemed your pedagogy as something that intends to “set students up for their future,” then speech and debate is already something in which you believe. Debate is not an extraneous extracurricular that one could consider as optional to a holistic education. Rather, it is an absolute necessity for the sake of developing intelligent young adults.
A career in debate goes far beyond looking good on a resume. I believe it is an essential aspect of education in the 21st century. Just as it is important for those interested in English to be able to do algebra, and for engineers to be well-versed in literature, so too is it necessary for students to learn how to comprehend the imposing danger of social ignorance and to overcome their misconceptions of teenage powerlessness. By becoming part of the speech and debate community, both the overachievers as well those who haven’t yet found their purpose gain access to a wide range of resources and perspectives that allow them to mature as people and realize their potential.
If you find yourself with the time and resources to start a team, then I heartily recommend you take the steps to provide your students with this invaluable experience. If perchance you find yourself with neither, then I implore you to start searching.
Kindly, Gabriel Torres Clear Brook High School, Texas – Class of 2024 University of Southern California School of Architecture
Your team is invited to join fellow speech and debate students from across the nation for a variety of FREE , after-school, synchronous and asynchronous online practice sessions through our Springboard Series. • NON-MEMBERS WELCOME – NSDA membership is not required!
O n joining speech and debate in high school
I CAN SAY WITHOUT HESITATION THAT WAS THE ONE ACTIVITY THAT BEST PREPARED ME FOR FUTURE SUCCESS IN LAW AND IN LIFE.
KETANJI BROWN JACKSON
Miami Palmetto Senior High School, FL - Class of 1988
Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court WE ARE SPEECH AND DEBATE