frequently asked questions
1. How many tournaments does my student need to attend each year?
A. It Depends on their level. Novices must attend tournaments. Varsity team members have different requirements based on events and level.
2. What if a tournament is cancelled?
A. If the tournament is cancelled early in the year (pre-Nov 1) students should find another tournament to attend. Post November 1, we strongly encourage students to find another tournament but will work with those who are unable to schedule another competition. Keep in mind, it is not a good idea to count on January and February tournaments to meet all requirements. Dipping below requirements by more than one (for unforeseen circumstances) still may involve a penalty. We emphasis the importance of signing up for tournaments THROUGHOUT the year to avoid such problems.
3. What are my responsibilities as a parent?
A. Judging tournaments! We need you as all schools need parents to keep tournaments going! We need as many parents as possible to meet our requirements. Our team tops 100 students – which means we have high judging requirements. If you can’t, we understand. Let us know, and we will cover your judging responsibilities with paid judges. The cost is $200 for the year.
· It is also important to support the events by having your student at school no less than 5-10 minutes before the bus is to pull away from the school. If you are driving your student to a local tournament, be sure they arrive on time.
· Make sure they have the right attire. Speech and Debate events require business professional clothing. Suits, skirts/dress pants and professional shoes are a must.
· Help them practice if they will let you! Watch, listen, critique, encourage, support, question!
4. Where can I find information about events, judging ballots and tournament specifics?
A. We are making every effort to provide one stop shopping on debate and speech information. The website should provide you with sample ballots, judging sites to visit, minutes from our meetings and tournament results. We have a parent page for all things parent! We also have a results page you can access to review results from each tournament. Some tournaments will actually have you sign up for specific tournament sites to complete on line judging. Don’t worry about that! Before any tournament you judge, we will provide you with an email to all parents and students with all the specific information for that specific tournament. If you are judging, bringing a student to school for a tournament or to another location for a tournament, you should receive an email spelling out all the details the week of the tournament. If you don’t, let us know. We use the addresses the you provide to us in the tournament sign up document.
5. What if I have questions about judging or missed judging training?
A. We will add our training document to the parent website and as soon as the DSDL (Dogwood League) provides us with additional training dates we will email you with those times. However, if you ever have questions that persist before, during or after a tournament, RJ will happily respond to an email. Also, at every tournament you judge, one of us will be there and are will help you with any questions. We can’t advise you on how to vote, but we can give you the criteria for you to make the choice.
6. What if I can’t judge?
A. We understand that some of you cannot commit an entire day to a tournament. If you can not commit to judging at two tournaments, you can opt to pay the $200 judges fee for the year. We are required to pay any where from $75 to $200 per tournament to hire paid judges.
7. How much does a tournament cost? Will I see a bill?
A. Local tournaments do not cost students for entry. They should bring $10-25 for lunch and dinner. Always have your student eat breakfast before they leave. We also strongly encourage students to bring snacks and water on the bus. National out of state travel tournaments during the regular season do cost a set amount: $750. This is to cover airfare, car rental, hotel and judge expenses and travel costs. You may see an additional meal charge billing if we pay for a team meal to expedite service to get us on the road home or to bed during tournaments. Occasionally we will have the opportunity to visit a museum or other destination that requires tickets In those events, the cost of the extra activity will be billed to parents. In all cases, students are responsible for all other meals and activities for the time they are at a tournament. We recommend $30-50 per day on average. Tournaments in big cities like New York or Chicago may run higher. In state local tournaments that require an overnight stay will cost somewhere between $150 and $200 depending on where we are traveling to. For post season tournaments like NCFLs and NSDA national championships the cost will be higher. We stay for more days. The costs will be determined by the number of students that attend. We hope to keep costs as low as possible, but may run to $875-$1200 for those tournaments.
8. What are the different events students compete in?
Dramatic Interpretation (DI)
Using a play, short story, or other published work, students perform a selection of one or more portions of a piece up to ten minutes in length. With a spotlight on character development and depth, Dramatic Interpretation focuses on a student’s ability to convey emotion through the use of a dramatic text. Competitors may portray one or multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used. Performances may also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the title and author.
Duo Interpretation (Duo)
Two competitors team up to deliver a ten-minute performance of a published play or story. Using off-stage focus, Duo Interpretation competitors convey emotion and environment through a variety of performance techniques focusing on the relationships and interactions between the characters. No props or costumes are used. Performances may also include an introduction written by the students to contextualize the performance and state the title and author.
Humorous Interpretation (HI)
Using a play, short story, or other published work, students perform a selection of one or more portions of a piece up to ten minutes in length. Humorous Interpretation is designed to test a student’s comedic skills through script analysis, delivery, timing, and character development. Competitors may portray one or multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used. Performances can also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the title and author.
Program Oral Interpretation (POI)
Using a combination of Prose, Poetry and Drama, students construct a program up to ten minutes in length using at least two out of the three genres. With a spotlight on argumentation and performative range, Program Oral Interpretation focuses on a student’s ability to combine multiple genres of literature centered around a single theme. Competitors are expected to portray multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used except for the manuscript. Performances also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the titles and authors used in the program.
Informative Speaking (Info)
Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, Informative Speaking competitors craft a speech using evidence, logic, and optional visual aids. All topics must be informative in nature; the goal is to educate, not to advocate. The speech is delivered from memory.
Original Oratory (OO)
Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, Original Oratory competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic, and emotional appeals. Topics range widely, and may be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is delivered from memory.
Extemporaneous Speaking (Extemp)
In Extemporaneous Speaking, students are presented with a choice of three questions related to current events in the U.S. or around the world and, in 30 minutes, prepare a seven-minute speech answering the selected question. Students may consult articles and evidence they gather prior to the contest, but may not use the Internet during preparation. Topics range from political matters to economic concerns to U.S. foreign policy. The speech is delivered from memory.
Lincoln Douglas Debate (LD)
In this one-on-one format, students debate a topic provided by the Association. Lincoln-Douglas Debate topics range from individual freedom versus the collective good to economic development versus environmental protection. Students may consult evidence gathered prior to the debate but may not use the Internet in round. An entire debate is roughly 45 minutes and consists of constructive speeches, rebuttals, and cross-examination.
Public Forum Debate (PF)
Public Forum Debate involves opposing teams of two, debating a topic concerning a current event. Proceeding a coin toss, the winners choose which side to debate (PRO or CON) or which speaker position they prefer (1st or 2nd), and the other team receives the remaining option. Students present cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation, and also participate in a “crossfire” (similar to a cross-examination) with the opportunity to question the opposing team. Often, community members are recruited to judge this event.
Congressional Debate (Congress)
A simulation of the U.S. legislative process in the Senate and the House, students generate a series of bills and resolutions for debate in Congressional Debate. Debaters (also referred to as Senators and Representatives) alternate delivering speeches for and against the topic in a group setting. An elected student serves as a presiding officer to ensure debate flows smoothly. Students are assessed on their research, argumentation, and delivery skills, as well as their knowledge and use of parliamentary procedure.
A. It Depends on their level. Novices must attend tournaments. Varsity team members have different requirements based on events and level.
2. What if a tournament is cancelled?
A. If the tournament is cancelled early in the year (pre-Nov 1) students should find another tournament to attend. Post November 1, we strongly encourage students to find another tournament but will work with those who are unable to schedule another competition. Keep in mind, it is not a good idea to count on January and February tournaments to meet all requirements. Dipping below requirements by more than one (for unforeseen circumstances) still may involve a penalty. We emphasis the importance of signing up for tournaments THROUGHOUT the year to avoid such problems.
3. What are my responsibilities as a parent?
A. Judging tournaments! We need you as all schools need parents to keep tournaments going! We need as many parents as possible to meet our requirements. Our team tops 100 students – which means we have high judging requirements. If you can’t, we understand. Let us know, and we will cover your judging responsibilities with paid judges. The cost is $200 for the year.
· It is also important to support the events by having your student at school no less than 5-10 minutes before the bus is to pull away from the school. If you are driving your student to a local tournament, be sure they arrive on time.
· Make sure they have the right attire. Speech and Debate events require business professional clothing. Suits, skirts/dress pants and professional shoes are a must.
· Help them practice if they will let you! Watch, listen, critique, encourage, support, question!
4. Where can I find information about events, judging ballots and tournament specifics?
A. We are making every effort to provide one stop shopping on debate and speech information. The website should provide you with sample ballots, judging sites to visit, minutes from our meetings and tournament results. We have a parent page for all things parent! We also have a results page you can access to review results from each tournament. Some tournaments will actually have you sign up for specific tournament sites to complete on line judging. Don’t worry about that! Before any tournament you judge, we will provide you with an email to all parents and students with all the specific information for that specific tournament. If you are judging, bringing a student to school for a tournament or to another location for a tournament, you should receive an email spelling out all the details the week of the tournament. If you don’t, let us know. We use the addresses the you provide to us in the tournament sign up document.
5. What if I have questions about judging or missed judging training?
A. We will add our training document to the parent website and as soon as the DSDL (Dogwood League) provides us with additional training dates we will email you with those times. However, if you ever have questions that persist before, during or after a tournament, RJ will happily respond to an email. Also, at every tournament you judge, one of us will be there and are will help you with any questions. We can’t advise you on how to vote, but we can give you the criteria for you to make the choice.
6. What if I can’t judge?
A. We understand that some of you cannot commit an entire day to a tournament. If you can not commit to judging at two tournaments, you can opt to pay the $200 judges fee for the year. We are required to pay any where from $75 to $200 per tournament to hire paid judges.
7. How much does a tournament cost? Will I see a bill?
A. Local tournaments do not cost students for entry. They should bring $10-25 for lunch and dinner. Always have your student eat breakfast before they leave. We also strongly encourage students to bring snacks and water on the bus. National out of state travel tournaments during the regular season do cost a set amount: $750. This is to cover airfare, car rental, hotel and judge expenses and travel costs. You may see an additional meal charge billing if we pay for a team meal to expedite service to get us on the road home or to bed during tournaments. Occasionally we will have the opportunity to visit a museum or other destination that requires tickets In those events, the cost of the extra activity will be billed to parents. In all cases, students are responsible for all other meals and activities for the time they are at a tournament. We recommend $30-50 per day on average. Tournaments in big cities like New York or Chicago may run higher. In state local tournaments that require an overnight stay will cost somewhere between $150 and $200 depending on where we are traveling to. For post season tournaments like NCFLs and NSDA national championships the cost will be higher. We stay for more days. The costs will be determined by the number of students that attend. We hope to keep costs as low as possible, but may run to $875-$1200 for those tournaments.
8. What are the different events students compete in?
Dramatic Interpretation (DI)
Using a play, short story, or other published work, students perform a selection of one or more portions of a piece up to ten minutes in length. With a spotlight on character development and depth, Dramatic Interpretation focuses on a student’s ability to convey emotion through the use of a dramatic text. Competitors may portray one or multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used. Performances may also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the title and author.
Duo Interpretation (Duo)
Two competitors team up to deliver a ten-minute performance of a published play or story. Using off-stage focus, Duo Interpretation competitors convey emotion and environment through a variety of performance techniques focusing on the relationships and interactions between the characters. No props or costumes are used. Performances may also include an introduction written by the students to contextualize the performance and state the title and author.
Humorous Interpretation (HI)
Using a play, short story, or other published work, students perform a selection of one or more portions of a piece up to ten minutes in length. Humorous Interpretation is designed to test a student’s comedic skills through script analysis, delivery, timing, and character development. Competitors may portray one or multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used. Performances can also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the title and author.
Program Oral Interpretation (POI)
Using a combination of Prose, Poetry and Drama, students construct a program up to ten minutes in length using at least two out of the three genres. With a spotlight on argumentation and performative range, Program Oral Interpretation focuses on a student’s ability to combine multiple genres of literature centered around a single theme. Competitors are expected to portray multiple characters. No props or costumes may be used except for the manuscript. Performances also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the titles and authors used in the program.
Informative Speaking (Info)
Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, Informative Speaking competitors craft a speech using evidence, logic, and optional visual aids. All topics must be informative in nature; the goal is to educate, not to advocate. The speech is delivered from memory.
Original Oratory (OO)
Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, Original Oratory competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic, and emotional appeals. Topics range widely, and may be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is delivered from memory.
Extemporaneous Speaking (Extemp)
In Extemporaneous Speaking, students are presented with a choice of three questions related to current events in the U.S. or around the world and, in 30 minutes, prepare a seven-minute speech answering the selected question. Students may consult articles and evidence they gather prior to the contest, but may not use the Internet during preparation. Topics range from political matters to economic concerns to U.S. foreign policy. The speech is delivered from memory.
Lincoln Douglas Debate (LD)
In this one-on-one format, students debate a topic provided by the Association. Lincoln-Douglas Debate topics range from individual freedom versus the collective good to economic development versus environmental protection. Students may consult evidence gathered prior to the debate but may not use the Internet in round. An entire debate is roughly 45 minutes and consists of constructive speeches, rebuttals, and cross-examination.
Public Forum Debate (PF)
Public Forum Debate involves opposing teams of two, debating a topic concerning a current event. Proceeding a coin toss, the winners choose which side to debate (PRO or CON) or which speaker position they prefer (1st or 2nd), and the other team receives the remaining option. Students present cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation, and also participate in a “crossfire” (similar to a cross-examination) with the opportunity to question the opposing team. Often, community members are recruited to judge this event.
Congressional Debate (Congress)
A simulation of the U.S. legislative process in the Senate and the House, students generate a series of bills and resolutions for debate in Congressional Debate. Debaters (also referred to as Senators and Representatives) alternate delivering speeches for and against the topic in a group setting. An elected student serves as a presiding officer to ensure debate flows smoothly. Students are assessed on their research, argumentation, and delivery skills, as well as their knowledge and use of parliamentary procedure.