Palm Beach Middle School Forensic League Tournament #7 Invitation

We are SO excited to return to IN-PERSON competition! Because this is our first in-person tournament in over two years, it’s very important that you read this ENTIRE invitation carefully!

Date: Saturday, May 14, 2022

Location: American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus

6200 Linton Blvd.

Delray Beach, FL 33484

Time: 7:45 AM - 3:30 PM

Deadlines:

Tuesday, May 10th, 5:00 PM is the deadline for registering students and entering meals. You must purchase lunch for all students, judges, and coaches!

Wednesday, May 11th, 5:00 PM is the deadline for entering judges. At this point, please adjust your entry to comply with the judge quotas (listed below).

Tournament Guidelines:

• This tournament is open to all students from PBMSFL member schools.

• Students may compete in Congressional Debate (separate novice [1st year] and varsity divisions), Public Forum, Lincoln Douglas, Impromptu, Declamation, Original Oratory, Dramatic Performance, and Oral Interpretation (Prose/Poetry).

• The top three students in each event will receive trophies; students finishing fourth, fifth, and sixth will receive ribbons.

Fees:

The entry fee is $15 per student (a PF team is two students, do $30 per PF team). This entry fee includes registration costs and lunch for students.

Schools are required to purchase lunches for all judges and coaches at $7 per person.

Meals:

The $15 entry fee includes lunch for students. Schools are required to purchase lunches for all judges and coaches at $7 per person.

Students can choose from the following options: Cheese Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza, Turkey Sub, Ham & Cheese Sub, Italian Sub, or Veggie Sub.

Adults (judges and coaches) will have a buffet lunch (including vegetarian options).

You must enter your meal choices on Speechwire under “Update your Meal Order” by Tuesday, May 10th, 5:00 PM.

 

Judge Information

• Schools are required to provide a specific number of TRAINED judges based on their entries in each of our four categories: Congress, Speech, Public Forum, and Lincoln Douglas. The judge quotas are listed below.

• Judges MUST provide a cell phone contact number on Speechwire.

• Please use the JUDGE NOTES to annotate conflicts, event preferences, or other pertinent information (i.e., the judge has a different last name than their child(ren).

• Judges will go to the password-protected Speechwire website, to access their e-ballots. The ballot will also provide space to write a reason for decision (RFD) explaining their ranks, as well as space to leave individual feedback for the competitors. This feedback is important to competitors. Even though we’re in-person, the tournament will still use e-ballots on Speechwire. Judges MUST bring a laptop or tablet!

• **NEW THIS YEAR** - We have changed our high school judge policy to allow any sophomore, junior, or senior with 250 NSDA points to judge.

• Schools will be fined $25 for each missing judge and will be required to drop students until your school complies with the judge quotas.

Congress - 1 judge for every 5 entries, or fraction thereof

Speech - 1 judge for every 5 entries, or fraction thereof

Public Forum - 1 judge for every 2 entries, or fraction thereof

Lincoln Douglas - 1 judge for every 2 entries, or fraction thereof

Topics:

• Public Forum will use the April topic (no May topic).

• Lincoln Douglas will use the March/April topic (no May topic).

• The Impromptu topic areas are: Fairy Tales, Famous Scientists, Video Games/Apps, Movie Quotes

• Congressional Debate legislation will be posted under “Files for Download.” See below, under “Legislation,” for more information.

Legislation:

• Schools may submit up to TWO pieces of legislation for this tournament.

• Legislation must be sent to Shawna Christenson (schristenson@aerospace-policy.org) by Monday, April 18th.

• It is your responsibility (not Shawna’s) to properly format your legislation in NSDA format. The templates are posted on Speechwire under “Files for Download.”

• The legislation packet will be posted on Speechwire under “Files for Download” by Friday, April 22nd. This will still allow students 3+ weeks to prepare.

• There will be 8 total pieces of legislation. Based on submissions, we will: 1) choose one item from each PBMSFL school, 2) choose a second item from each PBMSFL school, 3) choose items from a previous PBCFL legislation packet.