Speech for Success - Women’s Words Matter Speech and Debate Meet (in person)

January 13, 2024

 

Meet Information:

Note: We are continuing this meet that was started by WHS graduate Sabrina Richard for a Girl Scout Gold Award.

"After attending the 2019 NSDA Nationals in Dallas and seeing a lack of girls in many categories and overwhelming male dominance in others, I decided to focus on encouraging females to learn the power of public speaking. This is an all-girl* Novice and Varsity Speech and Debate meet. All Girl Scouts (students, judges, coaches) will be honored at the event. Thank you for showing girls that Women’s Words Matter."

Sabrina Richard - Westfield High School ‘22, Premier Distinction       

 

This is an all-girl* Novice and Varsity meet for Indiana High Schools. (Males may compete with a female partner).

The goal of this meet is to encourage girls to learn from and lift up each other in speech.

*Should a team be mixed gender, a male competitor may participate as a double or triple entry in other individual events

Should that duo drop from a team event, the male competitor is scratched from their remaining entries and all rounds.

*Any gender-neutral, gender-nonconforming, or gender-questioning competitors are welcome and encouraged to join.

Males not competing who have 250+ NSDA points may sign up to judge novice rounds (please make a note of this in the judge's notes section). 

 

We are making it a shorter day, with Speech and Debate both being run as three straight rounds. Congress will have two sessions.

Speech events: IX, USX, Disco, Radio, OP, OO, DI, HI, Duo, Poe, Pro, POI, Imp, Info, and Dec.

Debate events: Congress, LD, PF, WSD, BQ, Policy

Contestants can double enter in speech events, but not debate. If they choose to double with Discussion, it is at their own risk and they must go to Discussion first. 

Varsity contestants can triple at their own risk in any three events except for Discussion. NO tripling Novices. 

There will be separate Novice and Varsity competitions, but some categories may need to be run together; however, there will be separate awards. Novice is for any competitor that is in their first year of high school competition and/or has less than 75 NSDA points.  

We are offering most events, but may need to cancel some if numbers are too low (Policy debate, World Schools, Big Questions, etc.)

 

Judges: Please provide 1 judge for every 5 speech contestants and 1 judge for every 2 debate entries. We will use electronic balloting at this tournament, so please bring a device. Judges will need a Speechwire account. 

 

All other ISSDA rules apply

 

Broadcasting will run News (original and up to the contestant) twice and Editorial once, with the topic of gender equality. 

Discussion artifacts will be posted to the Files for Download section one week in advance of the meet.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p7avJuitW507N9yu6ak0OkyRMkExWQTDgcqayuwCyGs/edit?usp=sharing 

 

Debate will use the NSDA January-February topics:

LD Resolved: The United States ought to substantially reduce its military presence in the West Asia-North Africa region.

PF Resolved: The United States federal government should repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Policy Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a basic income.

BQ (1 or 2 person) Resolved: Belief in the supernatural is incompatible with belief in science.

WSD will use the prepared topic for all 3 rounds: This House regrets attempts to erode free public education.

Congress will have two sessions and will use current ISSDA legislation:

5. A Bill to Allow Gender Affirming Care for Children aged 14 and Older

6. A Bill to Decriminalize Drug Charges Relating to Possession

8. A Bill to Permit Death Row Inmates to Donate Their Organs to Compatible Recipients

11. A Bill to End the Cuban Embargo to Promote Foreign Relations with the Republic of Cuba

 

Awards: Top six in each division of each event will be awarded a ribbon. Top 5 schools will receive sweepstakes trophies.

There is no entry fee for competitors. Please encourage students to purchase our concessions. 

 

If a judge, competitor, or coach is a current member of Girl Scouts, (including those man enough to be a Girl Scout) they will be honored. Please email a list to cookwithsabrina@gmail.com or bring the list in person the day of the meet.

 

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