Eau Claire Memorial Tournament 2024

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General information

This information is from a tournament in a past season!

This is a High School tournament in Wisconsin.

View manager contact information

Dear Forensics Coach,

We are excited to invite you and your students to the Eau Claire Memorial High School Annual Forensics Tournament on Saturday, March 9, 2024.

The tournament will have 3 rounds plus a final “power” round. There will be awards for finalists and sweepstakes awards for the top teams. This tournament is WFCA and WISDAA friendly, and students may participate in up to three categories (triple enter). 

REGISTRATION: All entries must be submitted in Speechwire (https://speechwire.com/) by Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 5:00pm.
Drops after this time will not reduce your fees or judging requirements.
Teams are allowed to submit an unlimited number of entries per category.
Checks are payable to: Memorial High School Forensics.

STUDENT NAMES PRONUNICATION: Please add the pronunciation to student names in the Roster section of Speechwire.

FEES: The entry fee is $10 per individual entry and $15 per group entry. If you must hire a judge from us the cost is $110 per judge. Please make checks payable to Memorial High School Forensics. 

JUDGES: Please bring one judge for every 5 entries with a maximum of 5 affiliated (dirty) judges per school. Head coaches must ensure that all judges are briefed on rules and judging etiquette. If you must hire a judge from us the cost is $110.

E-BALLOTS: All judges must bring a Wi-Fi enabled portable device for receiving the judging schedule, writing critiques, and submitting ranks. We will not have additional devices to offer. – E-ballots will be released to coaches to share with their students after the tournament. 

FOOD: We will have concessions for sale, or students may bring lunch from home. The concession stand is cash only. There will be food available for coaches and judges in the judges’ lounge. We will not be selling / have availalble bottled water. You must bring your own water bottle and use the water fountains to refill.

TOURNAMENT DAY DROPS: Tournament day drops MUST be called in on Saturday morning before your team departs for Memorial. This information is critical to know prior to your arrival to ensure the tournament runs on time and smoothly. Schedules may need to be adjusted to balance round sizes. Schools whose students are not transported as a team are exempt from this request, but please report any changes as soon as possible. (i.e. nearby schools like EC North, Regis, etc.) Report any changes to Johannah at 715 559 3180.

TENTATIVE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:

Please reach out if you have any questions, or if your team has restrictions or needs. We will do our best to accommodate and provide the best tournament experience possible for all in attendance.

We are looking forward to hosting you and your students and a fun forensics season! 

Johannah Erffmeyer & Mielle Rundall
715 559 3180
erffmeyerj@gmail.com

Tournament Specific Category Notes

We welcome WFCA and WISDAA schools, and students may perform according to the category rules for which they have prepared. If an element of a performance is allowed in either WFCA or WISDAA, it will be allowed at this tournament.

Demonstration Speaking / Expository Speaking / Informative Speaking

 WFCA and WISDAA have recently made changes regarding these categories, and the rules are similar. These are the guidelines for our tournament:

• Demonstration Speaking is no longer a category, but speeches of that style may be performed in the revised Informative Speaking.

• Expository Speaking has been added as a category. The intention of the speech is to be informational. Speakers may describe, clarify, illustrate, or define an object, idea, concept, or process in a 5 minute time limit and no visual aids permitted. Notes are permitted and unrestricted.

• Informative Speaking has been changed from 6 minutes to 10 minutes, visual aids may be used or worn, and the Criteria for Evaluation sub-points were rewritten. Notes are permitted and unrestricted. Optionally, an entry may have two presenters. This will count as a single entry (not a group category) for registration fees.

Extemporaneous Speaking and Radio Announcing Internet use: Competitors in Extemporaneous Speaking and Radio Announcing may utilize the internet during their preparation for research but not for communicating with people or accessing pre-written speeches or outlines.

Radio Announcing: Competitors may bring their own devices for Radio preparation, and they may use the devices in the performance room for reading the script. Paper copies of the source packet will also be available.

2023-2024 Speech Topics  

Moments in History  

• Time Periods: 1900-1919 and/ or 1970s (1970-1979)

OIL: Program order will be announced at the General Meeting. 

Public Address  

• To what degree, if any, should generative artificial intelligence be regulated and by whom?

• To what extent, if any, should schools require community service as a graduation requirement?

• What actions, if any, should be taken by the government to ensure an individual’s right to privacy?

• What standards and processes, if any, should be used in determining appropriate content/books/texts in classrooms and school libraries? 

• What, if anything, should the government do to address economic inequality (e.g. minimum wage, jobs programs, food/housing security)?

Special Occasion Speaking 

• An address to a board of education

• A public apology

• A speech delivered to an assembly of current students

• A wedding toast 

Storytelling  

• A mystery story

• A story about advocacy/allyship

• A story about money/greed

Order of topics will be announced at the General Meeting.

WFCA & WISDAA Rule Blending

Below includes but is not limited to how the WFCA and WISDAA rules are blended. 

1. Group Interpretive Reading and Play Acting will have 12 minute time limits.

2. One 4x6 note card will be permitted in Oratory. For other categories that allow notes, they will have no specific limits, formats, or dimensions.

3. Chairs, etc. MAY be used in Solo and Group Interp. Optional speaker’s / reader’s stand may be used in the categories involving scripts or notes.

4. Informative Speaking will be treated as Informative/Demonstration Speaking, allowing for either 1 or 2 speakers. 

For more information, see each associations’ rules: 

• WFCA Category Rules

• WISDAA Categories & Topics

• WISDAA Rules

Manager contact information

Johannah Erffmeyer
Email address: erffmeyerj@gmail.com
Phone number: 7155593180

Mailing address

2220 Fairfax St
Eau Claire, WI 54701