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We Didn't Start the Fire

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General information

This is a High School tournament in Colorado.

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Welcome to the second Overland High School 'We Didn't Start the Fire' Speech & Debate Tournament!

Events: We are offering three rounds and finals in the following events: JV/Varsity Policy, Congress, Dramatic Interpretation, DUO Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Informative Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Improvisational Pairs, International Extemp, LD, Original Oratory, Poetry Reading, POI, PF, US Extemp, and Original Spoken Word.

Rules:

· Each school (administration, teachers, and/or coaches) is responsible for ensuring they have proper parental permission for students to participate and to use the designated competition platforms.

· A responsible coach must be available ON-SITE and VIA CELL at all times.

· Competition is open to 9-12 grade students representing the school in which they are officially enrolled and doing so with the permission of their school administration and/or coaches.

· We will use CHSAA rules in all events, except Congressional Debate and Original Spoken Word. We will use NSDA rules in these events.

       - To review CHSAA rules, go to https://chsaanow.com/documents/2023/12/11//2023_24_Speech_Debate_Tournament_Handbook_N5_.pdf?id=2056

        - To review NSDA Congressional Debate rules, go to https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/IntrotoPFandCongress_Bookblock.pdf

· We will use the NSDA cross-examination format in the final rounds of National and International Extemporaneous Speaking.

· All competitors and judges must have a Speechwire account to log in.

       - Ben at Speechwire has provided video resources to explain the creation of student accounts, judging online, viewing ballots and competing online. Please check them out. https://www.speechwire.com/p-video-resources.php

Doubling Rules:

  • CX, JVCX, PF, and LD Debaters may not double-enter.
  • Congressional Debate students may not double-enter.
  • Students in events may double-enter in two events. Students are responsible for making it to their rounds. Students must pay attention to the schedule because we may not be using a full wave system- some events will occur in the same time period.
  • Students can only enter one Extemp event.
  • Extempers that double-enter risk losing part of their prep time.

JV/Varsity CX Rules:

·      Varsity CX Debate is open to all debate teams.

·      JV CX Debate is limited to freshman and sophomore debaters or students in their first year of competition.

·      In JV CX Debate, no kritiks or counterplans are allowed.

·      In JV CX Debate, we will employ the NFHS Novice case limits, meaning that all teams should limit themselves to these case areas:

  • Patents: Emerging Technologies
  • Patents: Green Technology
  • Copyrights: Protect the Creative Arts
  • Trademarks: Trademark Trolls

Debate Resolutions: We will use the 2024-25 NSDA CX topic (domestic intellectual property rights), the November/December NSDA LD topic, and the December NSDA PF topic.

Extemp/Impromptu/Improvisational Pairs Topics:

USX

ROUND 1: Technology
ROUND 2: Education
ROUND 3: Economy
FINALS: Trump’s Cabinet
 
IX
ROUND 1: Africa
ROUND 2: Asia
ROUND 3: South America
FINALS: World Leaders
 
EXTEMP WILL DRAW AND PREPARE IN THE LIBRARY
 
Impromptu
 
Students will draw 3 topics and choose one. They will have 5 minutes to prepare a 3-5 minute speech. Complete rules and instructions can be found on the ballot posted on Speechwire and used during the tournament.
 
ROUND 1: Pixar Movie Quotes
ROUND 2: Quotes from Human Rights Activists
ROUND 3: Fortune Cookies (served as actual fortune cookies!)
FINALS: On Winter
 
IMPROMPTU WILL DRAW IN-ROOM AND PREPARE OUT OF ROOM
 
Improvisational Pairs
 
Students will draw 3 topics and choose one.  They will have 10 minutes to prepare a performance that is a maximum of 7 minutes with a 30-second grace period. Complete rules and instructions can be found on the ballot posted on Speechwire and used during the tournament.
 
ROUND 1: First day on the job with no training
ROUND 2: Strange Business Proposals
ROUND 3: Bad Retellings of Famous Movies
FINALS: Musicals that Will Never Make it to Broadway
 
​IMPROV PAIRS WILL DRAW AND PREPARE IN THE LIBRARY
 

Entries: A maximum of four (4) entries will be allowed in each event, except Congress, which will be limited to ten (10) entries per school. Additional entries may be placed on the waitlist and we will accommodate those entries if space is available.

Registration: All registration will occur at www.speechwire.com. Registration will close on Tuesday, December 3. Registrations are handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fees and Payment: The entry fee will be 8.00 per student in events and $6.00 per student in Congress, based upon the pre-registration numbers on Tuesday, December 3. Changes in pre-registration will be reflected in the final entry fees if made via the web site by December 3. After that time, net increases in entries will result in increases in final entry fees, while net decreases in entries will not reduce your final entry fees. Dropping entries after December 4 will also result in a drop fee.

·      Please make checks payable to OHS Speech and Debate Team. Please mail payment to Cayley Olsen, 12400 E Jewell Ave, Aurora, CO 80012

·      If you would like to pay by credit card, please go to https://cherrycreek.revtrak.net/high-schools/ohs/ohs-additional-items-and-club-fees/#/v/ohs-speech-and-debate-tournament-entry-fee

Mission, Vision, Inclusion, Harassment, and Discrimination:

CCSD Mission - To inspire every student to think, to learn, to achieve, to care
 
National Speech & Debate Association Harassment and Discrimination Policy - The National Speech & Debate Association is committed to providing its participants, judges, coaches, and staff the opportunity to pursue excellence in their endeavors. This opportunity can exist only when each member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect. The NSDA prohibits all forms of harassment and discrimination. Accordingly, all forms of harassment and discrimination, whether written or oral, based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by any applicable federal, state, or local law are prohibited, whether committed by participants, judges, coaches, or observers. Individuals who are found to have violated this policy will be subject to the full range of sanctions, up to and including removal from the tournament premises.

Registration and Schedule:  Check-in will be held from 7:00 am-7:30 am. All schools must check-in by 7:30 am. Rounds will begin promptly at 8:00 am. Awards are scheduled for 7:00pm.

Awards: We will be awarding trophies or medals to all finalists.

Congressional Debate: The docket will be posted at www.speechwire.com. The docket will be finalized and released on November 18!

Judging:  Each school is responsible for providing judges to cover their entries. Judges must be available for the three preliminary rounds and the final round. One judge must be provided for every two debaters. One judge must be provided for every 6 events entries. Judges must be entered in Speechwire by Thursday, December 5. Judges are responsible for checking for ballots at the appropriate times. Judge fees will be imposed for missing judges and for judges who miss ballots.

Site:  The tournament is being held at Overland High School: 12400 E Jewell Ave, Aurora, CO 80012

Questions and Concerns: Please feel free to contact Emily Barrette at Overland High School, 720-345-8885 (cell), ebarrette@cherrycreekschools.org

We are incredibly excited to host this tournament, and we look forward to celebrating you and your students' hard work!
 
Thank you!

Manager contact information

Emily Barrette
Email address: ebarrette@cherrycreekschools.org
Phone number: 7203458885

Mailing address

12400 E Jewell Ave
Aurora, CO 80012

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