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PBMST #8
General information
This is a Middle School tournament in Florida. View manager contact information
Palm Beach Middle School Speech and Debate League Tournament #8 (PBMST #8) Invitation
COACHES - PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE INVITATION CAREFULLY!
Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Location: John I. Leonard
4701 10th Ave N,
Greenacres, FL 33463
Time: 3:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Deadlines:
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Wednesday, Apr. 1, 5:00 P.M. is the deadline for entering students.
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Friday, Apr. 3, 5:00 P.M. is the deadline for entering judges and meals.
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**You are REQUIRED to buy meals for all judges and coaches; the meal is included in the entry fee for students.**
Tournament Guidelines:
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No varsity member(s) may compete in a novice event. Novice students are defined as a student in his/her first year of debate. Varsity students are defined as having participated in at least one tournament in the past year. Violation of this bylaw shall be punishable by disqualification from the tournament and re-ranking of all affected competitors. If the problem is discovered after the results are announced the results will be recalculated, and any trophy or ribbon awarded to the violator must be returned to the PBMSS&DL for proper distribution.
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This tournament is open to all students from PBMSS&DL member schools.
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The following events will be offered: Congressional Debate (separate Novice and Varsity divisions), Declamation, Dramatic Performance, Duo Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Program Oral Interpretation, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, and Public Forum Debate
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There is an option to enter students as “observers.” Again, this is for STUDENTS-ONLY! No parents, coaches, or adults are allowed to observe rounds.
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The top six students in each event/division will receive awards
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No photography or videography of any kind can be used during rounds.
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Speech students may double enter. (There cannot be double-entered students in PF, LD, or Congress!
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Other than the judge in the round, no participants (except students competing in PF, LD, or Congress) or observers should be using an electronic device or computer. A phone may be used as a timer. Please remind your student observers to be respectful in the round!
*Due to the limitations of a 2-hour competition, we are limiting extemp entries to 2 per school. Based on the number of total entries, we may be able to admit waitlisted students AFTER the registration deadline.
Fees:
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The entry fee is $15 per student. This entry fee includes registration costs and dinner. Students who are double entered will pay for each entry separately.
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The entry fee is $7 for observers. This entry fee covers the cost of dinner.
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Schools are REQUIRED to buy meals for all judges and coaches at $7 per person.
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Students dropped after Wednesday, April 1, at 5:00 P.M. will lose the forfeit the cost of entry.
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Students dropped after Friday, April 3, at 5:00 P.M. will incur a $15 drop fee, in addition to forfeiting the cost of entry ($30 total).
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Students added or dropped the day of the tournament, Wednesday, April 8, will incur an additional $30 fee, in addition to the cost of entry ($45 total).
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Judges dropped on the day of the tournament for any reason will incur a $30 fee.
Meals:
The cost of dinner is included in the $15 entry fee for students and the $7 entry fee for “observers.” Schools are REQUIRED to buy meals for all judges and coaches at $7 per person. The meal will include pizza (cheese or pepperoni), chips, and water.
**You must enter your meals on SpeechWire under “Update your Meal Order” by Friday, April 3, 5:00 P.M.
Judge Information:
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Schools are required to provide a specific number of TRAINED judges based on their entries (judge quotas are listed below).
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Judges MUST provide a cell phone contact number on SpeechWire.
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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)).
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Included in the "Files for Download" section is the Judge Cheat Sheet, and guidelines for judging impromptu.
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Remind your judges that double-entered students are allowed to leave their competition room early to go to their other event.
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Only judges with an e-ballot are permitted to be in the competition rooms. Adults without e-ballots should stay in their designated waiting area.
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Judges who are not in the judge lounge by Round 1 Schematics will be dropped from the tournament, and potential fees will incur.
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Judges will not be added after the judge deadline has passed.
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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!
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Any high school sophomore, junior, or senior with 150 NSDA points is allowed to judge.
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Schools will be fined $50 for each missing judge and will be required to drop students until your school complies with the judge quotas.
**If there are any student or judge entry changes after the deadline, please email or text Emily Stegawski ASAP**
Judge Quotas:
Congress - 1 judge for every 5 entries, or fraction thereof
Lincoln Douglas - 1 judge for every 2 entries, or fraction thereof
Public Forum - 1 judge for every 2 entries, or fraction thereof
Speech - 1 judge for every 5 entries, or a fraction thereof
Topics:
Lincoln-Douglas Debate will use the Mar/Apr Topic: "Resolved: The United States military ought to abide by the principle of non-intervention."
Public Forum Debate will use the April Topic: “Resolved: The United States should eliminate the President’s authority to deploy military forces abroad without Congressional approval.”
Impromptu Topics:
Round 1- Brand Slogans
Round 2- Ocean Animals
Extemporaneous Speaking Topic Areas:
Round 1- Europe
Round 2- The Arctic
Congressional Debate:
Each school attending PBMST #8 may submit one (1) piece of legislation for the agenda. Legislation must follow the NSDA format and be emailed as a Microsoft Word attachment to Emily Stegawski (emily.stegawski@ahschool.com). Legislation that is not properly formatted, not submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment, or not received by the deadline will not be placed on the agenda. Bills are due by 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, and legislation will be released to schools by Wednesday, March 25, 2026. All submissions must be sent by the school’s head coach; student submissions will not be accepted.
Extemp Students should be in the prep room for Round 1 by 4:15 at the latest!! The Prep Room will be announced the day of the tournament.
Manager contact information Emily Stegawski
Email address: emily.stegawski@ahschool.com
Phone number: Please Email Mailing address 1540 S W 8TH STREET
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
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