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Raytown Last Blast

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This is a High School tournament in Missouri.

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Raytown High School

LAST BLAST NOVICE INVITATIONAL 





November 5th, 2025

 

 

Dear Coaches:

 

 

The Raytown Speech and Debate team would like to cordially invite you and your squad to attend the Last Blast Novice Tournament at Raytown High School.

 

The tournament will be held on December 12 & 13, 2025. Raytown will be hosting the NOVICE division; Raytown South will host the Varsity division. Please contact Maureen Thomas (maureen.thomas@raytownschools.org) at Raytown South High School for information regarding the Varsity tournament.

 

Novice events include: 

Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Original Oratory, Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp, Duo Interp, Prose, Poetry, Storytelling, International and U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking, Informative and Student Congress.

 

Entry deadline will be Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 at 3PM through SpeechWire. ($8/entry)

Please register your entries through our SpeechWire website. 

 

Our SpeechWire website is Raytown Last Blast.

 

We are very excited to have you join us!

 

Sincerely, 

 

Beau Palen

Raytown High School

beau.palen@raytownschools.org

 

RHS NOVICE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, December 12th

 2:30pm Registration  

 3:00pm Extemp Draw 

 3:30pm Rd 1 of Speech & Session 1
Congressional Debate

 4:30pm Extemp Draw 

 5:00pm Rd 2 of Speech & Session 2
Congressional Debate

6:30pm Round 1 of Debate
8:00pm Round 2 of Debate
 

Saturday, December 13th

7:00am Registration
7:30am Extemp Draw

8:00am Semifinals of IEs

9:30am Round 3 of Debate

11:00am Rd 4 of Debate

12:30pm Extemp Draw

1:00pm Finals of IEs

2:30pm Quarterfinals of Debate

4:00pm Awards
ASAP Semifinals of Debate  

ASAP Finals of Debate

 

GENERAL TOURNAMENT INFO 

  1. Please do not arrive before 2:30pm on Friday. Buses can wait in the church parking lot across the street between 2:15 & 2:30. Parking on 61st St (South side) will be available to park on Friday.

  2. One coach needs to be available for contact throughout the competition and available to judge, if needed. 

  3. A student may only be entered in two I.E. Events and/or one debate event.

  4. Schools will be financially responsible for their entries after confirmation.

  5. Campus regulations prohibit smoking inside and outside on school grounds.

  6. MSHSAA rules of conduct will be enforced.

  7. Wifi will be made available to all competitors in debate, extemp, prose and poetry. We cannot guarantee wifi connections will work, or that power sources will be available for students using electronic devices. Students using electronic devices in classrooms may not unplug any electronic device in order to utilize an electrical outlet.

  8. We are using SpeechWire for registration, judges, and tabbing.

 

BELONGING AND INCLUSION 

  1. We will adhere to the NSDA Harassment and Discrimination Policy.

  2. We will offer a gender neutral bathroom on each floor. They are marked on our school map here. The doors will be marked with this sign, as well.

  3. If you have students/coaches who need accommodations such as elevator access, please contact Beau Palen by the entry deadline.

  4. All judges have been sent judge training information on the tournament in general, but also on issues relating to belonging and inclusion. You can access those materials here:

    1. NSDA Cultural Competency Training Handout

    2. NFHS Cultural Competence Course

    3. NSDA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources

  5. In addition, we provide a judge’s clinic the week of the tournament, during which we discuss issues related to belonging and inclusion. You can access those materials here.

DEBATE EVENT RULES

Policy Debate

  1. The resolution will be the NSDA/MSHSAA approved topic. Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.

  2. Time limits will be 8-3-5. Each team will be allowed a total of 8 minutes of prep time.

  3. Ties will be broken by looking at win-loss, opposition loss, opposition record, and cumulative speaker points.

  4. No maverick teams will be allowed.

  5. NCDA Novice Case limits apply.

  6. Being more than 10 minutes late to a round, through no fault of the tournament, may result in a forfeit.

Lincoln Douglas Debate

  1. The resolution will be the current NSDA/MSHSAA approved topic. Resolved: The United States ought to rewild substantial tracts of land.

  2. Time limits will be 6-3-7-3-4-6-3. Each debater will be allowed a total of 4 minutes of prep time.

  3. Ties will be broken by looking at win-loss, opposition loss, opposition record, and cumulative speaker points. 

  4. Being more than 10 minutes late to a round, through no fault of the tournament, may result in a forfeit.

 

Public Forum Debate 

  1. The resolution will be the current NSDA/MSHSAA approved topic. Resolved: The United States federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications.

  2. Time limits for Public Forum debate will be:  4-4-3-4-4-3-3-3-3-2-2. Each team will be allowed a total of 3 minutes of prep time.

  3. No maverick teams will be allowed.

  4. Sides will be determined by a coin flip at the start of each round.

  5. Ties will be broken by looking at win-loss, opposition loss, opposition record, and cumulative speaker points. 

  6. Being more than 10 minutes late to a round, through no fault of the tournament, may result in a forfeit.

 

INDIVIDUAL EVENT RULES

Dramatic/Humorous Interp: Selections must be taken from published literature (play, novel, short story).  NSDA guidelines will apply.  Selections should possess literary merit and be appropriate for a high school performance.  The performance, including introduction, must be memorized. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Duo Interp: Selections must be taken from published works including novels, short stories, plays, or poetry.  NSDA guidelines will apply.  The performance, including introduction, must be memorized. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Storytelling: Selections must come from published material. The memorized introduction may be given in a standing or seated position. The contestant shall narrate the story in a combination of his/her own words and original essential phrases, and from a seated position on a chair or stool. Time Limit: 8 minutes

Poetry/Prose: Sections must be taken from published literature. MSHSAA guidelines apply. Selections should possess literary merit and must be appropriate for a high school performance. The performances should include an introduction.All components must be verbally identified by title and author. Binders or folders must be used. Time Limit: 8 minutes

Original Oratory:  This persuasive speech must be the original work of the contestant.  Not more than 150 words may be in the form of a direct quotation.  The speech must be memorized.  Maximum of 10 minutes.

Informative: Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Not more than 150 words may be in the form of a direct quotation.  Informative speakers may use visual aids that comply with the NSDA informative speaking rules.. All topics must be informative in nature; the goal is to educate, not to advocate. The speech is delivered from memory. Time Limit: 10 minutes. 

Extemp Speaking:  Students will have 30 minutes to prepare a speech on a current event topic. After drawing, students may not consult with others. Only students entered in extemp will be allowed in draw. Time Limit: 7 Minutes.

Student Congress: A presiding officer will be elected. Tie-breaks will follow NSDA ranking rules. Congress Tiebreakers will be as follows: Cumulative rank, Recips, and Cumulative Speech Scores. We will use the November NSDA Congress Legislation packet which you can locate by clicking this link. There will not be a predetermined docket. We will have at least one Super Session during finals of IEs, but if judges allow, we may also have a Super Session during semifinals of IEs. We will make this known as we get closer to the tournament date.

 

ADVANCING & AWARDS

 

Individual Event Tiebreakers:

Sems:

  • Cumulative of rds 1 & 2

  • Judges preference

  • Reciprocals

  • Quality points

Finals: 

  • Cumulative ranks of the section

  • Judges’ preference

  • Reciprocals

  • Quality points 

Congress Tiebreakers:

  • Cumulative Ranks

  • Recips

  • Cumulative Speech Scores

Debate Tiebreakers:

  • Total Wins

  • Opposition Record

  • Speaks

 

 

Sweepstakes:

We will announce the top debate and IE schools, and award the overall top 3 schools.  

Best two entries count for sweepstakes.

Individual Events: Semifinals 5 pts

Finals 10 pts

Third Place 5pts

Second Place 10 pts

First Place 15 pts

Debate: Win: 5 pts

Quarterfinals 10 pts

Congress: Super Session 10 pts

Trophy points are the same as IE’s

Manager contact information

Beau Palen
Email address: beau.palen@raytownschools.org
Phone number: 4175764007

Mailing address

6019 Blue Ridge Blvd
Raytown, MO 64133

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