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PBMST #1 - 2026
General information
This is a Middle School tournament in Florida. View manager contact information
Palm Beach Middle School Speech and Debate League Tournament #1
(PBMST #1) 2026 Invitation
COACHES - PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE INVITATION CAREFULLY!
Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Time: 3:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Location: FAU / A.D. Henderson
777 Glades Rd.
Boca Raton, FL 33431
*Please follow the directions linked below from A.D. Henderson's website to find the school. If you try to find the school using GPS, you will not be able to find the correct entrance to the parking lot. https://adhus.fau.edu/directions/
Deadlines:
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Wednesday, Sept. 9, 5:00 P.M. is the deadline for entering students.
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Friday, Sept. 11, 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.**
Only the Head Coach of a PBMSS&DL member school should contact PBMSS&DL officers. Students, Parents, and Judges must bring any questions or concerns to the Head Coach.
Tournament Guidelines:
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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 (separate Novice and Varsity divisions), Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Poetry, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Public Forum Debate, and Storytelling.
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There is an option to enter students as “observers.” Again, this is for STUDENTS-ONLY!
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The top six students in each event/division will receive awards
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Speech students may double enter.
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In Novice Congressional Debate, a high school Presiding Officer will be provided in each chamber for PBMST #1, PBMST #2, PBMST #3, and PBMST #4.
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The docket is set in Novice Congress chambers; the order of the docket must be voted on in the Varsity Congress chambers.
*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 shall be $15 per student. A student who is double-entered (when applicable) pays only one fee. This fee covers administrative and food costs for the tournament.
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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 Wed., Sept. 9 at 5:00 P.M. will forfeit their $15 entry fee.
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Students dropped after Fri, Sept. 11, 5:00 will incur a $15 drop fee, in addition to forfeiting the cost of entry ($30 total).
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Students dropped on the day of the tournament will incur an additional $15.00 fee ($45).
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Any student adds or changes to a student’s event entry made after the registration deadline will incur a $30 nuisance fee, if the change can be accommodated. This includes adding a new student or shifting a student from one event to another. Changes are not guaranteed after the deadline.
Meals:
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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.
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The meal will include pizza (cheese or pepperoni), chips, and water.
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*You must enter your meals on SpeechWire under “Update your Meal Order” by Friday, Sept. 11, 5:00 P.M.
Limited Prep Events:
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Students who are double-entered in Impromptu and Extemporaneous Speaking should report to Impromptu first and notify the judge that they are double-entered. They should be permitted to speak early in the round and then report directly to the Extemp Prep Room.
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Notecards are not allowed in Impromptu or Extemp. If notecards are used by a student, judges must rank the student last and give that student a speaker point of 90.
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No object may be used as a prop in Limited-Prep Events.
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Extemp Students should be in the prep room for Round 1 by 4:15 at the latest!! The Prep Room will be noted on SpeechWire by Monday, September 14.
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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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 use e-ballots on SpeechWire.
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Judges MUST bring a CHARGED laptop or tablet! No judging on a cell phone.
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Included in the "Files for Download" section are guidelines for judging each event and locating the NSDA Judge Resources.
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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 will not be added after the judge deadline has passed.
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Any high school sophomore, junior, or senior with 150 NSDA points is allowed to judge.
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Judge no-shows that result in a ballot reassignment will incur a $50 penalty. Additional penalties may apply for undisclosed (“hidden”) judge drops.
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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 the League President 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
*In SpeechWire, judges in Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas will be labeled as “Debate” judges and may be used in either event; thus, they are required to be trained in both events.*
Topics:
Lincoln-Douglas Debate will use the Sept/Oct Topic: "Resolved: Outer space colonization is a moral imperative.”
Public Forum Debate will use the Sept/Oct Topic: "Resolved: The United States federal government should enact a moratorium on hyperscale data center construction.”
Impromptu Topics:
Round 1: U.S. Presidents
Round 2: Famous Movie Quotes
Extemporaneous Speaking Topic Areas:
Round 1: Africa and the Middle East
Round 2: Domestic Politics
Congressional Debate legislation is posted under “Files for Download.”
Manager contact information Emily Stegawski
Email address: pbms.speechdebate@gmail.com
Phone number: Please Email Mailing address 1540 S W 8TH STREET
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
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