Belton JV 1st and 2nd Years

2025 — Belton, MO/US

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Policy Debate

Event Description:

Event: Policy Debate
Welcome to Policy Debate! This event will be governed by the rules and procedures of the MSHSAA 2025-2026 Speech & Debate Manual.

Debate Topic
We will use the official 2025-2026 NFHS topic:

Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.

Novice Division Case Limits
For the novice division, the following case list rules will be strictly enforced:

In rounds where both teams consist of second-year debaters, there will be no case limits.

In any round where at least one debater is a first-year competitor, the novice case limits will be enforced.

Format and Speech Times
Policy Debate is a two-person team event. The speech times are as follows:

Constructive Speeches: 8 minutes

Cross-Examination: 3 minutes

Rebuttal Speeches: 5 minutes

Preparation Time: 8 minutes per team

Rules and Guidelines

General Rules: All rounds will adhere to the event regulations found in Section 6 of the MSHSAA manual.

Electronic Devices: Laptops and internet use are permitted for research and flowing, in line with MSHSAA guidelines. Competitors may not receive outside assistance from non-competitors during a round.

Evidence Ethics: Speeches must be the original work of the competitor. Generative AI should not be cited as a source or used to write speech content.