NJSDL January Online Speech Festival

2026 — Online / NSDA Campus, NJ/US

Impromptu Speaking (HS)

Abbreviation IMP-HS
Format Speech
Entry Fee $20.00
Entry 1 competitors per entry

Event Description:

Time is 7 minutes total, with a 30 second grace period.

Impromptu is a public speaking event where students have seven (7) minutes to select a topic, brainstorm their ideas, outline and deliver a speech. The speech is given without notes and uses an introduction, body, and conclusion. The speech can be light-hearted or serious. It can be based upon prompts that range from nursery rhymes, current events, celebrities, organizations, and more.Impromptu is a public speaking event that tests a student’s ability to analyze a prompt, process his or her thoughts, organize the points of the speech, and deliver them in a clear, coherent manner. Students’ logic is extremely important. They must be able to take an abstract idea, such as a fortune from a fortune cookie, and put together a speech that has a thesis and supporting information.

Judges should leave and save comments for each individual separately. Please make sure to leave something. You should enter your decision first and then you can update or put in comments later if needed or type as you go.

At least one round of prompts will be related to the tournament theme of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Logo
Contacts
Gary D Yablon
General
Invitation Home Email Archive Events & Divisions Institutions In Attendance
Events
Congressional Debate (HS) Congressional Debate (MS)
Declamation (HS) Declamation (MS) Dramatic Interpretation (HS) Dramatic Interpretation (MS) Duo Interpretation (HS) Duo Interpretation (MS) Extemporaneous Speaking (HS-Only) Humorous Interpretation (HS) Humorous Interpretation (MS) Impromptu Speaking (HS) Impromptu Speaking (MS) Informative Speaking (HS) Informative Speaking (MS) Original Oratory (HS) Original Oratory (MS) Original Spoken Word Poetry (HS) Original Spoken Word Poetry (MS) Poetry Interpretation (HS) Poetry Interpretation (MS) Program Oral Interpretation (HS) Program Oral Interpretation (MS) Prose Interpretation (HS) Prose Interpretation (MS) Storytelling (HS) Storytelling (MS)
Circuits
Middle School – Middle School NatCir – National Circuit (US HS) NJFL – New Jersey Speech & Debate League

Dates & Deadlines

 EST
Tournament Dates Jan 31 to Jan 31 2026
Registration Opens Mon Dec 8 at 7:00 PM
Registration Closes Tue Jan 27 at 11:55 PM
Fees Freeze After Tue Jan 27 at 11:55 PM
Judge Information Due Tue Jan 27 at 11:55 PM
Drop online until Sat Jan 31 at 7:00 AM
Change fees apply after Tue Jan 27 at 11:55 PM

These deadlines are set in Tabroom for technical purposes. Always consult the invitation or tournament notices for official policies about deadlines and procedures.