November 20, 2020

Students, teachers, coaches, and parents,

Greetings, and Welcome to the 2021 Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Debate Series NorthEast Regional Qualifier.

The GCDS is a unique debate experience. It stresses the person-to-person communication skills that earned Ronald Reagan the title of The Great Communicator. The skill of being able to debate important issues civilly, with storytelling, personality, and wit is a skill described by our National Finalists as “real life, where people have to be able to understand you and your position.”  It is also the only debate scholarship tournament where all National Finalists receive an all-expense-paid trip for themselves and their chosen adult to Simi Valley, CA,  and are guaranteed a minimum of $1,500 in college scholarships at the National Finals.* A total of $50,000** will be awarded at the National Finals, running from July 22-25, 2021, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.**

Debates for the Online Qualifier will be occur on HopIn.com, a free-to-you live internet platform in which debaters and their judges will be placed into virtual rooms for the duration of each round, and Tabroom.com for scheduling and tabulation. A link for HopIn will be sent to those registered and paid via Tabroom.com prior to each Regional competition.

Tabulation and scheduling will be online through Tabroom.com, which is also free-to-you. Each student must be attached to a “school” account in tabroom, whether they are competing as part of a school entry or competing independently. Each student’s adult scorer/judge must be listed with that student as their “school coach” who will judge. Groups of students entering will need one adult scorer/judge for every two entries. If you are new to Tabroom.com, please reach out to me for assistance in setting up your account and getting you registered.

Best regards,

Christine M. Adams

Program Coordinator, Debate

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute

*Due to COVID-19, scholarships have been reduced by 50% until further notice

** 2021 National Finals may again be held online if pandemic conditions warrant