Dear Director of Debate:

We invite your top first and second year competitors to attend the 2021 First and Second Year National Championships hosted by Woodward Academy on March 19-21, 2021 using NSDA Campus.

Now in our 33rd year of hosting this tournament, we remain committed to providing high-quality judging, professional tabulation, and an enjoyable atmosphere that promotes competition and celebrates learning.

We will again offer the following events:

* First Year Policy Debate

* Second Year Policy Debate

* First Year Lincoln-Douglas Debate

* Second Year Lincoln-Douglas Debate

A first year debater is defined as a debater in their first year of high school debate competition. If they debated at a high school tournament prior to the current (2020-2021) season, they are no longer first year debaters.  A ninth grader with three years of high school debate is not eligible simply because they are in ninth grade.

A second year debater is defined as a debater in their second year of high school debate competition. If they debated at a high school tournament prior to the previous (2019-2020) season, they are not eligible for the second year division. A tenth grader in their third or fourth year of high school debate is not a second year debater.

We will strictly enforce these eligibility standards. A team entered in the wrong division will be removed from the tournament. Please see our eligibility page for specific questions and answers.

We require all students who enter the tournament to do so as an official school competition with the permission of the school they attend and supervised by the school's debate coach. All debaters must compete under their school's name.

In Policy, we will consider hybrids on a case by case basis with the approval of the principals of both schools involved. Mavericks will not be allowed to enter. If a team has a debater who needs to miss a round or cease competing mid-tournament, the decision to allow the partner to continue will be at the discretion of the tournament director. Both debaters must be present for all elimination rounds.

Other important details include:

* We will offer six preliminary rounds in all divisions.

* Schools will be initially limited to five entries in each division. If necessary, we will establish a waiting list for additional entry requests.

* The LD topic will be the January/February NSDA resolution Resolved: States ought to ban lethal autonomous weapons.)

* The Policy topic will be the NFHS resolution (Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing.)

* The first year policy division does not observe the Georgia Forensic Coaches' Association argument restrictions for novice divisions. 

* The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the 2020-21 NASSP List of Approved Contests, Programs, and Activities for Students.

If you have any questions, please email Maggie Berthiaume at maggiekb@gmail.com. 

Sincerely,

Maggie Berthiaume, Bill Batterman, and Brian Keith Jackson