September 15, 2025

Dear Coach:

You and your team are cordially invited to the Paola Debate Invitational on Saturday, October 4, 2025. The tournament will offer Novice (NDCA packet restricted), JV and Open Divisions. JV and Open may be collapsed at the director’s discretion. Novice is for first year debaters only. JV is for first and second year debaters only. Open is available to anyone, with encouragement for schools to place 3rd and 4th year debaters in open.

The tournament will hold 5 rounds. Rounds 1 and 2 are preset. Rounds 3 through 5 are power matched. An in-person awards assembly will be held in the theatre at the conclusion of Round 5. There is a 45 minute lunch break after Round 3. Concessions will be available for purchase on site, or you can buy Blasts and Limeades from Sonic across the street. Pizza can also be delivered from three different places depending on your crust preference.

Entries are $5 per team. Schools are not required to bring judges. Third and fourth year debaters are welcome as novice only judges. All KSHSAA rules will apply. Internet access will be provided, but ballots will be primarily on paper. Internet access, like real estate listings, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. If it breaks, we are at the mercy of the IT professionals.

The tournament will offer rounds on the 2025-26 NFHS Policy Debate Topic. Shenanigans of any kind will be handled at the tournament director’s discretion in the least complicated way possible. Show up, debate and be kind :)

The tournament will waitlist all entries. Schools are guaranteed 6 entries across all divisions with a maximum of 4 in any one division. Extras may be granted at the tournament director’s discretion based on availability. The tournament cap is 70 total teams. Sweepstakes will be awarded to the top 3 schools with teams entered in at least 2 of the 3 divisions, based on the performance of your top 4 teams. Medals will be awarded in all 3 divisions to the top 8 teams in each division.

Hope to see you in Paola,

Kelley Johnson
Paola HS Debate

kelley_johnson@usd368.org