Titan Invitational

Dear Coaches and Squads,

I am excited to announce that the 2025 Titan Invitational will take place at Union High School on Saturday, December 13th, 2025.

Read below for details about the tournament. If you have any questions, please contact me at Mylei.Carlson@evergreenps.org

Dates and Registration:

Saturday, December 13th - All events!

Union High School

6201 NW Friberg-Strunk St.

Camas, WA 98607

Registration opens Monday, November 17th, and needs to be completed through Tabroom. Judges need to have an account through Tabroom and MUST have a device at the tournament. Registration for all events will close on Wednesday, December 10th, at 5 pm.

Events:

Students may enter ONE debate event (Congress, LD, or PUFO).

Debate does not conflict with IEs, and students may double-enter for speech events.

Debate:

Congress (WSFA FAll 2025 Packet)

Lincoln-Douglas: Resolved: The United States ought to rewild substantial tracts of land.

Public Forum: Resolved: The United States federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications.

Individual Events: We will offer 10 different individual events. Each event shall be offered in novice and open divisions. We will collapse events if need be, but will still give separate awards for open and novice. Washington State event rules shall be enforced (except for Oregon Radio, where we will follow Oregon rules). Event rules for state events are found at www.wiaa.com

Extemporaneous

Informational

Dramatic Interp

Dual Interp

Oregon Radio

Oratory

Humorous Interp

POI

Impromptu

Original Spoken Word

Fees:

$30.00 per school registration fee

$10.00 per individual event (including Congress and LD Debate)

$18.00 per team event (Duo Interp, Duo Impromptu, Public Forum Debate)

All fees are payable to Union High School Speech and Debate.

Registration fees are waived for schools within WIAA District IV.

Judges:

Each school is required to provide:

ONE judge for Student Congress (regardless of the size of your squad)

ONE judge for every TWO Lincoln Douglas or PUFO debate entries

ONE judge for every 5 individual event entries.

No student judges are allowed. The same judges can cover both debate AND IEs, but if they are doing so, they should expect to be quite busy.

Supervision:

The WIAA requires the presence, at all times, of a certificated staff member from the school or district supervising your participants. Your team cannot be allowed to compete if out of compliance.

Food:

At this time, we will not have food available on campus. Please plan to bring your own snacks and meals for your squad. There are options nearby, including Walmart, Costco, Starbucks, and a couple of other food options, but it’s still easiest to plan to be on campus all day.

Awards:

The top three finishers in each event will be recognized at both the Novice and Open levels. Depending on registration numbers, Novice and Open may be collapsed for competition but will be separated for awards.

Saturday Schedule

Individual Event Details:

Extemporaneous: 1. The Speaker has one-half hour to prepare one of three topics. The speaker should announce the topic choice as part of the introduction. 2. The time limit for this event is seven (7) minutes. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit. 3. TIME SIGNALS MUST BE GIVEN BY THE JUDGES. 4. We will be following NSDA rules for extemp. This means students may use the Internet in prep. Students should charge laptops ahead of time, though, because we cannot guarantee access to outlets.

Expository/Informative: 1. Expository speech is to describe, clarify, explain, and/or define an object, idea, concept, social institution, or process. 2. The speech must be the original work of the speaker. No more than one hundred fifty (150) words of quoted and/or paraphrased material may be included in the informative speech. This speech may not have been used in forensic competitions by the student prior to the current competitive season. 3. Responsibility for choosing a worthwhile topic rests with the contestant. The use of humor will not be penalized. No costumes are allowed. Any demonstration should enhance, not be the focus of, the information presented. 4. Speech must be delivered extemporaneously, with or without the use of notes. The contestant will not be penalized for using notes or visual aids unless they interfere with the ability to communicate with the audience. 5. The time limit for this event is ten (10) minutes. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit.

Dramatic Interpretation: 1. A serious program using material from ONE or more pieces (title) of prose, poetry, or drama (monologues permitted). The title and author must be identified. This program may not have been used in forensic competitions by the student prior to the current competitive season. 2. The presentation must be memorized. Props, makeup, and costumes are not permitted. The contestants should be evaluated on poise, quality, and use of voice, physical expression, and, especially, the ability to interpret characters correctly and consistently. This allows full body movement (bending, kneeling, turning, and minimal singing). 3. The time limit for this event is ten (10) minutes, which will include audience reaction time. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit.

Dual Interpretation: 1. A dual program using material from ONE or more selections of prose, poetry, or drama. The title(s) and author(s) must be identified. This program may not have been used in forensic competitions by the student prior to the current competitive season. Multiple characters are acceptable. 2. The presentation must be memorized. Props, makeup, and costumes are not permitted. The contestants should be evaluated on poise, quality, and use of voice, physical expression, and, especially, the ability to interpret characters correctly and consistently. This allows full body movement (bending, kneeling, turning, and minimal singing). 3. The two contestants will have off-stage focus. Interaction (eye contact) may occur during the introduction/transition. There will be no physical contact. 4. The time limit for this event is ten (10) minutes, which will include audience reaction time. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit.

Oratory: Although many orations deal with a current problem and propose a solution, you are expressly reminded that this is NOT the only acceptable form of oratory. The oration may simply alert the audience to a threatening danger, strengthen its devotion to an accepted cause, or eulogize a person. Give the orator free choice of subject and judge him/her solely on the effectiveness of its development and presentation. The composition should be considered carefully for its rhetoric and diction. The use of appropriate figures of speech, similes and metaphors, balanced sentences, allusions, and other rhetorical devices should be noted especially, as they enhance the effectiveness of the oration. The use of English should be more than correct; it should reveal a discriminating choice of words and altogether fine literary qualities. It should be specially adapted to oral presentation. Delivery should be judged for mastery of the mechanics of speech; poise, quality, and use of voice and bodily expressiveness; and for the qualities of directness and sincerity. 1. The presentation must be memorized. 2. The speech must be the original work of the speaker. No more than 150 words of quoted and/or paraphrased material may be included in the oration, and must be so designated in the manuscript. This speech may not have been used in forensic competitions by the student prior to the current competitive season. 3. A copy of the oration must be available from the student upon the judge's request. 4. The time limit for this event is ten (10) minutes. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit.

Oregon Radio: This is the only event where you sit down with your back to the judge, and are ranked last in the round if you go outside of a narrow time window. This is an event meant to emulate talk radio, where you find a topic about which you're passionate, and interpret or comment on news stories about that topic while providing some background information for the listener. It can be political, and often is, but it is also ripe for some creative topics. (Between 4 minutes 45 seconds & 5 minutes 15 seconds)

Humorous Interpretation: 1. A humorous program using material from only ONE or more pieces (title) of prose, poetry, or drama (monologue is permitted). The title and author must be identified. This program may not have been used in forensic competitions by the student prior to the current competitive season. 2. The presentation must be memorized. Props, makeup, and costumes are not permitted. The contestants should be evaluated on poise, quality, and use of voice, physical expression, and, especially, the ability to interpret characters correctly and consistently. This allows full body movement (bending, kneeling, turning, and minimal singing). 3. The time limit for this event is 10 (10) minutes, which will include audience reaction time. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit.

Program Oral Interpretation: POI is a program of oral interpretation of thematically linked selections chosen from two or three genres: prose, poetry, and drama (plays). • A primary focus of this event should be on the development of the theme or argument through the use of narrative, story, language, and/or characterization. • Competitors are encouraged to devote approximately equal time to each of the genres used in the program. At least two pieces of literature that represent at least two separate genres must be used. • The use of a manuscript is required. • Time Limit: 10 minutes max with a 30-second grace period. • Sources must meet all Association Interp rules for publication. An introduction should set the stage, enhancing the interpretation of the literature to the audience, and providing information and analysis of the chosen theme. • All selections must be verbally identified by title and author. However, where, when, and how these are accomplished are the speaker’s decisions. • The intact manuscript may be used by the contestant as a prop so long as it remains in the contestant’s control at all times. • No costumes or props other than the manuscript are permitted. • Adaptations may be used only for the purpose of transition. • In developing a creative, thematic program, attention should be given to the design and organization of a cohesive and carefully conceived whole by linking authors and ideas inherent in the literature. • There is an expectation to use at least two pieces of literature, each presenting a different genre, with approximately equal time devoted to each genre. This distinction pertains to these three genres as a whole, not types of literature within a genre, such as fiction/nonfiction. • The contestant must address the script; however, the introduction and transitional material may be memorized.

Impromptu: 1. A good impromptu speaker will discuss intelligently and with adequate speaking skills his/her chosen topic. Each contestant will have a different choice of topics. 2. The contestant has six (6) minutes to choose one of three topics, organize thoughts, and speak on the chosen topic. No notes may be prepared or used. The speaker must identify the chosen topic as part of the introduction. 3. Time limit: preparation and speaking time shall be a total of six (6) minutes. Contestants may use the time as they wish. If the speaker goes over a 30-second grace period, that contestant may not be awarded first place in the round. No minimum time limit. 4. Time signals must be given by the judge: oral signals at 30-second intervals for preparation time and hand signals for the remaining minutes.

Original Spoken Word Poetry: Original Spoken Word Poetry is poetry written for performance to express ideas, experiences, or emotions through the creative arrangement of words according to their sound, their rhythm, and their meaning. The maximum time limit is 5 minutes with a 30-second grace period. The delivery must be memorized, and no book or script may be used. No more than 150 words of the original poetry may be direct quotations from any other speech or writing, and such quotations must be identified in a printed copy of the speech. An introduction is permitted, but not required. A successful performer will craft a piece that elicits critical thought, reflection, or emotion. As opposed to traditional Poetry, Spoken Word Poetry is created to be performed aloud and may feature rhythmic flow, vivid imagery, wordplay, gestures, lyrical elements, and repetition. Spoken Word is special because it allows the performer to pull from generations of oral tradition and performance. Spoken Word combines elements of rap, hip-hop, storytelling, rhyme, repetition, improvisation, and wordplay. It allows the performer the liberty to tell their story creatively. Spoken Word can be about any topic the performer wishes to speak about, and it often highlights issues that directly affect the performer, like social justice, race, politics, community, inequality, gender, identity, or mental health. At its core, it’s all about the heart, the emotions, and the opinions of the performer.

Debate Details:

WIAA Rules of Evidence in Debate will be enforced.

LD will be debating the November/December Topics released by the NSDA: Resolved: The U.S. ought to rewild substantial tracts of land. (We do not run the special novice LD topic.)

PuFo will be debating the November/December Topics released by the NSDA: Resolved: The U.S. federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications.

Congressional Debate will be debating legislation from the WSFA Fall 2025 Legislation Packet. ALL of the legislation in the packet (including novice and Super Congress legislation) is eligible for regular debate. If you need a copy of the packet, we are happy to forward one to you.

In accordance with District IV tradition, the docket will be set by starting with the school furthest away from Union High School and then progressing to the next closest school. Each school will be allowed to select one bill to be debated. If the author of a piece of legislation is in the chamber, only that school may sponsor that legislation. Otherwise, any contestant may sponsor any piece of legislation in the packet. We will follow the recommendation of the WSFA committee and create a randomized list of precedence to determine the initial speaking order.