Limited Prep Topics

Extemporaneous Speaking, Topic Area: US Strategic Stability

-- Should the United States expand Arctic defense infrastructure at Thule and other northern installations to counter rising Russian military activity?

-- Can the United States play a productive role in Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations without undermining Ukraine’s long-term security?

-- Will slowing inflation and strong labor markets be enough to sustain U.S. economic growth through 2026?

Impromptu Speaking, Topic Area: Holiday Villains

-- Ebenezer Scrooge – A Product of Trauma or the Architect of His Own Misery?

-- Krampus – Protector of Tradition or Excessively Punitive Myth?

-- The Grinch – Isolated and Alone or Rightfully Frustrated?

Commentary, Topic Area: Stranger Things

-- Where are the Parents in Hawkins — Are the Kids Growing Up Too Fast, or Are the Adults Dropping the Ball?

-- When Adults Play Kids in Pop Culture— Does Nostalgia Get Stronger or Stranger When the “Teens” Aren’t Teens at All?

-- Monsters of the Mind — Are the Real Villains Demogorgons or the Fears We Create Ourselves?