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Welcome to Marvin Ridge High School's 1st Spring Scrimmage Invitational "The Burtis Bash." We are designing this to be a wonderful opportunity in the time in-between states and nationals for students and parents to have an opportunity to work with the supplemental events, as well as the Big Questions category of debate.

This scrimmage will take place on Saturday, April 25th 2026 at Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw, NC. We are sending out emails to our neighbor schools to specifically invite them to participate in, and help run this event. We will be offering a judge lounge, as well as concession food for purchase in the cafeteria.

We have described it as an invitational, as we do not have the room capacity this day for a large tournament, but want to involve 5-6 schools, as well as Middle School programs, to start broadening our ability to host.

We will begin the program at 8:30am with a judge meeting in the media center, then at 8:45am with an opening in the cafeteria for students.

Our first round will be pre-paired, as our goal will be to use this as a demo/teaching round in each of the events, utilizing varsity members as the performers/debaters. Our parent judges, seasoned & new, can divide out to one of the demos to learn what our coaches and judges look for in the event, and work to give good feedback.

Then, we will have 3 regular rounds in each event, both a novice and a varsity category.

We are offering a Middle School category for Expository, however, middle schoolers have the option to participate in any events if desired.

Competitors are allowed to double enter in one event from Pattern A and one from Pattern B.

Pattern A:

Prose - N,V

Extemp Commentary - N,V (No Impromptu)

Expository - MS,N,V

Pattern B:

Poetry - N,V (This includes Original Spoken Word Poetry)

Storytelling - N,V

No double entries:

Big Questions - N,V

Extemp Debate - N,V

[Note: Depending on number of entries, we may further combine events/levels.]

This will be a very cordial and fun way to work together, challenge each other, and enjoy each others' events.

(Rounds will be open for spectating)

Please contact us if you have any questions or have a small group that would like to be considered for an invitation.

Sincerely,

Jason Burtis

Head Coach - Marvin Ridge High School Speech & Debate

843-333-9996

jasace87@gmail.com

jason.burtis@ucps.k12.nc.us

Jackson Willis

President - Marvin Ridge High School Speech & Debate