Rich Mountain Speech + Debate Festival

January 21^st, 2017

Dear Coaches, Parents, and Students,

You are cordially invited to attend the first speech and debate tournament hosted by the newly formed Elkins High School Speech & Debate Team on January 21^st, 2017 at Elkins High School. This tournament is designed specifically for individuals and teams who are new to speech and debate. It is intended to be a fun and engaging event that will spark interest in students and further the development of emerging speech and debate teams in the highlands of West Virginia.  

To achieve these goals, we will break with the traditional tournament paradigm by offering more low preparation events and by also running non-traditional events. We want students to walk away from this tournament excited and ready to start or grow teams at their own schools. It is our intention that any student who has a basic understanding of the rules of an event will be able to complete and succeed in our tournament.

We will offer the following debate events: 

Parliamentary Debate (CFA Rules)

Extemporaneous Debate (NSDA Rules)

Big Questions Debate (NSDA Rules)

We will offer the following individual events:

Impromptu Speaking (NSDA Rules)

Extemporaneous Speaking (NSDA Rules)

Improvisation Pairs (CFA Rules) 

Slam Poetry

Liars Contest (WV Culture Rules) 

Persuasive Speaking (NSDA Rules)

Students can elect to enter as many forms of debate as desired, but cannot be entered in both Big Questions Debate and an individual event. Students may enter a maximum of two individual events.

Entries are $10 per event. Entry fees will be waived for students from Webster, Randolph, Pocahontas, Pendleton, Tucker, Barbour, Upshur, Grant, and Hardy Counties.  

It is my hope that this the first step in growing speech and debate in this part of the state. Attached in this packet is a tentative schedule of events, rules for all events, and instructions on how to enter using tabroom.com.

Best,

Andrew Carroll

English Teacher ||Head Speech & Debate Coach
Elkins High School || andrew.carroll@k12.wv.us