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Invitation: 2017 Middle School Tournament @ Falmouth

Debate and Speech

Falmouth High School, Falmouth, Maine
June 2, 2016 3 p.m. to approximately 7 p.m.

Send pre-registration (simple tally of students and judges) to [email protected] to help with food ordering by the end of June 1.

Registration closes Wednesday, June 7 at 6 p.m.

Join the Maine Forensic Association for the 2017 Middle School Debate and Speech Tournament on Thursday, June 8 at Falmouth High School.

Contact and questions: Lyndsy Denk [email protected] 207-659-3017

Register on Tabroom.com (open soon).

Eligibility and entry fees

Any student enrolled in grades 6, 7, or 8 for the 2016-2017 academic year may compete.

Each student costs $5. All entries are due by 6 p.m. June 7.

We will send you home with an invoice. If you prefer, you can pay at the tournament.

Events

Speech

Double entry permitted. See the MFA Speech Handbook for event guidelines and rules.

  • Poetry Reading
  • Prose Reading
  • Oratorical Declamation
  • Duo Interpretation

Debate

Single entry only.

Topics

Lincoln-Douglas debate

Resolved: The people’s right to know ought to be valued above the government’s right to secrecy.

Public Forum debate

Resolved: Wikileaks is a threat to United States national security.

Judge requirements

To help the tournament run smoothly and fairly, schools must provide judges based on the ratios below. Judges are expected to be available for all rounds of competition. Fractional entries round up (i.e., three LD entries = 2 judges).

  • Lincoln-Douglas: One judge for every 2 entries
  • Public Forum: One judge for every 2 teams
  • Speech: One judge for every 5 entries

Finalize all judges Tabroom.com by 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 7. Describe judge conflicts (ex. parent, teacher, knows an individual, student in same district), restrictions, and experience in Tabroom. Email or text any complicated situations to the host.

Judge eligibility

High school speech and debate members are encouraged to judge! Those who belong to an NSDA-member school should report their judging to their coach to earn service points.

Coaches, parents, family, teachers, and community members. This is a great opportunity for high school teams to train judges for the next season.

Judges should bring…

  • Timer/stopwatch. Apps on mobile devices are appropriate as long as the device remains in airplane mode during rounds.
  • Pens

Drops

While we are not charging for drops, entry fees will be frozen (i.e. nonrefundable) Wednesday, June 7 at 8:00 p.m.

Food

A pizza party will follow rounds in the cafeteria. Students should not leave the school.

Snacks and pizza will be provided for judges, coaches, volunteers and bus drivers.

Those with dietary restrictions or preferences may not be accommodated and should bring their own food.

Awards

Tabulation of awards follows standards adopted by MFA.

Individual awards for first through third place in each category. Certificates for all participants.

Schedule

3:00–3:30 Entrant and judge check-in
3:35 Judges meeting in Judges’ Lounge
3:35 Student meeting in cafeteria
4:00 p.m. Rounds begin
6:00 p.m. Pizza party and awards

We look forward to seeing you on June 8.

Lyndsy Denk, Falmouth High School Speech and Debate
Joshua Denk, Falmouth High School Speech Debate
Jeremy Stein, Falmouth Middle School Speech and Debate