1. Speech and Debate Team

2. What is Speech and Debate?
Speech and Debate is a combination of several events that involve public speaking, writing, listening, researching, acting, and interpreting skills, just to name a few.
This is a competition event: We compete regularly (typically twice a month) against schools from all across South Texas.
All events are split into two categories: Debate and Speech (Individual) events.

3. What is Speech and Debate?
Speech Events
Debate Events
Poetry
Prose
Dramatic Interpretation
Humorous Interpretation
Duet Interpretation
Duo Interpretation
Original Oratory
Impromptu
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Public Forum Debate
Policy Debate
Student Congress
Domestic Extemporaneous
Foreign Extemporaneous

4. Tournaments
We compete about twice a month. Tournaments take place at high schools around the Houston area.
Our current schedule is as follows:
Jan — Lamar HS OR
Oct — Bellaire HS
Jan — George Ranch HS
Oct — Lamar Consolidated HS
Feb. 6-7 — Seven Lakes HS
Nov — Katy Taylor HS*
Mar. 5-8 — TFA State Tournament
Nov — Cypress Creek HS
Mar — UIL District Tournament
Dec. 5-6 — Alief Taylor HS°
TBD — National Qualifier Tournament
Jan —Mayde Creek HS

5. Tournaments
Concessions will be offered at tournaments. Don’t expect 5-star meals; pizza is the norm.
You will need to bring money to tournaments (unless you don’t want to eat)!
$5-10 should be enough for Friday
On Saturday, we typically go to Whataburger for breakfast if time permits, and sometimes we go to lunch and/or dinner. We recommend anywhere from $10- $25
If you don’t want to bring money, you can always bring your own food.

6. Rides
Buses are provided to and from most tournaments, but you are responsible for getting to the bus on time and arranging a ride home.
We typically leave school during 7th period on Friday and return home anywhere from 10 pm to midnight.
We return to school anywhere from 6 am to 7 am on Saturday.
Tournaments typically end around 9 on Saturday depending on how well we do. We should be home before 10:30 on most Saturdays.
Don’t forget to tell your parents to pick you up!

7. Competing
In tournaments, you will compete in several rounds of whatever event you are participating in. After a set number of preliminary rounds, you might “break”, or advance to elimination rounds, depending on how well you have done in your preliminary rounds.
Elimination rounds continue until the finals, and all members will stay at tournaments until all members are done competing.
If you miss any round resulting in a drop fee, you will be responsible for paying the fee.
If there are any outstanding circumstances for which a student needs to miss a round or leave the tournament early, Mrs. Owens needs to know ASAP.

8. Meetings
Meetings will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:40 to 3:45 at the earliest. We typically practice until 4:00 or later.
Meetings are mandatory. If you are unable to come to any meeting, we must have a 2+ day warning.
Meetings are very important. They are where we will deliver any important information, write cases, find pieces, and get ready for competition. Thus, it is vital that you are at all meetings. (They’re also a lot of fun, and we don’t want anyone to miss out )

9. Cases / Pieces
You will be responsible for writing your own cases, finding your own pieces, and doing your own research.
We will help you, but you must do your most of your own work.
NO PLAGIARISM! We know what it looks like, and it is considered cheating. If we catch you with a plagiarized case, there will be serious repercussions!
Cases must be submitted to Jeremy by the second Wednesday of every month. Pieces will be submitted to Tyler by the same date (even if your piece hasn’t changed!).
All pieces must be published in a book or article. Otherwise, they will not be allowed in competition.

10. Dues Sadly, this all costs money (as most good things do).
Dues will be $125 for the first semester
Students will be allowed to compete in the first two tournaments. After they compete, they must decide whether or not they will stay on the team. If so, they must pay their dues by Thursday, November 13th. If not, they must pay the tournament fees they incurred before they can leave the team.
Checks can be made payable to Ridge Point Activities Fund.
Please speak to Mrs. Owens if there are any issues that prevent you from paying your dues.

11. Dress Code
Boys must wear a shirt, tie, black slacks, a belt, dress shoes, and preferably a black jacket.
Girls have a few options:
A black pantsuit with an appropriate blouse
A business-formal black dress, or a colored dress with a black blazer
A colored blouse with a black skirt of appropriate length
Tennis shoes, jeans, T-shirts, overly tight or short dresses, stilettos, and ankle socks will not be permitted during competition.
You can change into anything you like after you are done competing so long as it’s school appropriate.

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15. www.pantherdebate.weebly.com communication
A majority of our resources will be placed on our website. Please visit us!
This PowerPoint will be available on our website so you can view it again.

16. @rpdebate 903-206-4297 Communication Please text to
We will also text you from Remind101
Please text
@rpdebate to

17. Thank you! One last thing…
Please go to our website (See! We told you that you would need it!)
Print out the Honor Code
You can find it on the Parents page
Please read it, have your parent sign it, and sign it yourself
We need it back Thursday, October 2nd!
Thank you!

18. Welcome to the Ridge Point
Speech and Debate Team!