National Tournament
The National Speech & Debate Tournament marks the capstone of high school speech and debate activities for nearly 130,000 students around the country. To attend, students must place among the top competitors at one of 110 District Tournaments. Qualifiers compete for more than $200,000 in college scholarships in a variety of speech, debate, and performance events. The National Tournament moves to a different city each year. Final rounds are judged by blue ribbon panels including CEOs, former Cabinet members, stage and screen celebrities, sponsors, and acclaimed community members.
The Middle School National Speech & Debate Tournament is the largest middle school speech and debate contest in the country. This grand, open invitational tournament draws hundreds of students every year from across the country and around the world. The competition is thrilling, but the true benefit is the experience: the chance to see various styles of performance and hear diverse perspectives from students from across the nation.