Hello Friend,

The National Speech & Debate Tournament is almost here! 🌽🏆 Are you able to make it to Iowa? If not, we have you covered. Watch all of the final rounds and the Awards Assembly on Thursday, June 20 and Friday, June 21 via our National Tournament livestream presented by the Institute for Speech and Debate.

Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram for daily updates, behind-the-scenes, and more.

Upcoming Webinars

Discover the transformative impact of K.M. DiColandrea (DiCo), an acclaimed educator and speech and debate coach. Join our Q&A to explore their NYC public school coaching, co-founding the Brooklyn Debate League, and raising $1.3 million with the help of Humans of New York.

Are you or someone you know applying for college this fall? Whether you’re navigating the application process yourself or supporting a friend or family member, join Anthony Berryhill, PMP, MBA, M.Phil., for insights on leveraging speech and debate skills to stand out in college admissions.

Dino Coons, a former speech and debate competitor turned VFX editor, now documentarian, shares about his journey, inspirations, and what he’s currently working on.

After wrapping up his work on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Dino is now directing “Our Next Speaker,” a heartfelt documentary series that explores the vibrant speech and debate community in Portland, Oregon.

Discover how his formative experiences in speech and debate shaped his career and why he’s passionate about bringing this project to life. 

Thank You for Volunteering!

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to judge our Springboard Series this year! You are the reason over 6,000 students had the opportunity to compete in 24 free Springboard Scrimmages. If you are interested in being a volunteer judge for the 2024-2025 school year, let us know by leaving your name and email address in this form.

Contribute to Rostrum Magazine

Rostrum is seeking submissions from our alumni community for publication in upcoming issues. As a platform for news, scholarly articles, and national updates, Rostrum offers a unique opportunity to engage with fellow alumni, inspire current students, and contribute to the ongoing narrative of the speech and debate community! Submit an article today »

Join Us in Celebrating 100 Years

Our Centennial Celebration officially kicks off this month! Share your speech and debate story and we’ll pin your high school on our interactive map. Use the map to rekindle old friendships and build new connections within our community. Already shared your story? Find it on the map!

Stroll Down Memory Lane

Do you wish you could relive your time at the National Tournament? Did you know we have archives of National Tournament final round performances and Tournament Books? Find your performance or your name and relive your glory days, every day! 🏆

Plan For Your Future

We’re excited to introduce a valuable resource for our alumni community, FreeWill. This easy-to-use tool provides a complimentary way for you to plan for your future while also reflecting on the values you hold dear, such as the critical thinking and public speaking skills you honed through speech and debate. 

FreeWill allows you to securely set up a will, free of charge, so you can ensure your legacy continues. Find out how simple it is to have peace of mind for your future today.

Our Contact Information

National Speech & Debate Association

6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270
West Des Moines, IA 50266

920-748-6206

speechanddebate.org

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Hello Friend,

This year, we are celebrating the National Speech & Debate Association‘s 100th birthday! 🥳 It is not just 100 years of speech and debate, it is also 100 years of impact and community. We have heard from thousands of alumni stories that there is nothing quite like being a part of forensics:

If You Missed It…

Discover the transformative impact of K.M. DiColandrea (DiCo), an acclaimed educator and speech and debate coach. Playback our conversation that explored their NYC public school coaching, co-founding of the Brooklyn Debate League, and raising $1.3 million with the help of Humans of New York.

Jonathan Conyers, author of “I Wasn’t Supposed to be Here” answered all of our burning questions last week! If you weren’t able to join, you can catch up on all you missed—from his stories of past debates to his work now, along with his plans for the future of the speech and debate community in Brooklyn.

Upcoming Webinar

We had such an overwhelming response to last year’s coaching webinar that we decided to host another one! Our Coaching the Next Generation webinar is Wednesday, October 2, at 6:00 p.m. CT. Anyone interested in pursuing coaching is welcome. Join NSDA’s Director of Membership, Annie Reisener, in conversation with three NSDA member coaches, Angelica Mercado-Ford, Reggie Chapman, and Xavier Liu about their experiences, best advice, and more!

Logan Myles Stacer is a writer, actor, director, and the Executive Artistic Director of Heartland Arts KC, a nonprofit that trains artists to be socially engaged. 

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Logan earned his MA in Arts Politics from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with training in hip-hop theatre, sketch comedy, and social practice. Logan was named to the 2024 class of “The Creatives” by the We Are Family Foundation, honoring 25 artists/ collectives around the world using their work to address systemic injustice.

Discover how his formative experiences in speech and debate shaped his career and his best advice if you are also looking to create community outside of competition.

Be a Volunteer Judge

Be like Taelynn and support our growing community by judging! Our virtual Springboard Series offers young speech and debaters the opportunity to practice and learn essential life skills—for free! This is only possible with the help of experienced and talented volunteer judges.

Career Opportunities and Resources

Whether you are newly graduated and looking for your first job or are looking to switch careers—don’t work harder, work smarter by using the following resources:

• Our partner, the NFHS, has built careers pages to help bridge the gap for alumni of speech and debate looking to use their gifts long after competition! https://artsadvocacy.nfhs.org/careers-in-speech-debate/
• Browse our Jobs Board for open speech and debate specific roles.
• Are you hiring or open to work? Make sure you are in our alumni LinkedIn group to submit job postings and stay updated on community shared opportunities!

Speech and Debate In the News

NSDA alum David Begnaud honored NSDA Hall of Fame coach Josette Cook Surratt on CBS Mornings in July with a donation in her name to help students attend the 2025 National Tournament. 🥹 Want to honor your coach or mentor with a donation? Donate and we’ll send them a personalized mailing announcing your thoughtful and generous gift!

Ambassador Shout Outs

Thank you to ALL of our Alumni Ambassadors who have pledged to be advocates for speech and debate in their own communities on and offline throughout the year.

Thank you Chase, Lavontae, Lindsey, Scott, and Adam for sharing your stories and your love. 💕

Our Contact Information

National Speech & Debate Association

6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270
West Des Moines, IA 50266

920-748-6206

speechanddebate.org

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Hello Friend,

As we reflect on a season of gratitude and move into one of giving, we’re excited to share stories of impact, generosity, and advocacy within our community. Thank you for being part of a network that shows the world the power of thoughtful communication and leadership.

Taking Speech and Debate to the Highest Court

We had the pleasure of being joined by NSDA alum Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to discuss her new memoir, Lovely One, and to hear her thoughts on the benefits she believes speech and debate brought to her life and career.

Alumni Paying It Forward

Dellara, content creator and social justice advocate, champions access to speech and debate as essential for building skilled, empathetic leaders. As an NSDA ambassador, she used her platform this Giving Tuesday to raise awareness and vital funds to support speech and debate programs—making an immeasurable impact on the future of this activity.

A generous and grateful speech and debate alum has established a matching program, doubling every dollar you donate!

Instagram Live Recap

Jonathan Conyers, author of I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here answered all of our burning questions! From his stories of past debates, to his work now, and to his plans for the future of the speech and debate community in Brooklyn.

Lindsey Cormack authored How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It). She talked to us about how and why parents must help their children to learn about politics and government.

Claire Chi is the Founder and Executive Director of Dancing Against Hunger, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to relieve food insecurity, while providing accessible dance education and sparking passions for dance for all.

Claire served on the Pennsylvania State Board of Education as Junior Student Representative, shaping long-term policy for 1.8 million K-12 students. She also advocated for community-based food assistance on the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils Executive Board when COVID relief for school meals ended.

Learn how speech and debate inspired her path and her tips for others hoping to solve the problems in their community.

We Want to Meet You During Alumni Week!

Alumni Week is coming up from January 27-31, and we are excited to host our first-ever NSDA Alumni Community Call on Thursday, January 30! Join us to learn more about the community and all it has to offer, while connecting with other alumni and the NSDA Alumni team. The meeting will be held virtually, and your meeting link will be sent upon registration.

Our Contact Information

National Speech & Debate Association

6600 Westown Parkway, Suite 270
West Des Moines, IA 50266

920-748-6206

speechanddebate.org

Unsubscribe