School Recognition

The National Speech & Debate Association highlights the academic value of speech and debate activities within school systems. Every year, schools from across the country are awarded for their commitment to speech and debate activities and the learning opportunities they provide to their students.

2018 Selection Process

A selection committee comprised of members of the National Speech & Debate Association Board of Directors and the Executive Director reviews nominations submitted by member schools. Nominations are accepted February 1, 2018, through April 6, 2018.

Nominees

To be eligible for nomination, a principal must:

• Currently work as a high school principal or headmaster in a National Speech & Debate Association member school.
• Have completed five consecutive years of experience as a high school principal at an NSDA member school (experience need not be in the same school).
• Plan to continue working as a high school principal next year at an NSDA member school.
• Agree to nomination.
• If selected as the winner, be able to participate in the National Speech & Debate Tournament, held June 17-22, 2018, and/or be present to accept the award on Thursday, June 21, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Nominees must be principals who:

• Encourage speech and debate education through active support of curricular and/or co-curricular programming.
• Foster cooperation between the speech and debate program and the rest of the school, showcasing students and their achievements with administrators, school board members, and the community at-large.
• Lead a continuing dialogue with students, parents, faculty, and staff members to sustain and grow speech and debate participation.
• Encourage team spirit and play an active role in the speech and debate program.
• Demonstrate leadership and exemplify committed support to the speech and debate program’s livelihood.
• Advocate for speech and debate activities within the school and the community at-large.

Nominators

• Any current or retired NSDA coach, student, alum, or parent may nominate a principal for this award.
• One individual must be the official nominator, and may only nominate one person for the award.
• Principals may not nominate themselves.
• Members of the Board of Directors may not be the official nominator for a principal and must recuse themselves from the selection committee if any principal in their district is nominated.

Nomination Materials

In addition to basic contact information, you will be asked to provide the following materials when you complete the online nomination form above:

• Gather and upload two (2) letters of nomination, not to exceed 1,500 words each. The letters should explain how the nominee meets the award criteria and describe their involvement in curricular and extracurricular speech and debate activities.
• PDFs are preferred, but Word documents (.doc or .docx) are also accepted. Please include:

— One letter from the official nominator.
— A second letter from a member student in the program. (If a student nominated, another student or a teacher/coach may be substituted.)

Awards and Recognition

The High School Principal of the Year will be recognized in Rostrum and online. Nominees and finalists may be recognized in Rostrum or through other publications. All nominees and nominators must consent to the use of any nomination materials including photos in NSDA publications.

Previous Recipients

2018 Selection Process

A selection committee comprised of members of the National Speech & Debate Association Board of Directors and the Executive Director reviews nominations submitted by member schools. Nominations are accepted February 1, 2018, through April 6, 2018.

Nominees

To be eligible for nomination, a principal must:

• Currently work as a middle school principal or headmaster in a National Speech & Debate Association member school.
• Have completed five consecutive years of experience as a middle school principal at an NSDA member school (experience need not be in the same school).
• Plan to continue working as a middle school principal next year at an NSDA member school.
• Agree to nomination.
• If selected as the winner, be able to participate in the National Speech & Debate Tournament, held June 17-22, 2018, and/or be present to accept the award on Thursday, June 21, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Nominees must be principals who:

• Encourage speech and debate education through active support of curricular and/or co-curricular programming.
• Foster cooperation between the speech and debate program and the rest of the school, showcasing students and their achievements with administrators, school board members, and the community at-large.
• Lead a continuing dialogue with students, parents, faculty, and staff members to sustain and grow speech and debate participation.
• Encourage team spirit and play an active role in the speech and debate program.
• Demonstrate leadership and exemplify committed support to the speech and debate program’s livelihood.
• Advocate for speech and debate activities within the school and the community at-large.

Nominators

• Any current or retired NSDA coach, student, alum, or parent may nominate a principal for this award.
• One individual must be the official nominator, and may only nominate one person for the award.
• Principals may not nominate themselves.
• Members of the Board of Directors may not be the official nominator for a principal and must recuse themselves from the selection committee if any principal in their district is nominated.

Nomination Materials

In addition to basic contact information, you will be asked to provide the following materials when you complete the online nomination form above:

• Gather and upload two (2) letters of nomination, not to exceed 1,500 words each. The letters should explain how the nominee meets the award criteria and describe their involvement in curricular and extracurricular speech and debate activities.
• PDFs are preferred, but Word documents (.doc or .docx) are also accepted. Please include:

— One letter from the official nominator.
— A second letter from a member student in the program. (If a student nominated, another student or a teacher/coach may be substituted.)

Awards and Recognition

The Middle School Principal of the Year will be recognized in Rostrum and online. Nominees and finalists may be recognized in Rostrum or through other publications. All nominees and nominators must consent to the use of any nomination materials including photos in NSDA publications.