Student Alliance
NSDA Student Alliance
A singular alliance with a shared focus can create a powerful learning experience through facilitated dialogues. By bringing together diverse student voices, participants can hear different lived experiences and perspectives in the activity, work through difficult conversations, and (ideally) find a larger network of friends and support. Additionally, the Alliance allows student participants to share their stories with the NSDA staff.
Joining the NSDA Student Alliance
About the Student Alliance
Goals
FAQs
Joining the Student Alliance
The Student Alliance is open to students from NSDA member schools. Students can register for virtual discussion sessions through the Student Alliance webpage.
Note: Participants in the Student Alliance must adhere to all NSDA guidelines, including our Core Values, Honor Code, and Harassment & Discrimination Policy.
About the Student Alliance
The NSDA Student Alliance is a community of students committed to engaging in dialogues about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in speech and debate.
The mission of the NSDA Student Alliance is to encourage and empower students through facilitated dialogues on diversity, equity, and inclusion in speech and debate and to share ideas and concerns with the national office through virtual and in-person meetings.
Leadership
The Student Alliance leadership team will consist of the NSDA Director of DEI and 4-5 Peer Mentors.
Peer mentors are speech and debate alumni characterized as mature, dependable, and sound communicators who are sensitive to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and display both enthusiasm and affinity for the National Speech and Debate Association. Peer Mentors will be tasked with various responsibilities, including (but not limited to):
- serve as an advocate for the interests and needs of students in the NSDA
- work with the Director of DEI to set meeting agendas and direction for discussion
- assist in facilitating dialogues during Student Alliance sessions
Meetings
The first Student Alliance meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 5th. Meetings will be held virtually throughout the year, with an on-site gathering at the national tournament if desired. Meetings will be discussion-based and may utilize a customized agenda to meet the group’s needs.
Sample Agenda
- Welcome and Introductions
- Reminder of the Student Alliance’s mission, vision, and goals
- Review Expectations for Dialogue
- Sample Discussion Questions (subject to change):
- Announcements from NSDA
- Preview Next Meeting: (Date of next meeting here as well as any themes or pre-work if necessary)
- Close
Goals of the Student Alliance
As a result of participation in the Student Alliance, students will:
- encourage understanding of the diverse identities and ideologies of students participating in speech and debate.
- create opportunities for students to engage with NSDA leadership about issues of DEI.
- highlight and celebrate students’ accomplishments working to promote equity, inclusion, and belonging in the activity.
- promote a culture of competition with respect for different lived experiences and worldviews.
- facilitate conversations about equity (defined as operational processes, practices, and spaces that affirm identity, promote inclusion, and ensure the conditions of fairness) in speech and debate.
Student Alliance FAQs
Who can join the Student Alliance?
- The Student Alliance is open to all high school student members of the NSDA.We welcome participants from different identities and ideologies.
Are the Student Alliance and Student Leadership Council the same thing?
- No. The Student Leadership Council focuses on providing feedback on NSDA programs, offerings, and initiatives. The Student Alliance is designed to encourage dialogue among students on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The SLC is nomination-based, whereas the Student Alliance is open participation.
What are the meetings like?
- Student Alliance meetings will use a living room conversation approach designed to connect people with diverse identities and ideologies. Each meeting will have a structured agenda (customizable to meet the group’s needs) consisting of a brief introduction, group discussion (using discussion questions), and time for recommendations and ideas about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the NSDA. From time to time, guests from the national office will also be invited to join.
When are the meetings, and where are they held?
- The first Student Alliance meeting will occur on Wednesday, December 5th. Meetings will be held virtually throughout the year, with an on-site gathering at the national tournament, if desired.
Are there any rules for participating in the dialogues?
- Yes. All participants are encouraged to engage in an open conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion and adhere to the following conversation guidelines:
- Be kind with your curiosity
- Be willing to listen and suspend judgment
- Acknowledge and respect common ground
- Be authentic and sincere while welcoming authenticity and sincerity
- Be clear, purposeful, and to the point
- Own your responsibility for the quality of the conversation
- Critique ideas, not people
- Be Solutions-oriented
How do I sign up?
- We will send out info on registering for each session on our social media.
Will my opinions and views be accepted?
- Absolutely! The Student Alliance is a space for students to come together, share their perspectives, and be heard. Please keep in mind that participants in the Student Alliance must adhere to all NSDA guidelines, including our Core Values, Honor Code,
and Harassment & Discrimination Policy.
FAQs
What is the NSDA’s role in this process?
The NSDA is offering this board as service to tournament directors, schools, teams, and judges. The NSDA in no way endorses the judges that offer their time. Each school should follow their district/school’s applicable policies for hiring and vetting. Additionally, the NSDA will not be involved in any financial agreement between a school and a judge.
How much should judges get paid?
Schools and judges determine their own rates. A commonly observed rate is around $20-$30 per hour-long round.
How often is this list updated?
Judges have signed up on the judge board within this academic year. The list is cleared each July and judges must sign-up again for the next academic year.
Who can sign up to judge?
Anyone who has graduated high school is welcome to sign up to judge. From there, each school should follow its district/school’s applicable policies for hiring and vetting. Additionally, the NSDA will not be involved in any financial agreement between a school and a judge.
Who should I contact with my questions and/or concerns about this process?
Please direct your emails to Elgin Woody at eli.woody@speechanddebate.org
Sign Up to Judge
Interested in being a judge for NSDA-affiliated and/or school-affiliated tournaments? Sign up below!
Judges are some of the most vital contributors to the speech and debate community. For many tournaments, judges are the limiting factor without which tournaments would not be possible.
Sign up below to use your skills and expertise so more students can compete in speech and debate!