As we enter a time where many are reflecting on what they're thankful for, we want you to know that we are thankful for you! District leaders are key to providing students as many opportunities as possible. We always welcome your emails and phone calls but please keep in mind that the NSDA office will be closed November 26 – 28.
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Don't Forget - District Dates Form Due Nov. 30!
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The final deadline for chairs to complete their District Dates Form is November 30. Thank you to the 52 district chairs who have already submitted theirs! This form lets us know a lot of information that helps everyone prepare for your district tournament series. If you need help or guidance completing the form, please review this guide.
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Reminder: Order Your District Trophies by December 1!
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District leaders, don’t forget to order trophies for your qualifying tournament by December 1 to secure the discounted price. Orders placed after this date will be billed at the regular price, so act early to save!
Order Online: District Trophies
Password: districts
Make sure your qualifiers and coaches get the recognition they deserve—order today!
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Join Us for the Next Listen and Lead #2: Finance and Fundraising
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District leaders, this is your chance to connect, learn, and share! In our upcoming session on Monday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. CT, we’ll walk through key financial processes and procedures to help your district run smoothly and efficiently. We’ll also share creative fundraising ideas to support your programs. Bring your own fundraising ideas, or share them in advance in the form so we can highlight and discuss them during the session. Registration is required.
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Membership and District Changes Beginning 2026-2027
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Thank you district leaders for joining our webinar on upcoming changes last month. We hope the information provided enables you to become ambassadors of change, help your coaches and schools understand and navigate the new model, share feedback from your district with the national office, and plan for the future! Please reference the session recording and utilize this modified slides deck you can copy and edit to share details with your member schools. We’ve incorporated additional detail based on the feedback you provided after the session regarding grants, prepaid memberships, timing of district changes, and questions regarding points changes. We look forward to continued dialogue with you as we all prepare for these changes.
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District Tournament Office Hours
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Have a question about your upcoming district tournament? Whether you need to know how to interpret district specific rules, which Tabroom.com settings to use, or general tabulation questions, we are here to help! If interested, use this link to sign up. Office hours begin January 5, 2026.
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Approved Pilot Alternative Qualification Methods
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This district season, we are offering a one-year pilot for select districts to test alternative methods for qualifying students to the National Tournament. District Committees submitted detailed applications outlining their proposed qualification systems. A review committee assessed the proposed alternatives to determine whether they met a unique need of the schools in the district and whether the change would result in a substantial increase in the number of schools and students that are able to participate in the district tournament series. Below are a few examples of pilot qualification methods that were found to meet these standards:
- State Tournament Integration: One statewide district is using its existing state tournament to serve as its district qualifier. This streamlined approach reduces travel and scheduling burdens while ensuring strong participation from schools across the state.
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Regional Prelims + Online Elims: In a geographically large district where schools are separated by hundreds of miles, leaders created a hybrid format. Preliminary rounds are held in two regional hubs, and advancing entries meet online for elimination rounds, thus cutting down on travel while maintaining competitive rigor.
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Two-Judge Panels to Grow Debate: A district traditionally using three-judge panels in debate prelims has shifted to two. The goal: reduce the judging requirement, ease tournament management, and lower the barrier for new schools to join.
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Holistic Qualification via Application: In a district with diverse competitive styles, students can now qualify through an application process that considers their overall season performance—recognizing excellence across a range of tournaments and formats.
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Bid System for Season-Long Engagement: One district developed a bid system where students earn qualification bids through participation and performance at local events throughout the season, encouraging sustained involvement.
These pilots showcase the creativity and dedication of our district leaders in reimagining how tournaments can work best for their communities. We look forward to learning from these experiences and using their insights to shape the future of NSDA competition.
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Meet the Team: Q&A with Dr. Athena Murray, Professional Learning Design Manager
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Please introduce yourself!
Hello! I started at the NSDA in August 2025. I have been involved with speech and debate since I was in high school: I was a competitive Policy debater in high school and college and then coached high school and college Policy Debate. I have also directed and taught at debate summer camps, hosted public debates, and advocated for speech and debate in curriculum. Prior to joining the NSDA, I was a professor of communication and taught speech and debate at the college level.
What does being the Manager of Professional Learning Design include?
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My role entails creating substantive, engaging, and interactive learning materials. This includes professional development for coaches and teachers, lesson plans, and event-specific training materials. I want to continue the NSDA's efforts to save time and energy for coaches and teachers. district leaders are often the first point of contact for new coaches, and I hope that our learning materials will make onboarding new coaches and programs easier. Please let me know if there are specific resources that we can create to support you!
What are you excited about for our first year on staff?
Speech and debate was incredibly formative for me, and I want to help support those same experiences for others. I'm eager to invite people into our activity, lower information barriers, and contribute to a positive educational experience for current and future students.
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District Spotlight: Recognizing and Announcing National Qualifiers - Greg Malis, Louisiana District Chair
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At the awards ceremony at the end of the district series, only the names of students who finish in qualifying positions are announced. As each name is called, the student comes forward to receive a “National Qualifier” plaque, receives a standing ovation from the audience, and returns to their seat. Some students, however, earn national qualifying plaques in multiple events. Before the ceremony, the committee reviews all event priorities for students competing in two or three events to determine which qualifications they will defer.
Once all event results have been announced, all students who have earned at least one qualifier plaque are invited to the stage. Those holding multiple plaques are given special recognition for excelling in more than one event during the series. They are informed, however, that they may only retain one plaque, since only one event can be contested at Nationals. Alternates are then announced, event by event, to move into qualifying positions due to the deferrals, and each is invited to the stage to receive a plaque from the student with multiple awards. The audience responds with the same enthusiasm as when the original qualifiers were announced. Particularly memorable are moments when a student passes a plaque to a teammate.
Every student holding a National Qualifier plaque is officially a member of the district team for the National Tournament, regardless of whether they placed first, second, or fifth in their event—they are all Nationals bound. After the process concludes, district is formally introduced, and National Qualifier posters and stickers are distributed to all members.
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We hope everyone has a restful Thanksgiving break!
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