Check out what's new this week and join us in thanking veterans for their service this Veterans Day.
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Register for Online Competition Opportunities
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Springboard Capstone: The Springboard Capstone event is an online tournament hosted by the NSDA on Saturday, December 6. It is free to participate; there are no entry fees, and the tournament is open to members and non-members. This is a chance for your students to demonstrate everything they have learned throughout the fall and celebrate their achievements in speech and debate! To register, sign up through the Springboard Capstone Registration page by December 1.
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Springboard Scrimmages: The Springboard Series offers you an excellent opportunity to enhance their speech and debate practice! These free, online scrimmages offer a competitive way to elevate their skills, explore new events, and connect with fellow students nationwide. Check out the schedule and register to attend!
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Connect with the NSDA Team During Office Hours
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Our experienced NSDA staff members are here to help you on your coaching journey. Sign up for a personalized 20-minute session to ask questions, explore strategies, or dive deeper into topics that matter to you. Whether you’re seeking advice, resources, or just a friendly chat to boost your confidence, we're here to offer support!
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Coach Recognition » Coaches who perform service for the NSDA, such as hosting tournaments or recruiting or sponsoring new schools, earn service citations. As you enter citations digitally, you work toward Distinguished Service Awards, which honor coaches using their skills to serve others. Learn more or add citations today!
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Student Recognition » Students can earn up to 200 service points per year for their work to improve their teams and communities outside of competition. By entering points, you recognize the efforts of the full student, not just the competitor. Students who earn the max 200 points in a year earn the Speaking and Service Award for going above and beyond.
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Advocacy Lesson Plans » The Start Here: Teaching Advocacy lessons highlight the impact that the skills students learn in this activity can have on not only them, but the world around them. Students learn to:
- Critically examine their environment, identify a problem, and develop a solution.
- Pitch their ideas to decision makers by presenting information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning.
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Work as part of a team to initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
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Encourage Students to Submit Legislation for Nationals
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Any middle or high school student who is an NSDA member—whether or not they’ve qualified for Nationals—can submit legislation for consideration in the 2026 National Tournament Docket. This is a great project for advanced Congress students to work on while you teach novices! Students whose legislation is selected for the Nationals Docket will be featured in Rostrum, receive an award after the tournament, and earn a $100 scholarship. Submissions are due February 5.
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Advice from Duo Champions
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In this recording, 2025 Duo national champions Dariel and Claire share their strategies for perfecting blocking, running practices, finding scripts, and more.
Share the video with your Duo students for them to pick up tips.
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Encourage Student Skill Building
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Our self-guided student learning hub features resources to help members independently practice and improve. From free courses to videos and written guides, there's something for every experience level. This is also a great resource to share with captains and peer coaches to find ideas for running their practices!
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Plan Your Curriculum for Next Semester
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Take advantage of our popular Start Here series! These grab-and-go lesson plans are included with membership and beloved by new and experienced coaches alike. They feature a mix of instructional methods to engage students in learning about speech and debate events. Use them in their entirety or borrow bits and pieces to refresh your existing plans!
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