Have you had your first team meeting yet? Maybe you've already attended a tournament or two! May autumn bring you plenty of volunteer judges, abundant administrative support, and scores of students who are excited for the speech and debate season!
This is our first District Leader Digest of the year; instead of being full of requests and deadlines (those will be shared via the District Leader Checklist), this monthly email will feature information, resources, and celebrations with the intention of supporting the work you do as leaders.
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District Leader Town Hall Reminder!
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Join us for our District Leader Town Hall on Monday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. CT. At least one member of each District Committee should attend, so make sure someone from your team is there! There will be plenty to talk about, and we’d love to have you join us. Come with your questions—we’ll bring the updates! Registration is required in advance.
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Don't Forget: Dates and Deadlines!
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On August 27, district leaders received the 2026-2027 District Key Dates and Deadlines.
At the beginning of each month, all district leaders will receive an email with the current month’s deadlines and to-dos. This list will help you to be prepared and well informed from the start! In addition to being linked in the email, the list is downloadable and bookmarkable. Some of the items on the checklist are for chairs to do, but there are also items for all District Committee members.
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Practical Professional Development
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Please visit the District Leader Toolkit web page! Whether you are a new or returning leader, this should be your page for all things NSDA and districts. You’ll find each month’s District Leader Checklist, reminders about upcoming deadlines, and an ever-growing collection of resources, guides, and forms specifically for district leadership.
Whether you’re new to district leadership or could use a refresher, now is a great time to complete our NSDA District Leader Onboarding and Belonging and Inclusion Advocate Training courses! These online trainings offer valuable guidance on strengthening your district, managing district finances, navigating BIS concerns, and supporting participants. We encourage all district leaders to take both courses to build their skills and feel confident in their roles throughout the term!
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NEW: Coaching Support System!
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| In August, the NSDA launched the Coach Support System (CSS) to help new advisors get started and feel supported along the way.
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First-time advisors, as well as those returning after more than five years, are identified through NSDA membership records and contacted by either Travis Rother or Lauren McCool, depending on their state. Support may include regular check-ins, timely resources, Coaching Labs, optional peer mentoring, and help navigating NSDA processes.
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The goal is to make sure new advisors have someone to turn to and the practical support they need to build strong, sustainable programs. We hope District Committees and returning advisors will partner with us and share helpful local context so we can work together to give new advisors the best possible experience!
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Try This! Recruitment Strategies
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In May, we introduced you to our new Director of School Recruitment, Elisha. She has been hard at work this summer developing resources to support you as you recruit and welcome new schools into the speech and debate community.
You can learn more about the NSDA’s five-year school recruitment initiative here.
We also know that fundraising is an ongoing challenge for many teams—both new and established—so we’re excited to share a Local Business Donation Request Template that you can customize and use when reaching out to businesses in your community.
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Meet the Team: Q&A with Margaret Stegall, Major Gifts Officer
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Please introduce yourself!
I am a proud NSDA alum (although I'm having to adjust to not saying "NFL"), and I credit any successes I've had to the training I received as a student competing in debate and interp in high school and the connections made in cafeterias between rounds at tournaments. I've spent the last nine years as a major gift fundraiser for small and large organizations, and I'm passionate about connecting generous people to meaningful work. When I'm not working I'm traveling the country with the goal of visiting every State Fair!
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How does being the Major Gifts Officer entail?
My goal is for every kid to have access to speech and debate. My role is to find generous people who care about this work and help them get engaged through giving. I'm excited to connect with you and find ways we can work together to cultivate alumni relationships and support your students!
What are you excited about for your first year on staff?
I'm excited to meet people from across the country who love speech and debate and want to give back! I love swapping competition stories and hearing about the community speech and debate created for people. We have such an incredible opportunity to allow our alumni to be a part of reaching every kid!
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District Spotlight: Sharing is Caring!
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Each month we want to hear from you! Does your district have a strategy or program other districts could benefit from? Maybe a recruiting bootcamp or a clever way to secure judges for tournaments? We’d love to feature your district—and your idea—in our next digest! Email Kara Smith to share your insights.
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As a bit of a throwback, we’d like to once again celebrate all of the district chairs who earned a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award this year. This annual award recognizes the longevity and success of district chairs. Each year that a district chair completes earns them between 1 and 8 units (depending on the combined strength of their district). When a chair earns four units, they earn the bronze award, six units earn the silver award, and eight earns the gold award. We are so thankful that these leaders shared their time and expertise.
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As always, we are here if you need us. Have a great month!
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