Dear Coach,

Check out big award announcements and other news from the speech and debate community below!

Send a Thank You Gram

Show your appreciation for a coach, teacher, or administrator and schedule a special thank you message! It will appear in their inbox on March 1, National Speech and Debate Education Day.

How to Register for Districts on Tabroom.com

Our guide provides step-by-step instructions for registering for your district tournament series on Tabroom.com. Check it out here.

Award Announcements

New District Coaching Awards!

We're excited to announce three new or improved district-to-national awards! Each district may select a deserving member coach in their district to receive the awards below, and from those district-level award winners the national winners are selected. District nomination deadlines vary, but district chairs must report winners to the national office by Tuesday, April 16.

District High School Coach of the Year Award » This award honors high school coaches who reflect outstanding leadership and commitment to speech and debate activities. This year, the national recipient will be selected from the pool of district winners rather than from a separate nomination form! Make a nomination »

District New Coach of the Year Award » This new award will recognize an exemplary new high school coach who is in their first year of NSDA membership. Make a nomination » If you're not sure when a coach membership was paid, please reach out to us!

District Assistant Coach of the Year » This new award will recognize an exemplary assistant high school coach serving at an NSDA member school. Make a nomination »

Hall of Fame Nominations

Do you know an outstanding coach who belongs in the Hall of Fame? Individuals with 25 years of NSDA coach membership (e.g., a merit date of 1993 or earlier), or who are retired from coaching and teaching, are eligible for this prestigious award. Nominations are due Friday, February 1.

Exemplary Student Service Award

The Exemplary Student Service award is given annually to a student for service performed using skills they honed through speech and debate. Nominate a student who upholds the highest standard of service, one of the tenets of our Code of Honor, for recognition by February 7. Current member students at any grade level are eligible.

District Student of the Year Award

The District Student of the Year award is presented to a graduating senior in each district who best represents the tenets of our Code of Honor. Nominees must also demonstrate strong academic credentials and a commitment to the speech and debate community. Each year, six students who win the district award are selected as finalists for the William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year award. District nomination deadlines vary, but district chairs must report winners to the national office by Tuesday, April 16. Make a nomination »

Academic All American Award

One or more of your students might be eligible for an Academic All American Award! This distinguished award recognizes students who have:

Completed at least five semesters of high school.
Earned the degree of Superior Distinction in our Honor Society (a total of 750 or more merit points).
Achieved rigorous criteria for GPA and/or test score requirements.
Demonstrated outstanding character and leadership.

If your student is eligible, you'll see a yellow box with "AAA?" under the Awards column on your Student Roster.

If you determine they meet the other academic criteria outlined on the nomination form, you can submit an application on their behalf. Applications are typically processed within two weeks and must be submitted online. If your student has already achieved AAA status (marked by the green "AAA" button on the roster), you or they can order a pin or certificate to commemorate their achievement through the NSDA Store.

Celebrating Black History Month

Inspired by recommendations from the African American/Black Coaches’ Caucus and in partnership with Wiley College, we have created a series of free classroom and tournament resources to celebrate Black History Month!

Spark Leaders Poster Series » Representation matters. We invite you to commemorate the month in your school or classroom with our special poster series highlighting Black speech and debate coaches and alumni! Choose from more than 40 posters, all sized to print on standard paper.

As a bonus, schools that purchase coach or student memberships in January or February will receive exclusive printed color copies of select posters in their mailings!

Identifying and Addressing Barriers to a World Class Education for All

We invite you to apply to attend the 2019 NSDA Inclusion Workshop for coaches and educators, held August 7-8 in Colorado Springs. Attendees will learn and practice using strategies for identifying and addressing the policies, programs, and practices that negatively impact student of color achievement and serve as barriers to all students receiving a world class education. The workshop is free for invited attendees and limited financial support for housing is available. Learn more or apply at www.speechanddebate.org/inclusion-workshop.

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