Check out what's new, Coach!

Last-Chance Qualifier Recap

Last weekend, we held our fifth annual Last-Chance Qualifier tournament, which gives high school students who did not qualify in their main event through their district tournament another chance to qualify to compete in that event at Nationals! Join us in congratulating all our new qualifiers and in thanking The Julia Burke Foundation for their support to make this opportunity possible! 

Celebrate a Special Middle School Coach

Middle school speech and debate builds confidence and a sense of belonging at a critical age. We're looking to celebrate the coaches who make it possible through their leadership, advocacy, and encouragement. Sound like someone you know? Nominate them for the Middle School Coach of the Year Award by Friday, May 1! 

Share Your Feedback on Next Year's LD Topics

Check out the list of potential Lincoln-Douglas topics for the 2026-2027 season and share your feedback with the wording committee before the topics become final. Review the potential topics and submit your feedback by Friday, May 1!

End of Year Activities 

As the school year wraps up, here are a few things to try if you have time to fill at practice or in the classroom!

Character Congress » Students dress up and act as a character like Taylor Swift while they do Congressional Debate. 

Storytelling for Children » In this adapted version of Storytelling, students read stories to elementary students with animated delivery and receive feedback.

Impromptu Congress Crisis » Students respond to a simulated national crisis as though they are members of the U.S. Congress. For example, a nuclear first-strike submarine has gone missing.  

Advocacy Unit: The Start Here: Teaching Advocacy lessons show students how the skills they learn in this activity can be put to use in the world around them.

In these lessons, students learn to:

• Analyze their environment, identify problems, and develop solutions.
  
• Clearly and logically present ideas and evidence to decision-makers.
  
• Collaborate effectively, building on others’ ideas while expressing their own persuasively.

Submitting Accommodation Requests for Nationals

We’re committed to making the National Tournament accessible for all participants. If you anticipate needing ADA accommodations, we encourage you to submit your request as soon as possible—early notice makes a big difference. 

Recruit for Next Season

Get ahead of team recruitment for next year! You can send your high school students to feeder middle schools or to visit classes for underclassmen to make the pitch to join the team next year. Your students are one of your best recruitment tools!

Prepay for Your 2026-2027 NSDA Membership

You can now prepay for next year's membership! With the new flat fee membership model, your $349 membership includes unlimited student and coach membership and all NSDA materials—no Resource Package needed! When you prepay, your account will be credited and you can apply it beginning in August. To generate an invoice to prepay: 

1. Log in to your Account.
2. Visit the School Purchases tab.
3. Toggle on Prepaid school membership dues for next year. 
4. Select Create Invoice and Proceed to Checkout. 
5. Pay the invoice by credit card, ACH payment, purchase order, or check. Please note: Prepaid memberships are not refundable or transferable. The credits must be used for the type of membership indicated at checkout, not other team expenses. 

Share Your Plans for Next Year

Are you retiring? Leaving coaching? Changing schools? If you're making a change for the 2026-2027 school year, share the details with us! That way we can continue to support your speech and debate program by advocating for or onboarding your replacement. 

Questions? We're here to help! Email info@speechanddebate.org or call (920) 748-6206.