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The first-ever finalists in Supplemental Debate beat out over 500 other competitors to take the final stage.

We’re live in Kansas City for the coming out party of the lightning-fast, modified-Parli competition named Supplemental Debate.  I’m not a debater by trade and this could go very, very fast.  We’ll do what we can to provide you coverage for this eagerly-awaited event.

It’s going to be a hectic 16 minutes.

The event began on Wednesday morning with a record 560 entries. That’s a record across the entire tournament.

The topic for the final round is “This House believes that Barack Obama is succeeding in ensuring the future prosperity of the United States.”

Affirmative: 451 — Erin Morris (Kickapoo HS, MO)

Negative: 741 —  Tejas Perdiv (Regis HS, NJ)

Author’s Note: The following statements represent the claims of the speakers to the best of my ability and should not be read as personal commentary on the round.

Proposition Constructive (2 min)

Education initiatives spur potential for future prosperity.  Key incentives are adding the opportunity for education and innovation through a better workforce.

Financial reform will stabilize the economy as well.  Regulation is needed, and is a key initiative of Obama.  TARP is used as the prime example with banks paying back funds and being held accountable.  Stabilizing one part of the economy has created a positive domino effect through free-market system.

CX of Proposition (1 min)

Q: Is there a difference between ensuring and net progress?
Q: How should we weigh today’s round?
Q: If your contentions are not long lasting, is that a vote for the Neg?

Opposition Constructive (2 min)

Clarification: the resolutions says that “ensuring future prosperity.”  Aff can give

1.  Idea of National Security.  Obama has not ensured this because fails to address corruption in Afghanistan, ethnic conflicts, and Taliban movement into Pakistan.  The risks still exist.  Increasing Anti-American Sentiment. More movement in Middle East means greater risk.

2.  Engergy Crisis.  While investing in some green tech, he is not making substantial progress to moving away from oil.

3.  Environment. His actions with BP and global warming have been minimal.  Moreover, he has little political capital to pass substantial legislation.

CX of Opposition (1 min)

Q:  What about the recent stimulus package for green energy?
Q:  We should live in an impractical world where we don’t use oil?
Q:  Does it have to happen immediately?
Q:  What is your standard of ensuring prosperity in general?

Mandatory Prep Time (1 min)

Proposition Rebuttal (2 min)

1.  Energy Crisis.  Neg fails to ignore economics stimulus for solar, wind and algae in addition to other green jobs.  We are creating energy independence while creating new and more jobs, underscoring the need for innovation.  Technology is not only becoming better but also creating small biz opportunities.

2.  Foreign Affairs.  Ignores current efforts to combat cocaine and opium trades in Columbia and Afghanistan.

3.  Financial Reform is Key.  Because we have such a connected free-market system, that money will be invested and stabilize other industries.  We help the American people.  We help foreign relations.  We ensure future prosperity.

Opposition Rebuttal (2 min)

Affirmative has to prove solvency.  The Aff has to show it’s actually doing something.

Education. The problem with education funding is that high school dropouts are increasing and we’re dwindling in the international pack.  No politician is going to pass something without good intentions but nothing is happening and no prosperity is ensured.

Financial Reform.  The economy is based on cycles.  You cannot prove causation based on ebb.  Deficit levels are at the highest ever.

All Aff points are speculative.  Until she proves what they are doing and how they are long term.

Moreover, Aff drops international sentiment against US.

Mandatory Prep Time (1 min)

Proposition Rebuttal (2 min)

Obama has been in office for 1.5 years.  That’s not enough time to prove long term is going to work out.  We must look at the prospect not empirical evidence because the future hasn’t happened yet.

Says Neg drops foreign relations and drug trade argument.

Says TARP prop falls but holds to line that Obama was vital in keeping economic recovery on track.

Key voter comes down to innovation and future prospects for improved economic and social prosperity, better jobs, and innovation.  Obama is indicating signs of success and future prosperity.

Opposition Rebuttal (2 min)

Aff drops the need for solvency by saying that Obama is new on the job.  The crux is that it’s not doing anything.  That’s all we can evaluate in the round.

Education was nullified and later dropped by the Prop.

Says our efforts are doing more harm than good because of the substantial risks inherent in what they do.  Everything Obama is doing is having negative effects, devaluting of the dollar and inflation, etc.

The green movement isn’t doing anything yet and he doesn’t have the political capital for a full-on energy use shift.

Pairings for Lincoln-Douglas Debate Rd 11:   http://flic.kr/p/8aUrJD

Pairings for Public Forum Debate Rd 11:   http://flic.kr/p/8aXHtd

United States Extemp: 110, 112, 122, 126, 132, 144, 193, 204, 237, 273, 281, 290, 309, 322

International Extemp: 111, 118, 162, 198, 221, 222, 229, 230, 251, 262, 269, 287, 300, 321

Original Oratory: 105, 133, 134, 138, 139, 156, 191, 199, 249, 256, 275, 281, 306, 309

Dramatic Interpretation: 104, 118, 120, 137, 158, 159, 183, 192, 213, 225, 273, 280, 287, 338

Humorous Interpretation: 109, 110, 121, 131, 142, 192, 203, 215, 226, 235, 274, 289, 307, 320

Duo Interpretation: 122, 129, 141, 159, 162, 193, 197, 211, 220, 235, 238, 317, 318, 336

Nearly 200 pages of topic analysis for only $20!

Download a sample containing the table of contents, event overview, and analysis of one sample resolution!

SpeechGeek’s Supplemental Debate brief  contains essential background knowledge on each topic, providing you with the necessary information fast when you’re Proposition (Aff) or Opposition (Neg). Hate getting stuck with just one case option? No worries! The files contain multiple plan text options to suit your needs. Each plan text is accompanied by advantage/contention outlines as well as detailed links to outside research, making Nationals preparation quick and easy. On the Negative? We’ve got you covered. The briefs contains both generic and case specific disadvantages and case turns to make prepping on the negative easier. Nationals is stressful. Make prepping simple.

The SpeechGeek Topic Analysis will review each of the 22 possible Supplemental Debate resolutions for the 2010 National Tournament.

Once the final eight resolutions are unveiled at Nationals registration, SpeechGeek will prepare additional analysis on the topics that will be used in rounds. This supplemental brief will be delivered via email on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

Spend your time working toward your main event. If that doesn’t pan out, we’re here to help you be as competitive as possible in Supplemental Debate!

Visit the DebateChamps Forensics Superstore to purchase SpeechGeek’s Supplemental Debate Topic Analysis.

by Corey Alderdice, SpeechGeek

Groups of students milled about Oak Park High School this morning to the point even a casual observer could tell that many of the individuals gathered there for the first day of competition at the 2010 National Forensic League National Tournament were nervous.

Very nervous.

As the moments wound down before the first draw of Extemp and rounds in Original Oratory, coaches pulled students aside to whisper final words of encouragement.  For individuals who spend several weekends out of the year at high school speech and debate tournaments, the scene was fairly ordinary: a typical high school, students dressed in suits and brightly-colored schematics already showing signs of wear.

Among the crowd was Michael Curry, a coach from Salem, Ore.  Like other coaches, though, Curry knew all-too-well that this was no ordinary weekend tournament.  However, the advice he offered to his students was quite basic: though these young adults are competing in the world’s largest academic contest, they shouldn’t let that fact overwhelm them.

“I try and get in the mindset of that it’s going to look and feel like other tournaments,” Curry said.

The landscape came as no surprise to Curry.  The scene of a regular tournament was exactly what he wanted his students to see as well.

“The first thing I want and try to get to the students is that even though it’s Nationals, it’s not foreign,” Curry said.  “It’s not something to be intimidated by either.  You’re going to see students from all walks of life and various levels of ability.  It’s going to operate like any other tournament. The difference is going to be we fly there.”

For Todd Mincks, an assistant coach from Nixon, Mo., it wasn’t the tournament or its scope that mattered when offering encouragement.  Instead, he encouraged the members of his squad to simply do what they’ve been doing all season.

“They’ve already proven themselves to be one of the best at what they do.,” Mincks said. “They should go in, relax and do their best and not stress overly about it.”

Renee Botterbush, a coach from Sayre, Penn., noted there was little new advice to be offered.  Alternatively, she opted for simple encouragement and taking pride in the fact her students were ready to compete after months of hard work.

Botterbush said they should “do their best and they’ve got this.  They’ve been practicing for the whole year so they’re prepared.”

Pam Carnes, a parent from Woodstock, GA, felt her daughter was ready to compete based on her experiences in a variety of regular season tournaments.  Participating in a combination of small, local tournaments and national events such as competitions at Emory and Harvard provided her with confidence and comfort as the first round of Nationals began.

“Even though being in a high school cafeteria seems like we’re at home,” Carnes noted, “the numbers here equate to tournaments she’s accustomed to at the larger tournaments.  A tournament at home could be a dozen to two dozen students where at Harvard this year there was about 300 in OO (Original Oratory).”

Carnes also views this year’s national tournament as a learning opportunity for her daughter, who will enter her junior year of high school this year.  While other students will compete at their final forensics tournament this week, the younger Carnes can apply what she learns toward future seasons.

“She has two more years to do this, so she just needs to go in and give it her best shot and just know that she worked hard to get here and she’s already accomplished more than many students her age,” Carnes added.

Though students will learn from their competition experience, Curry added students should have fun and realize that the honor to compete at Nationals is something special.

“This is an opportunity that not everyone gets in an event that thousands upon thousands upon thousands of student do,” Curry noted. “You gotta have fun.  If you spent all the time and work and came here and didn’t have a good time then you don’t walk away with good memories.  That’s probably the most important thing.  As an educator, my job is to help prepare students for the next step.  So I want each thing I do with them to be rewarding on multiple levels.  Make connections.  Meet friends.”

Coaches like Mincks also appreciate that the experiences gained from participation in forensics will serve students long after the final trophy is handed out at the awards ceremony on Friday evening.

“We all know in this business that this is one of the most applicable activities to the real world that a kid can get involved,” Mincks added.  “I hope they can continue to learn what they’ve already been exposed to throughout the years.  Public speaking can be a great tool in life.”

That’s certainly advice worth sharing.

The final 13 resolutions for Supplemental Debate were released this morning via the NFL National Tournament program. See the photo below for the details, and pick up our Supplemental Debate breif at DebateChamps.biz!

159 pages of topic analysis for only $20!

Download a sample containing the table of contents, event overview, and analysis of one sample resolution!

SpeechGeek’s Supplemental Debate brief  contains essential background knowledge on each topic, providing you with the necessary information fast when you’re Proposition (Aff) or Opposition (Neg). Hate getting stuck with just one case option? No worries! The files contain multiple plan text options to suit your needs. Each plan text is accompanied by advantage/contention outlines as well as detailed links to outside research, making Nationals preparation quick and easy. On the Negative? We’ve got you covered. The briefs contains both generic and case specific disadvantages and case turns to make prepping on the negative easier. Nationals is stressful. Make prepping simple.

The SpeechGeek Topic Analysis will review each of the 22 possible Supplemental Debate resolutions for the 2010 National Tournament.

Once the final eight resolutions are unveiled at Nationals registration, SpeechGeek will prepare additional analysis on the topics that will be used in rounds. This supplemental brief will be delivered via email on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

Spend your time working toward your main event. If that doesn’t pan out, we’re here to help you be as competitive as possible in Supplemental Debate!

Visit the DebateChamps Forensics Superstore to purchase SpeechGeek’s Supplemental Debate Topic Analysis.

The party is just getting started in Omaha tonight.

Congrats to the 2010 NCFL Octafinalists.

The National Forensic League and Claremont Colleges Debate Union are collaborating to increase opportunities for NFL-students to participate in international debate competition and events. During the 2010 NFL Nationals in Kansas City, coaches and students will be able to observe a demonstration debate in the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) format. The WSDC debate model is used at the high school world championship, major regional international tournaments, and many national high school competitions. More than 50 nations participate in WSDC debating. In addition to the debate demonstration, interested students attending NFL Nationals may also apply to participate in international debate events. Auditions will be held for Team USA during the national tournament.

About Team USA and National Auditions

The Claremont Colleges Debate Union (CCDU) is the official national representative for the World Schools Debating Council, the sponsor of the international high school debate championship tournament. The CCDU auditions, selects, and trains students for Team USA. Members of Team USA participate in the world championship tournament, which will next be held in Scotland – August 2011.

Team USA, involving multiple debate teams, will also participate in regional international tournaments, workshops and conferences, and home-and-home debate exchanges. Team USA will attend the 2010 Pan Pacific Debating Championship (Hawai’i), 2011 Pan American Debating Championship (English and Spanish language divisions; site finalists US and Bermuda), and European Open Championship (2010 – Czech Republic; 2011 – site selection underway). Students will participate in workshops, conferences, pubic debates, and tournaments in the United Kingdom, Slovenia, and Korea. Team USA students also will participate in debate exchanges in Argentina, Peru, Korea, and Chile, as well as other countries.

For additional information on the WSDC format, the US-WSDC program, Team USA, and the qualification process, click here for a downloadable brochure. For more information about the 2010-2011 programming and auditions process, click here for a downloadable brochure.

NFL Nationals – Kansas City Events

• International Debate Demonstration
On Thursday, June 17, the NFL will host an international debate demonstration featuring members of this year’s Team Korea and Team USA. The debate is scheduled for the Ambassador Room, 5:30 – 6:30 PM.

• Auditions for Team USA
The NFL will host auditions for prospective Team USA members on June 17-18. Applications are due by June 10. For application forms and other US-WSDC information, please visit www.uswsdc.org. Auditions are scheduled from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM on Thursday and Friday.

• Information on the US-WSDC Program
Team USA staff and students will be available throughout the day on Friday, June 18 to answer questions and discuss the WSDC format, international debating, upcoming events, and future auditions.

via The National Forensic League

SpeechGeek’s Supplemental Debate brief will contain essential background knowledge on each topic, providing you with the necessary information fast when you’re Proposition (Aff) or Opposition (Neg). Hate getting stuck with just one case option? No worries! The files contain multiple plan text options to suit your needs. Each plan text is accompanied by advantage/contention outlines as well as detailed links to outside research, making Nationals preparation quick and easy. On the Negative? We’ve got you covered. The briefs contains both generic and case specific disadvantages and case turns to make prepping on the negative easier. Nationals is stressful. Make prepping simple.

The SpeechGeek Topic Analysis will review each of the 22 possible Supplemental Debate resolutions for the 2010 National Tournament. The brief will be delivered via email on Saturday, June 5, 2010.

Once the final eight resolutions are unveiled at Nationals registration, SpeechGeek will prepare additional analysis on the topics that will be used in rounds. This supplemental brief will be delivered via email on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

Spend your time working toward your main event. If that doesn’t pan out, we’re here to help you be as competitive as possible in Supplemental Debate!

Visit the DebateChamps Forensics Superstore to preorder SpeechGeek’s Supplemental Debate Topic Analysis.