BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!
Thanks for showing interest in joining our team! The following is required of everyone who would like to participate in Speech and Debate:
PLEASE READ THE PROGRAM HANDBOOK BEFORE FILLING OUT THE FORM! Both club and team members must complete steps 1-5. Only team members should complete step 6, leaders please also complete step 7.
1) Fill out the Membership Form
2) All team members must provide at least one adult judge to cover judging obligations at select tournaments this year. That judge IS REQUIRED to complete the NSDA/NFHS "Adjudicating Speech and Debate" online certification program and then submit the certificate of completion to Ms. Hampton.
3) Remit payment for the appropriate level of participation. Program fee is a non refundable membership of $350 for Club level or $400 for Team level. Base dues cover membership to NSDA as well as variety of tournaments, judging, celebrations, community building activities, service opportunities, student recognitions, educational resources, specialized workshops, apparel and program benefits, further details are available in the handbook. PHS will process dues via the Clarity system. Please be apprised program dues are eligible for partial of full waiver based on financial aid status. To receive more information contact PHS Business office.
4) Take a peek at prospective events, meetings etc. (available on schoology/calendar)
5) Check out tentative schedule of tournaments. Head over to sign up for tournaments using form on Tournament Registration page.
6) TEAM MEMBERS ONLY: sign and turn in the Speech & Debate Enrichment Course to the google drive. This is REQUIRED for all members at the team level.
7) LEADERS ONLY: Sign leadership agreement and email to Ms. Hampton
If you are a returning member, you ARE STILL REQUIRED to fill out the forms and pay dues as well. Contact us if you have any questions! If you are unable to access the drive folders please email Ms. Hampton.
PLEASE READ THE PROGRAM HANDBOOK BEFORE FILLING OUT THE FORM! Both club and team members must complete steps 1-5. Only team members should complete step 6, leaders please also complete step 7.
1) Fill out the Membership Form
2) All team members must provide at least one adult judge to cover judging obligations at select tournaments this year. That judge IS REQUIRED to complete the NSDA/NFHS "Adjudicating Speech and Debate" online certification program and then submit the certificate of completion to Ms. Hampton.
3) Remit payment for the appropriate level of participation. Program fee is a non refundable membership of $350 for Club level or $400 for Team level. Base dues cover membership to NSDA as well as variety of tournaments, judging, celebrations, community building activities, service opportunities, student recognitions, educational resources, specialized workshops, apparel and program benefits, further details are available in the handbook. PHS will process dues via the Clarity system. Please be apprised program dues are eligible for partial of full waiver based on financial aid status. To receive more information contact PHS Business office.
4) Take a peek at prospective events, meetings etc. (available on schoology/calendar)
5) Check out tentative schedule of tournaments. Head over to sign up for tournaments using form on Tournament Registration page.
6) TEAM MEMBERS ONLY: sign and turn in the Speech & Debate Enrichment Course to the google drive. This is REQUIRED for all members at the team level.
7) LEADERS ONLY: Sign leadership agreement and email to Ms. Hampton
If you are a returning member, you ARE STILL REQUIRED to fill out the forms and pay dues as well. Contact us if you have any questions! If you are unable to access the drive folders please email Ms. Hampton.
MEMBERSHIP TIERS
- Club: Eligible to compete in any local CFL League tournament we enter as well as tournaments Milpitas and James Logan. When available, upon discretion of program director club members in good standing may also be eligible for national/travel tournaments. Expectations: Students will pay the Club membership fee of $350. Students will meet all sign up deadlines for tournaments at which they want to compete. Students will be in good standing with the school and the team. Students will provide judging via parents for local league tournaments. Students must attend at least one league tournament per semester in their chosen event. Students must attend practice regularly for their chose event. Practice the two weeks leading into a tournament becomes mandatory and must be at least once per week per event. While club members will be allowed to compete at their discretion, the program expects all members to be prepared and participate fully in practice rounds. Club members will be required to assist in hosting Nano Nagle tournament and one of two other tournaments hosted by the program.
- Team: Eligible to compete in any tournament on the team’s tournament schedule. Expectations: Students must pay the Team membership fee of $400. Students will maintain two CFL approved events. Students must meet all sign up deadlines for tournaments at which they desire to compete. Students must attend at least two CFL League tournaments in both of their events event(s), one each semester. Students must compete in at least two events for CFL competition as well as any invitational tournament that allows double entry. If a student has not qualified to the TOC in their main event, then the double entry standard can be waived. To travel regionally and nationally, students must earn a CFL League wildcard or be determined to be “Final Round Ready” by the program director. Students must attend CFL State qualification tournaments as well as NSDA/NCFL national qualifying tournaments. Students must be available to attend any state/national tournaments to which they qualify. Students are required to attend all practice sessions during the week of any tournament at which they plan to attend and at least one practice per event per week outside of that time. Team members will be required to assist and be present for the entire hosting of Nano Nagle tournament and take shifts for the remaining two tournaments hosted by the program.
EVENTS
MODEL UN. We are excited to be offering Model UN participation through speech and debate program in the 2025-2026 season. Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations where high school students represent countries, debate global issues, and develop solutions as members of general, specialized and crisis committees. This event builds skills in public speaking, research, diplomacy, and teamwork. Students competing in this event will practice weekly and attend a minimum of one conference a semester (Stanford - fall; SCVMUN - spring) and sign up for additional competitions each semester.
SPEECH. We offer many NSDA speech events. Students who participate in speech learn to express ideas clearly, connect with audiences, and advocate effectively. Events are grouped for weekly practices and programming in the following categories:
Platform - Platform events are public address events. Students write and deliver speeches on topics they’re passionate about and learn how to interpret published speeches with confidence and poise. These events build students public speaking, persuasion and research skills,. PHS Speech & Debate offer the following platform events; informative/expository (INFO/EXPOS), original oration (OO), declamation/oral interpretation (DEC/OI).
Interp - Interpretation events let students perform published literature—prose, poetry, drama, plays—using voice, movement, and expression to bring characters and stories to life. These events develop creativity, emotional intelligence, and create more confident, empathetic and passionate storytellers..
PHS Speech & Debate offer the following interp events; dramatic interpretation (DI), humorous interpretation (HI), duo interpretation (DUO).
Limited Prep - Limited Preparation events challenge students to think quickly and speak clearly on current events or abstract topics with little prep time. These events sharpen critical thinking, organization, and communication under pressure. PHS Speech & Debate offer the following limited prep events; impromptu (IMP) international extemp/foreign extemp (IX/FX), domestic extemp/us extemp (DX/USX).
DEBATE. We offer many NSDA debate events. Each form of debate offered sharpens students critical thinking, analysis and argumentation skills. Students become strong researchers and public speakers through a series of competitions around pre released topics or controversy areas. In competitions and beyond students learn how to advocate with evidence, become civic minded and learn how to respectfully disagree. Debate practices weekly and we offer the following NSDA debate events:
Congress (CON) simulates either the house or senate and follows parliamentary procedures of congress. In this event individual students compete by giving affirming and negating speeches around student submitted legislation (bills or resolutions). .
Lincoln Douglas (LD) is a form of 1 v 1 philosophical and policy based debate where students affirm and negate positions based upon a common NSDA announced topic, which rotates every 3 months. Sept-October 2025 LD topic is Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, plea bargaining is just.
Policy (CX) is a 2 v 2 policy based form of debate where teams of students will argue as the Affirmative/in favor of resolution and Negative /in opposition of the resolution. The NSDA resolution is applicable for the entire season and is annually released in June.. 2025-2026 Policy debate resolution is Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.
Worlds School (WS/WSD) is our newest format of debate offered at Presentation HS. In this format students compete as a team of 3 to debate prepared and impromptu motions that engage global issues from multiple perspectives. This format of debate emphasizes collaboration, persuasive speaking, and respectful discourse, with high real world relevance.
SPEECH. We offer many NSDA speech events. Students who participate in speech learn to express ideas clearly, connect with audiences, and advocate effectively. Events are grouped for weekly practices and programming in the following categories:
Platform - Platform events are public address events. Students write and deliver speeches on topics they’re passionate about and learn how to interpret published speeches with confidence and poise. These events build students public speaking, persuasion and research skills,. PHS Speech & Debate offer the following platform events; informative/expository (INFO/EXPOS), original oration (OO), declamation/oral interpretation (DEC/OI).
Interp - Interpretation events let students perform published literature—prose, poetry, drama, plays—using voice, movement, and expression to bring characters and stories to life. These events develop creativity, emotional intelligence, and create more confident, empathetic and passionate storytellers..
PHS Speech & Debate offer the following interp events; dramatic interpretation (DI), humorous interpretation (HI), duo interpretation (DUO).
Limited Prep - Limited Preparation events challenge students to think quickly and speak clearly on current events or abstract topics with little prep time. These events sharpen critical thinking, organization, and communication under pressure. PHS Speech & Debate offer the following limited prep events; impromptu (IMP) international extemp/foreign extemp (IX/FX), domestic extemp/us extemp (DX/USX).
DEBATE. We offer many NSDA debate events. Each form of debate offered sharpens students critical thinking, analysis and argumentation skills. Students become strong researchers and public speakers through a series of competitions around pre released topics or controversy areas. In competitions and beyond students learn how to advocate with evidence, become civic minded and learn how to respectfully disagree. Debate practices weekly and we offer the following NSDA debate events:
Congress (CON) simulates either the house or senate and follows parliamentary procedures of congress. In this event individual students compete by giving affirming and negating speeches around student submitted legislation (bills or resolutions). .
Lincoln Douglas (LD) is a form of 1 v 1 philosophical and policy based debate where students affirm and negate positions based upon a common NSDA announced topic, which rotates every 3 months. Sept-October 2025 LD topic is Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, plea bargaining is just.
Policy (CX) is a 2 v 2 policy based form of debate where teams of students will argue as the Affirmative/in favor of resolution and Negative /in opposition of the resolution. The NSDA resolution is applicable for the entire season and is annually released in June.. 2025-2026 Policy debate resolution is Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.
Worlds School (WS/WSD) is our newest format of debate offered at Presentation HS. In this format students compete as a team of 3 to debate prepared and impromptu motions that engage global issues from multiple perspectives. This format of debate emphasizes collaboration, persuasive speaking, and respectful discourse, with high real world relevance.
