Team Policy Debate
Statement of Purpose: The purpose of Team Policy Debate is to train Christian homeschool students in the skills of presentation, critical thinking, and research in an environment of honorable competition, to cultivate maturity, wisdom, grace, and poise, bringing glory to Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reform its foreign aid.
Lincoln Douglas Debate
Statement of Purpose: Lincoln Douglas Debate centers on a proposition of value, which concerns itself with what ought to be instead of what it is. A value is an ideal held by individuals, societies, governments, etc. Debaters are encouraged to develop argumentation based upon a values perspective.
Resolved: Criminal procedure should value truth-seeking over individual privacy.
Parliamentary Debate
Statement of Purpose: The Purpose of Parliamentary Debate is to train students to employ advanced debate and speaking skills informed by an accumulation of general and specific knowledge on a broad range of topics. The goal is to prepare students to deal with real-world advocacy and argumentation in a manner that exhibits maturity, wisdom, grace, and poise, bringing glory to Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Parliamentary Debate resolutions are announced/released before the beginning of each round.
NITOC Speech Competition Events
Judge Orientation for Speech Events: We understand that each Stoa tournament around the country may use different Judge Training presentations at local tournaments throughout the year. To ensure that all our judges are judging from the same, national mindset for NITOC, we will present a mini Speech Judge Orientation at our Opening Ceremonies for our parents and coaches so everyone will be on the same page at NITOC. For those unable to attend the presentation at Opening Ceremonies, we will provide more JOs throughout the week of NITOC (including right after the Opening)
NITOC 2019 will offer 11 Individual Events (Speech Events) grouped into four main disciplines.
Interpretive Speeches:
Speakers select and analyze literature, then bring it to life through the creative use of voice, movement, and facial expression.
Dramatic Interpretation: In Dramatic Interpretation, the competitor creates a serious, original rendition from a single piece of literature which captivates and moves the audience.
Duo Interpretation: In Duo Interpretation two competitors create an original rendition from a single selection or multiple selections of literature which captivates and moves the audience.
Humorous Interpretation: In Humorous Interpretation, the competitor creates an amusing, original rendition from a single piece of literature which captivates and entertains the audience. Stand-up comedy, or telling a series of jokes without a corresponding plot, is not Humorous Interpretation.
Open Interpretation: In Open Interpretation, the competitor creates an original rendition from a selection or selections of prose or poetry (including unpublished work) which captivates and moves the audience.
Limited Preparation Speeches:
In limited preparation speeches, students are given a limited amount of preparation on a topic that is given to them at the speech event.
Apologetics: In Apologetics the competitor is given four (4) minutes to prepare a speech that defends a tenet of the Christian faith. The speaker crafts a speech to reach those curious, not in agreement, or Biblically uninformed with persuasiveness and reasoning.
Extemporaneous Speaking: In Extemporaneous Speaking the competitor answers a given question based on a recent event in the news. The competitor, alone or as part of a club, researches national and international current events and may create reference files of newsworthy information.
Mars Hill Impromptu: In Mars Hill Impromptu the competitor uses books, movies, and other genres to discuss the appeal and impact of the theme(s) within the topic, holding them up in light of Christian truth found in the Bible.
Platform Speeches:
A platform speech is a prepared speech, written by the competitor.
Expository Speaking: An Expository speech explains or “exposes” a topic usually with the help of visual aids. The goal is to develop a winsome, polished, speaker who can present a creative, well-organized speech while efficiently employing audio/visual aids or props.
Original Oratory: An Original Oratory is composed on a topic of the speaker’s choice. The goal is to develop a polished, winsome speaker who can present an engaging, well-organized speech on any topic.
Persuasive Speaking: A Persuasive speech advocates a specific position or course of action. The goal is to develop a polished, winsome speaker who can state a clearly-worded position supported by convincing arguments and well-researched support.
Wild Card Event Speeches:
Demonstration: A demonstration speech is an original work written by the competitor that explains how to do something or how something works. Props may or may not be used.tournament for each round.
The Founders Award
The Stoa Board created an award for presentation at NITOC that recognizes the contribution of Mr. Scott York and his fellow Stoa Founders for their pioneering efforts in bringing Stoa into existence.
The Founders Award will be presented to students at NITOC who receive invitations and compete in one or more events in all of the following four categories:
1. Interpretive Speeches
Dramatic Interp
Duo Interp
Humorous Interp
Open Interp
2. Limited Preparation Speeches
Apologetics
Extemporaneous Speaking
Mars Hill Impromptu
3. Platform Speeches
Expository Speaking
Original Oratory
Persuasive Speaking
4. Debate
Lincoln Douglas Value Debate
Parliamentary Debate
Team Policy Debate
The Founders Award is not based on how a student performs at NITOC, but honors students competing at NITOC in the full breadth of events offered by Stoa.