League
Calendar & Registration 23-24
Link to the 2023-2024 Calendar is here!
From Mr. Adam Leonard, our secretary-treasurer….
I hope you’re all having a restful summer! With August upon us, it’s time to start getting the NJSDL organized for the start of another season. The league membership form is linked here. We only need one submission from each school. We also need each school that intends to be a member for this year to complete the form, even if you have done so in the past and the information remains the same. Completion of this form allows the league leadership to plan events accurately and ensure that everyone is included, update the league’s roster, and adequately provide insurance coverage for league events and members. Please submit the form by Friday, September 8.
If you are receiving this message and are no longer the coach of your school’s program, please do us a favor and forward this email to the new advisor or inform us so that we can update our records and reach out to that individual.
Many of you pre-pay your dues annual because they are included on the invoice for each year’s state championship tournament. For those that defer payment, are deciding to rejoin after a hiatus, or are joining for the first time, league membership dues are $175 if paid before October 31. Dues increase to $200 if paid between October 31 and January 31. League membership is required to participate in the NJSDL State Championship Tournament in March. Middle schools are exempt from membership dues. The high schools that are already paid for 2023-2024 are:
Arthur L. Johnson, Barringer, Bridgewater-Raritan, Central, Cherry Hill East, Columbia, Delbarton, Elizabeth, Freehold Township, Hunterdon Central, Manville, Millburn, Monroe Township, Montgomery Township, Montville Township, Morris Knolls, Mountain Lakes, Newark School of Fashion and Design, Newark Science, Newark Tech, Noor Ul-Iman, North Star Academy, Princeton, Randolph, Ridge, Ridgewood, Summit, The Pingry School, Thomas Edison Energysmart Charter School, Timothy Christian, and University.
Let me know if you need an invoice in order to pay your dues. The league’s W-9 is linked. Dues payments (and payments for the speech festivals, Borelli tournament, high school and middle school state championships, and the New Jersey district tournaments) can be sent to the league address:
New Jersey Speech & Debate League
#337
203 Main Street
Flemington, NJ 08822
Help the league grow by sending the membership form to friends and colleagues at other schools! I’m looking forward to working with all of you again this year. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns, either to me or one of the other league officers. Most importantly, enjoy your remaining weeks of summer break!
Take Care,
Adam Leonard
NJSDL Secretary-Treasurer
League
TEAM NJ UPDATES @ NSDA Nationals!!!!
Check this post to see the most recent updates at the National Speech and Debate Association Championships!!!
4:32PM
Worlds Schools Debate – New Jersey Gold advances to Double-Octafinals.
4:30PM
All 3 Senators advance: Aamvi Tripathi from Hunterdon Central, Ginny Kim from Ridge, and Prisha Bagul in Bridgewater Raritan.
Congratulations to the following competitors from Team NJ who have advanced to Rounds 7 & 8 at Nationals:
In DI: Ella Szabados (2264) from Summit
In Info: Matt Hecker (4112) from Summit
In IX: Amy Cao (5111) from Ridge; Akshaya Karanam (5180) from Mt. St. Mary
In OO: Ruhi Kulkarni (4511) and Jeet Patel (4512) from Monroe; Abigail Lee (4550) from Ridge
In PF: Alex Calder and Romir Patel (1122) from Delbarton; Margulis and Banerjee (1079) from Princeton
In POI: Zachary Siegel (3515) from Summit; Natalie Ramirez-Porras (3668) from Ridge
In USX: Aparna Iyer (5543) from Ridge; Riya Devroy (5636) from Millburn
Awards
Register to attend the Governor’s Awards in Arts Education
If you, your family, your friends, your coaches are attending, please fill out the link at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/arts-ed-nj-day-tickets-601425819817
Uncategorized
Middle School State Championships!
Click here for more information on the tournament.
Click Here to volunteer as a judge!
We are asking any high school speech/debate competitor to help our middle school students at their state championships on Friday, May 19th at Long Valley Middle School. Please consider volunteering. We’re offering Declamation, Oratory, Prose & Poetry Interpretation, Congress, and Public Forum Debate. We can also use help in running the event as well (award setup, topics, etc.). All students in grades 9-12 are welcome!! We will be happy to sign off on any community service hours and dinner will be provided. Live doc with event and judging information can be accessed at njsdl.live/ms23 S
Schedule is currently as follows:
4:00 On-site Check-in
4:15 Announcements for all Students and Judges
4:30 Speech Round 1
4:30 Congress Session Begins
5:15 Speech Round 2
6:15 Dinner Break and Speech Finals Announcement
6:45 Congress Session Continues
6:45: Speech Final Rounds
7:45: Awards Assembly
Uncategorized
NJSDL JUDGE TRAINING
Virtual Judge Training to prepare for the State Championships.
7:00PM Eastern on Tuesday, March 14th.
Click this link to enter: https://njea.zoom.us/j/92331153390
Awards
FEBRUARY VIRTUAL SERIES AWARDS
The Virtual Awards Ceremony from yesterday is available for you to share with your students as a video recording as well as Google Slides. All results have been posted on Speechwire.com (https://postings.speechwire.com/r-tournament.php?tournid=13470) and the eballots have been released for review.
Thank you and we look forward to the April 2023 Online Speech Festival celebrating Earth Day! Our themed Pro Con Challenge topic will be Resolved: The United States should increase its use of nuclear energy for commercial energy production. The Prepared Prompt topics inspired by Earth Day Prompts will be released on or before April 1.
We hope that in addition to providing the students on your team with another opportunity for judge feedback, these festivals can provide the opportunity for a class at your school to connect with the theme from a curricular standpoint and give new students a taste of speech and debate through the themed events of Pro Con Challenge, Prepared Prompt, and Original Poetry. Please feel free to share with other coaches and teachers the Festival Series Flyer and the Speechwire.com Registration Page for the April Festival!
-Ray
Raymond Shay
Director of Technology & Interim Director of Business Administration
Head Coach, Speech and Debate Team
Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart
www.princetonacademy.org
Tournaments
February/March Tournaments Registrations Open!
Montville Township – February 25th. – Click Here for Information
NSDA Big Questions Qualifier – ONLINE – February 22-26th – Click Here for Information
NSDA Congress Qualifier – February 25th – Click Here for Information
Essex County Schools of Technology @ Newark Tech – March 11th – Click Here for Information
New Jersey State Championship – March 17th and 18th – Click Here for Information
League
Register to become a Belonging & Inclusion Advocate
What is a Belonging and Inclusion Station?
The Belonging and Inclusion Station (BIS)—formerly Equity Office—exists to address violations of harassment and discrimination policies and provide a safe space for individuals who report harassment and discrimination incidents at NSDA district and national tournaments.
What is the purpose of a Belonging and Inclusion Station?
The BIS may serve as a resource for any student, coach, judge, or official participating at an NSDA-sponsored tournament. Complaints may be filed if an individual feels as if an instance of harassment and/or discrimination has occurred. Examples include:
- Perceived discriminatory practice on the basis of (but not limited to) race/color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity/expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, and/or veteran or military status.
- Perceived retaliation, harassment, or intimidation due to an individual’s filing of a complaint or participating in an intake regarding a violation of the NSDA’s harassment and discrimination policies.
What is the purpose of a Belonging and Inclusion Advocate?
The Belonging and Inclusion Advocate (BIA) is a designated member of the tournament staff who represents the Belonging and Inclusion Station. Advocates serve as the first point of contact for tournament attendees with inquiries related to harassment and discrimination.
For more details or to register! Visit the NSDA Belonging and Inclusion Page.
Tournaments
January 2023 Tournaments Open for Registration
The following January tournaments are open:
Newark Invitational – January 6th and 7th (HS)
Hunterdon-Central Winter Invitational – January 7th. (HS)
Freehold Township Invitational – January 14th. (HS)
Ridge Invitational – January 28th (HS & MS)