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Election Slate

The election slate is posted here:

2017-18 Speech & Debate Election Slate 

Please read each candidate’s statement before choosing which to vote for.

We are very pleased with the number of team members who decided to run for officer positions. However, due to the unexpected number of candidates, we will be reserving the candidates’ forum for executive positions (president, speech VP, debate VP, comms VP). The forum for all captain positions will take place online on the team Facebook page.

Notes about voting: 

  • Certain positions can only be voted on by team members of a certain constituency. For example, an interp team member can vote for president, speech VP, comms VP, and interp captain. They cannot vote for debate-specific positions.
  • If a team member has competed in multiple events at least twice this year, they may vote in both constituencies.
  • Finally, Congress team members may vote for all executive positions and LPPAC captain.

See you at the candidates’ forum, Thursday at lunch in B164.

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2017-18 Officer Elections

Just a friendly reminder that we are still accepting submissions for officer positions. See below for more information, dates, deadlines, and what positions are available.

Positions Available

  • President
  • Vice-President of Speech
  • Vice-President of Debate
  • Vice-President of Communications
  • Captain of Interpretation
  • NEW – Captain of Limited Prep, Public Address, and Congress (LPPAC)
  • Captain of Lincoln Douglas Debate
  • Captain of Public Forum Debate

Dates & Deadlines

  • April 3 at 2:45pm – Deadline for submissions, including BOTH emailed statements and hard copies of officer agreements
  • April 6 at 10:40am (lunch) – Candidates’ forum for questions
  • April 6-7 – Online voting open until 11:45am 4/7 (link posted on main page)
  • April 7 at noon – Results posted on main page

Election Information

2017 Speech & Debate Elections Packet

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Districts & National Tournament Qualifiers

Here are the results for our last regular tournament of the 2016-17 season!

New Jersey District Qualifying Tournament:

  • Sam Halpern – Semifinalist in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Caitlyn Dempsey – Semifinalist in Program Oral Interpretation & Dramatic Interpretation
  • Bryn Bennett – 2nd alternate in Humorous Interpretation
  • Lauren Spencer – Qualifier in Dramatic Interpretation
  • Shefali Das – 1st alternate in Original Oratory, qualifier in Informative Speaking

This means that we have FOUR students who have qualified in their events to a national championship tournament, and THREE who are alternates to those tournaments! Please congratulate the following students on their qualification, and wish them luck at the end of this school year:

2017 NCFL Grand Nationals (Louisville, KY):

  • Caitlyn Dempsey (OI)
  • Claudia Pietrus (OO)
  • Jordan Pontelandolfo (1st alternate, OI)

2017 NSDA Nationals (Birmingham, AL):

  • Shefali Das (INF & 1st alternate, OO)
  • Lauren Spencer (DI)
  • Bryn Bennett (2nd alternate, HI)

What an end to our season! Well done all.

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States Results & Districts

First, we have our results from this weekend’s State Championships. We are so proud of all the hard work everyone on the team has put in over the year that has led to this point – students, parent judges, and coaches alike. Our individual successes and our sustained success as a program are based totally in all that you do.

  • Shefali Das – state semifinalist in Original Oratory
  • Caitlyn Dempsey – state semifinalist in Program Oral Interpretation
  • Claudia Pietrus – state semifinalist in Impromptu Speaking
  • Jess Wattman – state semifinalist in Oral Interpretation
  • Lauren Spencer – 4th place Dramatic Interpretation
  • Bryn Bennett – 5th place Humorous Interpretation & 3rd place Program Oral Interpretation
  • Sam Halpern – STATE CHAMPION IN CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
  • Team Sweepstakes – 6th place, Speech

Massive thanks are in order for all that everyone has done to get us to this point. For all our members for whom this was their last tournament this year, well done and thank you!

***

Districts is this week! All students selected to attend Districts (at Summit HS) are expected to attend our meeting after school Tuesday for important information. Districts is a special tournament that determines who will represent New Jersey at NSDA Nationals in June, so there are particular rules and regulations about competition. It is very important that everyone be at the meeting on Tuesday.

HOWEVER

Winter is not through with us, apparently, and as I write this Tuesday looks to be close to a sure bet for school cancellation. So if there is indeed a snow day, I would ask that everyone come in at lunch on Wednesday for a brief meeting on Districts instead. It will not last all of lunch, but if you want to bring your lunch and stay there, I suppose I will let you get away with that just this once. If Wednesday is somehow a snow day as well (not outside the realm of possibility, if my amateur meteorologist friends are correct), then our meeting will be at lunch on Thursday instead, but that will be cutting things verrry short.

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Weekend Results

Our last weekend before States and Districts was a busy one! Take a look below and congratulate the whole team and all these individuals on hard work well rewarded!

Bridgewater-Raritan:

  • Katherine Hu – 6th place Humorous Interpretation & Top Non-Advancing Novice, Original Oratory
  • Aaron Alemi – 4th place Novice Lincoln Douglas
  • Mallika Ravi & Braedyn Speight – 3rd place Duo Interpretation
  • Jess Wattman – 2nd place Oral Interpretation
  • Nicole Nissel – 3rd place Program Oral Interpretation & 2nd place Humorous Interpretation
  • Shefali Das – 3rd place Original Oratory & 1st place Improvisational Acting
  • Team Sweepstakes – 5th place

CFL #6 @ Union Catholic:

  • Lara Heinlein & Tyler Harper – 6th place Duo Interpretation
  • Claudia Pietrus – 4th place Original Oratory
  • Jordan Pontelandolfo – 1st place Varsity Oral Interpretation
  • Team Sweepstakes – 5th place
  • League Sweepstakes – 5th place
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States and Districts Rosters

Congratulations to all team members who have qualified or been selected to compete at the NJSDL State Championships and the NJ District Qualifying Tournament!

  • If you were not selected for States, there may still be an opportunity for you to compete in either Congress or Declamation. Please see a coach if you are interested.
  • All competitors in interpretation events are required to register their piece information here (change workbooks to change between tournaments). They  must also have their script on-hand at all times for the duration of each tournament.
  • All competitors in public address events are required to register the titles of their pieces at the same link, and must submit one annotated copy of their speech (with works cited) to a coach and carry another copy with them.
  • All competitors in debate should familiarize themselves with NSDA rules, especially on evidence challenges and use of Wifi.
  • If you have questions about these tournaments, visit this link for more information, or speak to a VP or coach.

States Rosters

Districts Rosters

Well done to all team members for a fantastic season. It’s not over yet!

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Results Results Results

Congratulations to our team on their success at the most recent tournaments. Please congratulate these team members if you see them!

District Congress @ Montville:

  • Sam Halpern – 6th place Senate (4th alternate)

Montville Invitational:

  • Katherine Hu – Top Non-Advancing Novice, Humorous Interpretation
  • Allie Wu & Paul Ward – 6th place Novice Public Forum
  • Nicole Nissel – 5th place Program Oral Interpretation
  • Renee Shen – 4th place Varsity Lincoln Douglas
  • Shefali Das – 3rd place Oral Interpretation
  • Jordan Pontelandolfo – 1st place Oral Interpretation

Harvard Invitational:

  • Amy Pu – Triple-octafinalist, Varsity Lincoln Douglas
  • Lauren Spencer – Octafinalist, Dramatic Interpretation
  • Caitlyn Dempsey – Quarterfinalist, Program Oral Interpretation
  • Bryn Bennett – Quarterfinalist, Humorous Interpretation & Semifinalist, Program Oral Interpretation

Montville Big Questions & World Schools Debate:

  • Sam Halpern, Shefali Das, & Daniel Kim – 5th place World Schools Debate

CFL #5 @ Ridge:

  • Tyler Harper & Lara Heinlein – 5th place Duo Interpretation
  • Jaqueline Wu – 1st place Junior Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Caitlyn Dempsey – 1st place Varsity Oral Interpretation

Borelli Memorial:

  • Shefali Das – 1st place Original Oratory
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Ridge Invitational Results

35 team members went to Ridge this weekend for our largest local tournament and came away with some excellent results!

  • Caitlyn Dempsey – Semifinalist, Oral Interpretation
  • Jess Wattman – Semifinalist, Oral Interpretation
  • Claudia Pietrus – Semifinalist, Original Oratory
  • Shefali Das – Semifinalist, Radio Speaking & 3rd place Original Oratory
  • Bryn Bennett – 4th place Program Oral Interpretation & 2nd place Humorous Interpretation
  • Naomi Gonzalez – 2nd place Novice Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Mallika Ravi – 1st place Novice Oral Interpretation
  • Team Sweepstakes – 6th place