RHS Speech and Debate
Speech:
Dramatic Performance - Students present selections from published plays, screenplays, fictional or non-fictional work that are either serious or humorous in nature. The selections must be memorized with a maximum length of ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Duo Interpretation of Literature - A presentation by two participants of a single selection of literature. Each performer may present one or more characters. Each character should be sufficiently developed and should interact meaningfully with the other characters. The sections must be memorized. Movement should be limited and suggested rather than exaggerated. The maximum length is ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Extemporaneous Speaking - Each student draws three topics on current domestic, international, or economic issues; chooses one and has thirty minutes to prepare a speech of a maximum length of seven minutes. Students may use periodicals or other published materials, filed beforehand, to assist them. Students may not refer to any written notes during the speech (National Forensic League).
Oral Interpretation of Literature- Students present selections in two categories -- prose and poetry. Each selection must be a maximum of ten minutes in length. The student must hold a manuscript and appear to be reading. The students alternate between rounds of prose and rounds of poetry (National Forensic League).
Oratorical Declamation- Open to students in the ninth or tenth grades only. Students must use a speech or portion of a speech previously given by another person. The speech must be memorized with a maximum length of ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Original Oratory- Students prepare original orations, usually persuasive or informative on a current topic. Any topic is permissible and any form of oration is permitted. The presentation must be memorized, with a maximum length of ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Impromptu– Students draw a topic or quotation, and have seven minutes total to prepare and deliver a speech on that topic or quotation (National Forensic League).
Storytelling– Students read a children’s story from a manuscript and attempt to bring the story to life. The maximum length is ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Debate:
Lincoln Douglas Debate– Individual students debate issues of values and philosophy. Students are judged on persuasiveness, logic, argumentation, evidence, and clarity of speech. The topic being debated switches every two months. The January/February topic is: Resolved: It is just for the United States to use military force to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations that pose a military threat (National Forensic League).
Public Forum Debate– Two teams of two debaters advocate or reject a position posed by the resolution. The focus of the debate is a clash of ideas in a persuasive manner that can be understood by a “lay” judge. The topic being debated switches every month. The February topic is: Resolved: That Russia has become a threat to U.S. interests (National Forensic League).
Policy Debate– Two teams of two debaters argue a single policy-based resolution for the entire year. Students are judged on analysis, reasoning, evidence, organization, refutation, and theory. The 2007-08 policy resolution is: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey (National Forensic League).
Student Congress- Students engage in legislative debate. Legislation is prepared by the students in advance in the areas of Domestic, Economic, and Foreign Affairs. Students debate the merits of the legislation presented (National Forensic League).
Dramatic Performance - Students present selections from published plays, screenplays, fictional or non-fictional work that are either serious or humorous in nature. The selections must be memorized with a maximum length of ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Duo Interpretation of Literature - A presentation by two participants of a single selection of literature. Each performer may present one or more characters. Each character should be sufficiently developed and should interact meaningfully with the other characters. The sections must be memorized. Movement should be limited and suggested rather than exaggerated. The maximum length is ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Extemporaneous Speaking - Each student draws three topics on current domestic, international, or economic issues; chooses one and has thirty minutes to prepare a speech of a maximum length of seven minutes. Students may use periodicals or other published materials, filed beforehand, to assist them. Students may not refer to any written notes during the speech (National Forensic League).
Oral Interpretation of Literature- Students present selections in two categories -- prose and poetry. Each selection must be a maximum of ten minutes in length. The student must hold a manuscript and appear to be reading. The students alternate between rounds of prose and rounds of poetry (National Forensic League).
Oratorical Declamation- Open to students in the ninth or tenth grades only. Students must use a speech or portion of a speech previously given by another person. The speech must be memorized with a maximum length of ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Original Oratory- Students prepare original orations, usually persuasive or informative on a current topic. Any topic is permissible and any form of oration is permitted. The presentation must be memorized, with a maximum length of ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Impromptu– Students draw a topic or quotation, and have seven minutes total to prepare and deliver a speech on that topic or quotation (National Forensic League).
Storytelling– Students read a children’s story from a manuscript and attempt to bring the story to life. The maximum length is ten minutes (National Forensic League).
Debate:
Lincoln Douglas Debate– Individual students debate issues of values and philosophy. Students are judged on persuasiveness, logic, argumentation, evidence, and clarity of speech. The topic being debated switches every two months. The January/February topic is: Resolved: It is just for the United States to use military force to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations that pose a military threat (National Forensic League).
Public Forum Debate– Two teams of two debaters advocate or reject a position posed by the resolution. The focus of the debate is a clash of ideas in a persuasive manner that can be understood by a “lay” judge. The topic being debated switches every month. The February topic is: Resolved: That Russia has become a threat to U.S. interests (National Forensic League).
Policy Debate– Two teams of two debaters argue a single policy-based resolution for the entire year. Students are judged on analysis, reasoning, evidence, organization, refutation, and theory. The 2007-08 policy resolution is: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey (National Forensic League).
Student Congress- Students engage in legislative debate. Legislation is prepared by the students in advance in the areas of Domestic, Economic, and Foreign Affairs. Students debate the merits of the legislation presented (National Forensic League).
