Hello Friends, Neighbors and Colleagues:

The students of Athens HIgh School Speech and Debate, along with Nicole Cornish and I, would like to invite you back to our community for a quality forensic experience. We will again be returning to our TFA/UIL format with a full UIL Practice tournament Saturday November 11. We hope you’ll join us.

If you were looking for our one day full TFA tournament, that is offered on the Friday portion of the two-step. That entry is here: http://athenstwostepfridaytfa.tabroom.com

The details for the Saturday UIL tournament:

Deadlines: The deadline to enter is Tuesday November 7 at 5:00 PM.. Drops for speech & debate events made after Tuesday, November 7th at 5:00 pm will result in the loss of your entry fee. Drops made the day of the tournament will result in a $100.00 drop fee.

Cross Entering: You may only enter one debate event. We would discourage students from entering Debate and the speaking events, but entering one debate event and one speaking event is permissible. Cross entering across the speaking events should be undertaken judiciously. We will endeavor to protect cross entered students, but if a student is cross entered in three events or more, they should recognize that there is some risk in that overexposure.

Judging: Each school will be required to provide reasonably qualified judges using this customary formula:

CX Debate: One judge per two teams or part thereof

LD Debate: One judge per two entries or part thereof

PFD: One Judge per two teams or part thereof

Speaking Events: One judge for each 6 entries or part thereof

Missing Judges will incur a $125 fee for each

Speach and Debate Events Offered: Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Congressional Debate, Novice CX, Novice LD, Novice PF, Persuasive Extemp (PerX), Informative Extemp, (InfX), Novice Extemp (NX), Prose (Pr) and Poetry (Po) Reading. We have included some NSDA events that, in the past, you folks have asked about.

Academic Events: Accounting, Calculator Applications, Math, Number Sense, Computer Applications, Computer Science, Computer Programing, Copy Editing, Editorial Writing, Feature Writing, Headline Writing, News Writing, Current Events, Social Studies, Ready Writing, Spelling, and Literary Criticism. Competing schools will need to provide graders in the events entered.

Hospitality and student meals. As forensics sponsors and debate coaches, Mrs. Cornish and I are both characterized largely by our East Texas roots. Hosting is something we take seriously, and particularly hospitality. Our community is eager to host you and your kids and we expect you to leave with great memories of the competition, the collegiality and the food. Similarly, we are making every effort to be sure the food offerings in concessions are wholesome and priced reasonably.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us. We are also available by email:

Walter Willis Nicole Cornish

School Phone: 903-677-6920 School phone: 903-677-6920

Cell: 713-819-2082 Cell: 903-570-4949

WWillis@AthensISD.net NCornish@AthensISD.net

Warm Regards,

Walter and Nicole