Welcome to the 2024 season of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute's Great Communicator Debate Series! Click on the link to find out more about the Great Communicator Debates! If you are not familiar with the Reagan style of debating, please review the website to learn more. We emphasize effective communication, civility, and competition without debate jargon or terminology. Anyone can understand and enjoy a Great Communicator Debate!

Our 2024 Regional Topic is:

Resolved: Teachers should integrate generative AI in their teaching and learning.

Further information will be provided for our meet and greet held Friday evening on April 19 located at the Va. Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, Va! You can also access the resource packet uploaded to this tournament site ( look to the right-hand side)

We will conduct an online information session via Zoom on Wednesday, March 20th, 2024 at 6:00PM EST. You can access the zipped .mp4 file of the Zoom session at the Google Drive link here.

We will also host a optional judge training and information session on Thursday April 18th at 6pm. via the Zoom link here.

A few notes for the coaches/parents:

1) Adult contacts must register students. Student-only teams are not permitted to enter. All institutions must provide at least one judge (for more than two students, an additional judge is required for every two students). There is a limit of five students per institution at the outset - however, you are encouraged to include additional students and they will be entered as room permits. We want to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate!

2) The entry fee is $15 per debater. If this fee creates a financial hardship, please reach out to us as soon as possible. This fee includes on-site lunch and breakfast for all participants, including coaches, students, and judges. Please let the local site host (Shannon Castelo) know of any dietary restrictions. You may pay your fees here. In the event of drops, fees are not refundable. However, you may replace a debater who is ill or unable to attend at any time. If your school is unable to provide a credit card for online payment you may mail your check (Made payable to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute- put Great Communicator Debate Series in the memo line) and mail to The Collegiate School c/o Shannon Castelo 103 N. Mooreland Road Richmond, Va. 23221- you can also bring on the day of competition but please reach out to Deano Pape in either case to ensure your entries are taken off the waitlist.

3) All debaters and judges must have Tabroom accounts and phone numbers attached to those accounts so that we can reach them during the day of the tournament. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about judging or setting up accounts on Tabroom. We are happy to help!

4) After students have been entered with their linked Tabroom accounts, they will be placed on a waiting list until the judges are listed and the fee has been paid.

5) All participants must be of high school age and attend an accredited high school, virtual school, or be homeschooled. Students who have graduated from high school are NOT permitted to debate unless they are mid-year graduates. Middle school students are not permitted to attend regional tournaments; however, look for additional information on our website in the fall about middle school tournament experiences starting next school year!

6) Parking- You can access a site map uploaded to our web page and also HERE. Everybody begins in Pitt Hall ( "D" on the map). You can access parking directly in front of Pitt right off Mooreland Road and also around the building to the left and behind. Follow "event parking" signs. If you have any questions about on-site logistics please contact the site host, Shannon Castelo.

7) Hotels- A list of hotels and recommended restaurants in the area that are a close driving distance to campus are provided as a pdf file to your right.

Questions? Please reach out to us! We are happy to help! We want to make your Great Communicator Debates an amazing experience!

Deano Pape
Great Communicator Debate Coordinator
dpape@reaganfoundation.org

Shannon Castelo
Mid-Atlantic Regional Qualifier Site Host
shannon_castelo@collegiate-va.org