Mississippi High School Activities Association

Speech and Debate State Championships

April 25-26, 2025

Millsaps College

1701 N State St, Jackson, MS 39210

All MHSAA Member schools are cordially invited to compete in the State Championships, which will be held April 25-26 at Millsaps College.

Eligible Schools

Participating schools must be member schools of the Mississippi High Schools Activities Association (MHSAA).

Events

This tournament includes three debate events: Public Forum Debate, Policy Debate, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate. The fourth debate event, Congressional Debate, occurred on April 4-5, 2024, at Millsaps College.

The tournament also offers 14 Speech events separated into two flighted lists:

Flight A

Dramatic Interpretation, Duet Acting, Expository Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Program of Oral Interpretation, Prose Interpretation

Flight B

Declamation, Duo Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Humorous Interpretation, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, Storytelling

Topic Areas

Storytelling:

Overcoming Manmade Disasters- Stories of disasters with far-reaching impacts and how the human spirit allowed people to overcome them.

Extemporaneous Speaking topics are listed below:

Round 1

The Trump Presidency (Domestic)

Round 2

Russia and the World (International)

Semifinals

International Hypotheticals- Students will be asked to discuss a hypothetical scenario. (International)

Finals

Big Picture Topics- Students will be asked to engage with big issues with a broad reach. (US and International)

Policy Topic:

Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks.

Lincoln-Douglas Topic:

Resolved: The development of Artificial General Intelligence is immoral.

Public Forum Topic:

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its investment in domestic nuclear energy.