Hi im maddie ive done extempt one time!!

im so hyped to judge!!!

Just try. :)

Hello!

I am a speaker at Memorial High School and have competed in Speech and Debate for 3 years now! My main events are OO and INFO but I have done some Interp too. I'm looking forward to enjoying some interesting speeches with you all!

OO: I want to see a well-organized and structured speech. It helps to have a vehicle to help the audience know where the speech is going. I appreciate humor, but make sure to execute it well, and don't let it distract from the speech. Please use sources to back up information, and make sure to include at least the year. Solutions should be tangible. In terms of speaking, don't be monotone. Have inflections in your voice and good cadence, otherwise all the information will sound the same and get lost. Fluency errors should be minimal. Enunciate your words so everything you say is heard and your message is not lost:). In terms of walking around the room, the traditional triangle/diamond is preferred for transitions. Please don't walk around randomly and start talking to a wall, always face your audience. For hand motions don't have too little or too many, it can be distracting. Try to keep them below your chest and not too wide and crazy, they should complement your speech. I'm just looking for an enjoyable speech that presents a real issue with tangible solutions but no matter what you should be proud of yourselves and ultimately have fun!

INFO: As someone who competes in INFO, I know how frustrating VAs are. If you do have VAs though they should be neat, organized, and serve a purpose. When you are going through your speech and VAs, they should be handled and transitioned smoothly and with caution, not roughly. For speeches, the most important thing is that they should be informative, NOT persuasive. The topic should be something that most people do not know and would be surprised to find out about. Please have sources to back up information and sources should have detailed dates because this is informative speaking. The speech needs to be clear and display the true implications of the topic. I appreciate humor, but make sure to execute it well, and don't let it distract from the speech Please don't walk around randomly and start talking to a wall, always face your audience. For hand motions don't have too little or too many, it can be distracting. Try to keep them below your chest and not too wide and crazy, they should complement your speech. I'm just looking for an enjoyable speech that presents an interesting topic but no matter what you should be proud of yourselves and ultimately have fun!

Interp: Please, please, please, please, please don't shriek. I have sensitive ears. Enunciate your words so your piece isn't lost and I can follow it. Blocking should help with following the piece and understanding what is going on so it shouldn't be confusing. Transitions should feel natural and smooth, not random and messy. For binder events, don't let it be a monologue, use different tones and techniques to make the piece interesting. Especially for POI, pieces should work cohesively to form a program that clearly conveys your topic. Use the binder in creative ways, I want to see something innovative and clever! In the end, just have fun you! Should be proud of yourselves.

Hey, I'm Paul, a rising senior at Stratford High School. I mainly compete in Extemp, and have finaled at UIL State twice, quartered the UT Longhorn in USX, and quartered TFA State in IX. I am the deputy Editor in Chief at the Equality in Forensics Red Folder, a news source geared towards competitors (aka I read the news). I also have some experience in Oratory.

Debate:

• Consider me a truth judge, as I will not look favorably on arguments that are not backed up properly. I like to see interesting takes on topics, but ones that can reasonably be backed up in reality.
• I can flow pretty fast. Take that how you will.

Oratory/Info:

For PA events other than Extemp, I generally tend to give equal weight to delivery and writing. I like a polished speech, but I want to see the humanity in it; I should be able to tell why you picked this topic over anything else you could have done.

In Oratory specifically, I need solutions. These solutions should be relevant to your topic and towards your audience. As far as I'm concerned, an Oratory without solutions is pointless.

Congress:

I have some experience in Congress, so I know what the event is supposed to look like, and what it is not. I absolutely abhor the toxic culture that seems to be prevalent which advances being rude and bullying people in order to show "dominance". I value unique arguments, and don't like seeing rehash. Again, please be nice, especially in questioning.

Extemp:

In Extemp, I definitely value analysis over delivery, although delivery is important and I will take that into account. I like to see structure, and your substructure across all three points should be the same (unified analysis) except in VERY rare circumstances (ie super complex court or econ topics).

I almost act as a cross examiner when watching speeches, trying to find weak areas and how you address them. I like to see logical arguments that flow nicely which I have a hard time poking holes in them. I'd actually advise trying this in prep: think about the questions a cross examiner could ask, and address them so that the logic is more sound.

Speaking of cross examination, be nice. I don't particularly like seeing the more "Congressy" style of cross. Although you should obviously strive to ask good questions, and I will reward you if you do, you should ask them politely; cross should look a lot more like an news interview of an expert than a cheap TV show's version of a courtroom.

As for AGDs, I don't value them that highly. What I mean by this is not to refrain from having them, but I would rather not see one than a bad one. They should be clearly linked to your topic, and look like something that is applicable to this speech, not just a device you pull out every time you get a question with the word Nigeria in it.

I do not like canned or inappropriate AGDs, and while I usually won't give it an automatic 6, I will definitely down you for it. In addition, AGDs stolen from NSDA finals are not something you should be using; everyone has seen those, and everyone will know you are fine with plagiarism. This doesn't go so much for ideas that are so widely used that they are in the "public domain" per se, but you should be able to come up with something about it that is unique to you; I don't like canned punchlines.

Interp:

Please don't let me be your Interp judge. I have absolutely no experience, and don't like the event. If that fails, I would like to see clear character transitions (in HI especially), energy that doesn't look too rehearsed, and vocal variety (ie don't just yell at me for ten minutes, have levels). Otherwise, consider me a lay judge.

In all events, DO NOT USE YOUR PHONE IN ROUND. I will drop you to the heaviest extent possible that I can in the event, as will most other judges.

I am a high school senior at Memorial High School with my primary events revolving around interp. I currently compete in DI/POI/PR but have experience in DEC/DUO/PO/STO/OO

Interp

I want to see how you define the characters in your performances and how the traits you choose to highlight further your performance. Furthermore, I believe a message is super important to a performance and further develops a performance. In the end, everyone has a unique performance style and how you choose to interpret a piece is important.

Speech

I believe a seamless structure to your speeches is essential as it allows your audience to follow your points and understand your argument. I am primarily looking for an entertaining performance that makes me consider the points you are trying to make.

In any event your presentation is important as well as knowing your material. That's why when it comes to presentation your ability to keep going is more important than if you have a fluency break. As long as you're easy to follow and know what you're talking about to a certain degree you will make it and in the end everyone has worked hard to get to this point.

OO /INFO:

The first things I take into consideration are overall presentation/presence and a solid structure.

When I talk about a "strong and clear voice" however, I want you to still sound like yourself. try not to have a "newscaster voice" or sound like someone other than yourself.

Presentation: I look for confidence in your speaking- you are well versed in your topic of choice and (hopefully) passionate about it, so make that be known :) this would include having a strong and clear voice, confidence in body language and overall, and using appropriate vocal tones when necessary. When I talk about a "strong and clear voice" however, I want you to still sound like yourself. try not to have a "newscaster voice" or sound like someone other than yourself.

Content: Going hand and hand with structure, your speech should have a logical line of reasoning. I definitely value content over presentation because at the end of the day, what you're saying is what matters most.

For OO Specifically:

Structure: Oratory should have an intro, three main points, and a conclusion. These three points usually consisting of the causes of your issue, its effects, and solutions. It doesn't necessarily have to follow this structure, but regardless of what points you pick, it should flow and make sense. these points would be between the intro and conclusion, and you should move for point structure to differentiate the different points. When it comes to sources, definitely make sure to cite them, but I don't need dates (unless it's an event, article, etc.) I should be persuaded by your speech.

For INFO specifically:

Structure: again, three points like OO, but this time they're usually history, present, implications etc. I should be learning something from your speech.

INTERP:

Presentation: again, confidence is key. loud and clear vocal projection. when there are multiple characters in your piece, I should be able to differentiate them. when it comes to voices/accents, make sure to keep them consistent throughout your whole piece. clean blocking where I can tell what is going on. I want to see emotion and different levels when appropriate. Focal points should also remain consistent. clean pops for HI, and let those jokes land for that event as well.

Overall have fun and be proud of your speeches!

Hello, I'm Aubrey Wilson and am currently a student at Memorial High School. I compete in Original Oratory. In a speech round, I believe structure and presentation is vital to allow your audience to be follow and understand your speech. I am primarily looking for a speech with solid points and a captivating performance. I look forward to hearing everyone's speech!