• Setup:

  This status is used while the tournament is still being setup.

• Open:

  This status means tournament registration is open. Families can register for the tournament.

• Drops Only:

  This status means only registration drops are allowed. There are no new entries allowed but families can drop entries.

• Closed:

  This status means registration is currently closed for the tournament. There are no adds or drops allowed. Please contact the tournament director with any questions.

• Completed:

  This status means the tournament is completed.

Little Tournament on the Prairie
(A Stoa Tournament offered by Prairie Fire Speech and Debate)

We are so excited you are interested in serving as a community judge at Little Tournament on the Prairie this year. Community judges are vital to making our tournaments a success - we could not do this without YOU!

 Here is some information you will find useful:

Tournament Dates:
February 6-8, 2025

Tournament Location:
The Gospel Chapel
2005 N Hendricks
Hutchinson, KS 67502

When you arrive at the church, please check-in at the judge greeter desk in the foyer! 

Please plan to arrive at least 40 minutes before the scheduled start time of the round(s) you are judging. You will need to plan on 2.5 to 3 hours for each round you judge.

We are pleased to offer you beverages and meals while you are with us!

Thank you for volunteering your time! 

Need to contact us? ltopkansas@gmail.com, or text Michelle @ 620-664-6496

Parent Judging

Every student is required to have a parent or adult present to judge.

Anyone that has had any exposure to speech and debate tournaments knows we cannot run a quality tournament without parent judges. We need you, and appreciate everyone jumping in to give our students lots of feedback! We will do our best to recruit community judges to help in this!

We are asking parents to check in with Push at every round possible. Expect to experience the thrill of judging very often at Little Tournament on the Prairie!

Little Tournament on the Prairie

Script Submission

All senior competitors with prepared speeches must complete the script submission process. 

There is no script submission for junior speech events.

Important Dates and Deadlines
Script Submission Opens: January 1st, 2025, at 2:00 pm 
Early Script Deadline: January 20th, 2024, at 11:59 pm
Regular Script Deadline: January 26th, 2025, at 11:59 pm
Corrections Deadline: January 30th, 2025, at 11:59 pm

Early Script Submission Prize Drawing: We will be offering a prize drawing for every script submitted before 11:59pm on January 20th.  Each script gives 1 entry into the drawing.

All scripts must be submitted by January 26th to avoid being dropped from that event. You will receive a confirmation email once your script has been received and approved. 

Script Submission Corrections:  January 30th, 2024 at 11:59 pm.  If your script needs corrections, it must be corrected and submitted no later than this date.  

Arkansas Diamond Competitors: LTOP is accepting Diamond script approvals, if your script is unchanged between the two tournaments. Please email electronicscriptsubmission@gmail.com with your name and event of approved script(s). If you have made changes, please submit your script through the full process.

How to Submit Scripts Electronically: 

1. Follow the rules for your speech event.
2. Follow the script submission guidelines and forms. 
3. Watch this short video.
4. Combine each speech into a single PDF file. (Recommended: Use a PDF phone scanner app)
5. Name the file correctly: Last Name, First Name - event.pdf
6. SUBMIT SCRIPTS HERE
7. Correct or Celebrate: If your script is returned for corrections, complete any requirements in a timely manner and resubmit. Otherwise, it is time to celebrate your approval!

Resources

Rapid Review & Approve (tutorial for competitors)

Publication Guidelines 2024-2025

Speech Citations Help Page 2024-2025

Stoa Plagiarism Policy 2024-2025

Interpretation Script Submission Guidelines 2024-2025

Platform Script Submission Guidelines 2024-2025

Slam Poetry Script Submission Guidelines 2024-2025

For questions regarding script submission, please contact: electronicscriptsubmission@gmail.com

Expos Competitor Info

Please be aware that our expos storage and competition rooms are located down a set of wide stairs. There is no elevator, so you will need to carry your props down the steps at the start of the tournament, and back up when you are completely done using your props at LTOP.

Parli Competitior Info

Rules

We recommend each team carry a copy of the 2024-2025 Parli Rules. 

Resolution Announcement

You must be in the Parli announcement room 5 minutes before the scheduled start time for each round.

Timing

Parli Debate will be self-timing, so please bring a working timepiece.

Internet

Unfortunately, Wifi will not be available for Parli, so you will have to rely on your brilliant Parli minds! The resolutions will be written accordingly. You are free to bring Extemp boxes or hard copies of magazines to use in prep. You may also use your phone, or a hotspot. 

Junior Speech

We are excited to offer Juniors Speech events this year at the Little Tournament on the Prairie!

We are offering 3 Juniors events:
Impromptu
Platform (Expos, OO, Pers)
Interp (Individual and Duo)

Participation in Junior's Speech is a $10 flat fee per competitor.

Juniors rounds will take place during Parli 6 and TP/LD Finals rounds on Saturday. (Two rounds, in the 12:00-3:00pm timeframe.) Awards are at 7:30pm.

Event Rules

Impromptu Rules
Interp Rules
Platform Rules

Little Tournament on the Prairie

Tabulation Policies

LTOP will adhere to Stoa's Transparent Tabulation Process. For more information about Stoa's Tabulation policies and procedures, please see the Stoa Tabulation Manual.

• In the event of an odd number of competitors in a debate event, a bye will be necessary. The bye will be randomly assigned for the first two rounds and to the low seed for the remaining preliminary rounds.

• For all debate events, the first 2 rounds will be randomly paired, employing club protection if possible. However, due to disproportionate club size, club protect may not be achievable. Rounds 4-6 will be power matched, depending on number of competitors.

• Stoa NITOC tie breakers will be used to rank teams through preliminary progression.

Little Tournament on the Prairie

Video Recording and Pictures

We understand that family and friends may wish to take pictures or video record during some rounds of speech and debate. We ask that before you photograph or video record any student, you obtain permission from the parent of the competitor in question or parents of competitors in a debate round.

All live video streaming of any event during the tournament is prohibited.

Little Tournament on the Prairie

Adult/Minor Modeling Participant Release

We may be capturing photos/video for promotional use by Stoa. By completing your Little Tournament on the Prairie registration, you are indicating agreement to the terms of this document. 

Adult/Minor Modeling Participant Release

In consideration of my membership in Stoa, which includes the membership of all my dependent minor children, I hereby grant to Stoa and to its sponsors, and those acting with Stoa’s authority and permission, the irrevocable and unrestricted right and permission to take, use, reuse, publish, and republish photographic portraits or pictures, videos or recordings of me or of my minor children, or in which I or my minor children may be included, in whole or in part, made through any and all media now or hereafter known. I also consent to the use of any printed matter in conjunction therewith or the use of my name and/or the name(s) of my minor children, in connection therewith if Stoa so decides.

I consent to the use of my name or the name(s) of my minor children for the purposes of posting tournament results and point accrual to a Stoa designated online database.

I hereby waive any right that I or my minor children may have to inspect or approve the finished product or products.

I hereby release, discharge and agree to save harmless Stoa and its sponsors and all persons acting under its permission or authority from any liability including any claims for libel or invasion of privacy, rights of publicity, copyright or otherwise. I hereby warrant that I am a legal competent adult and that I have every right to contract for myself and/or the minor in the above regard. I state further that I have read the above authorization, release, and agreement, prior to its execution, and that I am fully familiar with the contents of it.

Hotels

All hotels are within about 10 minutes or less of the tournament.

Hampton Inn Hutchinson
1401 1 2 East 11th Street
Hutchinson, Kansas, 67501

Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Hutchinson
1420 N Lorraine St
Hutchinson, KS 67501

Holiday Inn Express Hutchinson
The intersection of Porter and Lorraine
Hutchinson, Kansas 67501

Fairfield Inn & Suites Hutchinson
1111 North Lorraine Street
Hutchinson, Kansas 67501

Comfort Inn & Suites
1601 Super Plaza Avenue
Hutchinson, KS, 67501

Host Housing

A limited amount of Host Housing is available. Host families will provide a place to sleep and shower. 

To request host housing, please fill out this Host Housing Form. 

Questions? Please contact LTOPKansas@gmail.com