• 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.

JUNIORS EVENTS AND GUIDELINES

• Juniors events are only for students who are 5-11 years old on Oct 1, 2024. Junior debate is for students ages 9-11.

• Junior speech registration fee is $10 for the first event, $7 for each additional event. Junior debate event is $10 per student.

• Juniors can register using the Student Registration tab at the top of this webpage, just like Seniors.

• Juniors may register for a maximum of three speech events plus debate.

• There is no script submission for Juniors.

• There will not be any finals for Juniors.

• Juniors can check-in at the same time as the Seniors

There will be two rounds for the Juniors in the following Speech categories

(Click on each event for the corresponding guidelines.)

• Juniors Apologetics 

• Juniors Expository

• Juniors Bible Story Impromptu 

• Juniors Platform

• Juniors Impromptu 

• Juniors Interp

• Juniors Interp Duo

Juniors Apologetics Questions

1.  Who is Jesus?

2.  How does the Holy Spirit help us?

3.  How do we see God in creation?

4.  What is the fall?

5.  Why did Jesus have to die?

6.  Can a person do enough good things to get into heaven?

7.  What is grace?

8.  What is repentance?

9.  What is sin?

10.  What is the Bible?

11.  Why must Jesus be truly human and truly God?

12.  How many persons are there in God? 

Bible Story Impromptu Topics

1. Healing of Naaman

2. Jonah

3. Noah's Ark

4. Christ is Born

5. Jesus Turns Water Into Wine

6. Jesus Calms the Storm

7. The Burning Bush

8. The Tomb is Empty

9. Jesus Walks on Water

10. Prodigal Son

11. Daniel in the Lion’s Den

12. Saul Becomes Paul

We will offer two rounds of debate for Juniors.

Resolved: In US history, Benjamin Franklin was more important than Thomas Jefferson. 

• One mentor is allowed per team. Prior to the tournament, each team should pick a mentor or contact the Junior Tournament director for help in finding one.

• Junior Debate Guidelines and Helpful Hints: Junior Debate 2024-2025

Juniors Judges

• Senior students who would like to judge Juniors speech events must have competed in at least one NITOC-modeled tournament as a Senior prior to the Diamond.

• Senior students who would like to judge Juniors debate must be at least a second-year debater.

• Sign-up sheets will be available throughout the tournament.

• Juniors Judges need to arrive 10 minutes before each Juniors round in order to judge. At that time, they'll go through a short judges' orientation to prepare them.

Welcome to the campus of William Jewell College. 

500 College Hill, Liberty, Missouri 64068

When you turn into the entrance, you will see the White Science Center building, park there. Enter the bottom floor of the Pryor Learning Commons which is toward the hill in the parking lot. 

Introducing William Jewell College: A community of Thinkers and Doers! It's the critical thinking college! Explore WJC at https://www.jewell.edu/  If any Stoa students and parents would like to schedule a campus tour, please contact Janine at (314) 791-4654. 

The students of the Argumentation and Debate Class (COM323) will be hosting this tournament. Be sure to thank them! Introducing: 

Script Submission--

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

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

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! Please check in at Ballot Push regularly and check your email and texts for judge need emergencies.

Every attempt is being made to recruit judges from the William Jewell student, faculty and friends. It is our hope and prayer that parents will not have to judge very often. But since it's spring break we just don't know. WE appreciate you helping to make this a fabulous tournament!

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.

Hotel Blocks for a Discount, register by:                   (TBA)

Other hotels nearby:

(we googled them, but are not necessarily recommending them) 

Best Western Premier Liberty Inn & Suites 

421 N State Rte 291, Liberty, MO 64068•(816) 857-7777

Sleep Inn & Suites Indoor Waterpark

1840 N Church Rd, Liberty, MO 64068•(816) 335-4402

Home2 Suites by Hilton Liberty NE Kansas City

401 N State Rte 291, Liberty, MO 64068•(816) 429-8646

Hampton Inn Kansas City-Liberty

8551 Church Rd, Kansas City, MO 64157•(816) 415-9600

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Liberty/NE Kansas City Area

421 N State Rte 291, Liberty, MO 64068•(816) 429-2042

Comfort Suites Kansas City-Liberty

8200 N Church Rd, Kansas City, MO 64158•(816) 301-5141