• 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.

Script Submission

If you are entered in one or more of these events, you MUST submit a script:

OO, Pers, OI, Duo, Slam Poetry

RAPID APPROVAL OPTION: If your script has already been approved by another Stoa tournament AND you are NOT changing your script, please send your approval email to torchscripts@gmail.com with subject line: Rapid Approval: Event - Lastname, Firstname. Use event abbrevations: OO, Pers, OI, Duo, SP. Include your scanned script and an updated submission form with tournament name: Carry the TORCH. 

News Flash: Each script submitted by March 15th ahead of the deadline on March 18th, will be entered into a raffle for a gift card. We will give away THREE gift cards! 

Please read the instructions from Stoa carefully and be sure to complete the form and prepare/copy the correct pages to submit with the form.

Competitors who do not submit a script will not be allowed to compete.

Initial Script Submission Opens: February 28th
Initial Script Submission Closes: March 18th by 11:59pm

Script submission corrections: Scripts must be corrected within 48 hours of notice. Please carefully monitor your email after you submit your script. You will either receive an approval email or a request for corrections. Script corrections will close on March 22nd. If your script needs corrections, your script must be corrected no later than this date. Failure to resubmit on time will result in the student being dropped from the event with no refund.

Watch the tutorial!

Just 6 minutes will save you loads of time!
Rapid Review YouTube

How to Submit Scripts Electronically: Steps 1-5

1. READ THE RULES for your speech event here. 

2. READ THE SCRIPT PREP INSTRUCTIONS & OBTAIN FORMS here. 

3. PREPARE your SCRIPT SUBMISSION FORM with your parent or someone at your club. This can be done online. Include initials and signatures. BE SURE "Carry the TORCH" is listed as the tournament.

4. COMBINE each speech into a single file in PDF only. Scan into a single file (you can use your phone for this!)

Suggestions for phone scanning:
Download and use a PDF phone scanner app like Adobe App. The Notes app on Iphone is also PDF converter.

Suggestions for editing and merging your documents

GeniusScan
PDFmerge
Adobe PDF Editor
Adobe Reader

5. ONLY 1 FILE PER SPEECH: PDF only. Combine files before proceeding.

NAME FILE: Event - Lastname, Firstname.pdf (from the computer before proceeding) Use event abbrevations: OO, Pers, OI, Duo, SP

5. SUBMIT SCRIPTS WITH THE SUBJECT LINE: Event abbv. (OO, Pers, OI, Duo, SP) - Lastname, Firstname to torchscripts@gmail.com

If you have script submission questions, please direct them to: Torchscripts@gmail.com

New this tournament - the opportunity to pre-order and pick-up freshly made sourdough bread and other items made at a local cottage bakery called All About That Loaf. You won't want to miss out on this opportunity! All About That Loaf will also be providing the community and alumni judge gifts. What a special treat. Support a local microbakery by heading over to the "Meals" section to place your order. Payment due at pick-up between 2-4pm at the tournament.  Be sure to follow her page on Facebook: All About That Loaf

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, email torchtournaments@gmail.com

Your participation is what helps us host these tournaments. Without your active involvement, we wouldn't be successful. Because of this need, please review the following parameters and reach out with any issues or questions.

Requirements

1. Competitors must be accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone who is available to judge for the entire tournament. Your student will not be able to check-in at the tournament without an accompanying parent or adult chaperone. Each parent will be responsible for judging at least 3 rounds. We appreciate all parents who are willing to judge more than their requirements as it will allow our tournament to run smoothly and on time.

2. If a parent cannot attend, prior approval and an alternative contribution must be arranged with the tournament director for the student to participate.

3. To meet the tournament's judging needs, each out-of-town chaperone may only cover 2 students. Exception is granted to families with more than two children.

4. Community and alumni judges will be given priority. If there is not a ballot for you when you arrive at Ballot Push, please do not assume that you are not needed for future rounds. You may be needed to judge a round that you did not sign up for due to unexpected circumstances. Parents, please remain in the ballot push area until all ballots have been handed out in case you need to be called on to judge due to unexpected circumstances. Timeliness will help us keep the tournament on schedule.

5. Please be mindful of judging conflicts. Be advised that coaches and parents cannot judge their own students, and they may not judge a debate team (in the same event) twice during the tournament. If you have a close personal relationship/friendship with, are related to, or have coached a competitor, we ask that you do not judge that individual.

6. Please study the Stoa Speech and Debate Judge Training slides for the 2024-2025 season located here:

Tournament Resources | StoaUSA

If a parent is unable to fulfill this duty, please contact the tournament director to explain the circumstances and ask for permission to register without a designated judge. Please email us at (elizabeth.d.bell@gmail.com) (This exception will be given only to a limited number of students, first come, first served.)

Thank you for your commitment to these students. We hope that you have a great tournament!

Sincerely,
TORCH Speech and Debate Club

Tournament Location

March 29, 2025 - Check in at 7:00 AM (Debate only)

Capital Baptist Church
3504 Gallows Rd
Annandale, VA 22003

Google Maps

All speech events will take place in the Educational Building. Awards will be in the church next door in the Worship Building. Judge hospitality, ballot push, ballot check, and student area will be located in the gym. Please only eat in the gym.

Please clean up all personal belongings out of the educational building after the last debate round and before finals and awards by 7:30pm

Lincoln Douglas Value Debate

Final Resolution:

Resolved: In U.S. law enforcement, accountability ought to be prioritized over effectiveness.

Debate Period: March 10, 2025-NITOC 2025

​

-Statement of Purpose:-

Lincoln Douglas is value debate. A Lincoln Douglas debate examines competing value systems to answer big questions. The purpose of Lincoln Douglas value debate is to instill in Christian home school students the skills of presentation, critical thinking, research, and value analysis. That endeavor is accomplished in an environment of honorable competition that cultivates maturity, wisdom, grace, poise, and brings glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lincoln Douglas Value Debate Teams
The term ‘team’ in Lincoln Douglas Value Debate refers to a single student competing. A Lincoln Douglas Value debate round consists of two teams.

• It is the job of the affirmative team to uphold the resolution. If the affirmative is successful, they win, and the judge should vote for the resolution.

• If the affirmative fails to do so, the negative team wins, and the judge should vote accordingly

The Lincoln Douglas Value Debate Round
Lincoln Douglas Value debate is a discussion of values tied to the resolution. It primarily concerns what ought to be instead of what is. The judge should place greater weight on philosophical and logical arguments made over specific applications or evidence in deciding on the big picture idea. A value is a principle by which the validity of the resolution may be examined.

LD Rules and Standards:

StoaLincolnDouglasRules2024-25_v2.docx (stoausa.org)

Speech Events Offered:

Impromptu*

Mars Hill - Classic Film and Television, Literature, The Arts

Original Oratory

Persuasive

Open Interp

Duo Interp

Slam Poetry

*Competitors are encouraged to sign up for more than just Impromptu!

Max of FOUR speech events per competitor, please. 

Competition
During competition and awards ceremony, students must dress in modest, professional business attire.

Professional business attire for Gentlemen:
Suit, or slacks and blazer jacket. Collared shirt and tie. Professional dress shoes and socks.

Professional business attire for Ladies:
Skirt suit or pant suit; or professional slacks, skirt or dress with a blazer jacket. Leggings and tights are not to be worn as pants. Dress/skirt hemlines and slits should be no higher than the middle of the knee. Hose are not required. Business professional dress shoes.