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Forensics Fall Festival - Morristown, TN Invitation

Important Deadlines
Pre-Registration: Fri Oct 25, 2024 11:00 PM EDT
Registration: Tue Oct 29, 2024 11:00 PM EDT
Mx. G. Wexler
Morristown East High School
1 Hurricane Lane
Morristown, TN 37813
4232540296

The leaves are changing, the air is getting cooler, and competition is brewing at the 2024 Forensics Fall Festival - a tournament hosted by the Morristown-Hamblen Speech & Debate team. We invite you to the campus of Morristown East High School on Saturday, November 2, 2024. We offer all THSSDL events, plus Original Spoken Word Poetry. Topic areas for all limited prep events will be sent to coaches after registration closes. We are using the new THSSDL rules for Duet Improv Acting.

Meet Details

For IE, there will be 3 preliminary rounds of competition; PFD will have 4 preliminary rounds. There will be finals rounds in most events; if an event has low entry numbers, they will not go to finals and only prelim scores will determine overall placement. All prelim rounds have 1 judge; finals will have 3 judges.

Entry Details

Because we're offering all events, I set a limit of 10 per team for each category, but that is not set in stone. If your team has more than 10 entries, just text me and I'll see if we can accommodate. Each IE contestant is allowed 3 entries in total, EXCEPT students competing in TV and Extemp. Sorry. They can only double because of the prep time required. And since PFD runs on a 4 round schedule, debaters may only single-enter. We will be using the NSDA Public Forum topic for November/December - "Resolved: The United States should substantially reduce its military support of Taiwan."

In addition to all THSSDL events, students may also compete in Original Spoken Word Poetry - (5 minutes, student-written poetry, see NSDA rules for specifics) Below is a competition guide:
https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Competition-Events_Getting-Started-with-Original-Spoken-Word-Poetry_2021-05-06.pdf

If any event has fewer than 6 entries after pre-registration closes, I will communicate that with the coaches, and we may drop that event due to low enrollment.

Confirmation

Please note that registration is a TWO-STEP process. Please pre-register on SpeechEase.com before the Pre-Registration Deadline noted in this invitation. This will help us determine the total number of schools attending. Your final registration must be received by the Registration Deadline.

Fee Schedule

Per-Entry Fee
$ 8.00
A limited number of hired judges are available at a cost of $25.
There is a surcharge for each entry in the following events:
  • DUET ($8.00)
  • DUO ($8.00)
  • IMPROV ($8.00)
  • PFD ($8.00)

Fees

Please make checks payable to Morristown East High School.
1 Hurricane Lane
Morristown, TN 37813

Judging

One judge for every 6 IE entries or fraction thereof. I think I've also set it up correctly so that you can enter judge event preferences for all IE rounds, so if someone likes a particular event, it tells the SpeechEase algorithm to place them in those events when possible.

If you are entering contestants in PFD, you must provide debate-specific judges-- one judge for every 2 PFD entries or fraction thereof. Be sure to remind debate judges that if they judged PFD in September or October, the topic has changed for November/December.

Judges can be hired from the host school for $25 each. If you are able to provide any extra judges, that will ease the burden on your required judges so that they don't get assigned to every round.

If you have a judge with a physical disability or other limitation, please let me know in advance so that I can assign their rooms in a way that is more convenient for them (ex: 1st floor only, rooms near judges lounge, etc.)

We will be doing ONLINE balloting at the Forensics Fall Festival. Prior to the registration deadline, please ensure that all judges have made a SpeechEase account and that it is linked to your school. Judges will need to bring a laptop, tablet, etc. with them to judge. As an alternative to typing, judges also have the option to hand write their critiques. They will still need to bring a device that allows them to go online to access their ballot, to take photos of their paper critiques, and to upload said photos to SpeechEase.  ** In the event that the IT department cannot accommodate the request for an online tournament, I will email coaches if we end up switching to paper ballots. **

Drops

If you are aware of drops, please don't wait until arriving to notify me. Text me with any drops ASAP. It helps make me less stressed.

Concessions

Our judges lounge will be catered and managed by the Morristown-Hamblen Culinary Arts program. Concessions will be available for purchase in the cafeteria. A full menu for both judges and competitors (including prices for concessions) will be sent out closer to the tournament date.

Awards

There will be individual awards for the top 6 in each event. In addition, we will be offering team sweepstakes awards. Thank you to Rev's Trophy in Morristown for always doing a great job with trophies.

Schedule

Upon arrival, all competitors, coaches, and judges report to cafeteria. Students may purchase concessions. Free coffee and snacks will be provided for judges. Please make sure that your judges understand that we are not providing a full meal for breakfast - only for lunch.

8:00 AM - Opening Ceremony & Judges Meeting
8:30 AM - IE Round 1
10:00 AM - IE Round 2
11:30 AM - IE Round 3

8:30 AM - PFD Round 1
9:30 AM - PFD Round 2
10:30 AM - PFD Round 3
11:30 AM - PFD Round 4

Finals - around 1:30 ish
Awards - as soon as possible

Naturally, delays happen. This schedule is approximate.

Weather

If inclement weather should cause cancellation of the tournament, we, along with our principal, will make that determination by 6:00 AM on the day of the tournament.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Gabrielle Wexler at 4232540296. You may also email [email protected].

Sincerely,
Gabrielle Wexler