I LOVED speech and debate when I was in high school. I think the critical thinking skills and the necessity to respond in the moment are life skills that are difficult to learn elsewhere. If you would like this type of opportunity for your student, here is an opportunity to build their enthusiasm and get an inside look at a speech and debate tournament.
From Lisa Lueken the NCFCA Illinois State Representative:
Speech and Debate Tournament – University of St. Francis
On March 4-6, 2013 several hundred homeschool students will gather at the University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois, for a three day speech and debate tournament. We need several hundred judges! Our students love to have homeschool parents as judges because you give excellent feedback! It’s a 2 1/2 to 3-hour time commitment which includes a brief orientation, the speech or debate round and refreshments in our hospitality room.To register go to www.ncfca.org and click on “Judges” in the upper right hand corner. You should see a link for “Best of the Mid-West” after clicking on the state of Illinois. If you have any questions please contact Mary Vilim at mjvilim@gmail.com or (630) 466-0117. Also, please feel free to invite a friend! No experience is necessary. We are training our students to talk to people of all walks of life.
If you are a homeschooler who is considering having your student participate in speech and debate at some time in the future, we encourage you to come judge at our tournament and see what we’re about. Children who are old enough to sit still for 1 1/2 hours are welcome to come and observe.
Looks like a fantastic opportunity to jump right into this effective skill building experience.