Can you believe it? It’s that time of year again–The beginning of a new school year! New classes, new books, new clothes, new friends, and so many things to look forward to, plus my favorite…. A new season of speech and debate!
To help you get geared up, Lasting Impact! is offering Wednesday Workshops all through the month of August. Every Wednesday our fabulous instructors are ready to help you learn about different categories, dig deeper into familiar ones, or just explore new ideas. You won’t want to miss getting a head start on your Speech and Debate journey.
Signing up for an Online Workshop is easy!! All workshops are through an online forum called Zoom. It’s a quick and easy download that your instructor will send to you as part of their introduction email (usually within 24 hours of your workshop).
So, check out this fantastic line up of Online Workshops coming directly to you, in the comfort of your own home and sign up NOW so you don’t miss any of the ideas, tips, and valuable information! All workshops are recorded, and there is no guarantee we will be able to make it into a Recorded Workshop, therefore we encourage you to sign up, even if you cannot attend. The recording will be sent to your email, after the session is downloaded.
All 1 hour workshops are $5 for Members/$20 for nonmembers and 1.5 hour workshops are $10 for Members/$25 nonmembers. For complete discriptions or to sign up CLICK HERE.
Wednesday, August 7 at 6:00-7:30pm CT Digital Presentation with Isabelle Clausen
Wednesday, August 7 at 8:00-9:00 pm CT Persuasive with Isabelle Clausen
Wednesday, August 14 at 6:00-7:00 pm CT Apologetics with Kaitlyn Butts
Wednesday August 14 at 7:30-8:30 pm CT Speech and Debate/College Connections with Kaitlyn Butts
Wednesday, August 14 at 8:00-9:00 pm CT Team Policy: What makes good evidence on an energy topic? With Eric Meinerding
Wednesday August 21 at 6:00-7:00 pm CT Extemp with Hope Rawlson
Wednesday, August 21 at 7:30-8:30 pm CT Moot Court with Eric Meinerding
Wednesday, August 28 at 5:30-6:30 pm CT NCFCA Lincoln Douglas Debate with Hope Rawlson
Wednesday, August 28 at 6:30-7:30 pm CT Cutting for Humorous Interpretation with Luke Crory
Do you have a local speech and debate club? Does it offer Apologetics or Extemp? What about Moot Court? Are you looking for accountability? Lasting Impact! Fall Classes/Clubs are just around the corner, and this year we just added more clubs/classes to our mix.
How cool is it, we live in an age where we can meet people all over the country from the comfort of our homes? How awesome is it, that your students can receive solid coaching and instruction from experienced instructors?
Lasting Impact! strives to give you the most opportunities in your journey with Speech and Debate. Our coaches are amazing! They have proven track records, making delving into Speech and Debate fun and engaging. Our Online Community allows students to get to know other kids from around the country. These clubs are not lecture type classes, all students learn, grow, and participate… making connections for a lifetime!
Our classes are run on an online meeting forum called Zoom. It’s a quick free download on to your computer. Classes are recorded, therefore, even if you can’t be there- you won’t miss a thing.
This year we have even MORE opportunities than ever before for students to engage in Speech and Debate! Now is the time to join! Space will be limited – so be sure to sign up early! https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/clubs/
Advanced Online Apologetics Club with Kaitlyn Butts
When: Every other week starting August 26, 2019 (8 sessions) Mondays at 8:00 CST/9:00 EST Cost: $40 Members/$65 Nonmembers
Advanced Apologetics is designed to provide experienced apologetics competitors an opportunity to deepen their understanding of apologetics topics and grow as speakers. Club sessions will consist of both teaching and speaking strategies that will help students transition their ideas about defending the reliability and historicity of Scripture, explaining the attributes of God, and sharing the gospel into creative and powerful speech content. The speaking focused sessions will train students in how storytelling, style, and persuasion all play vital roles in becoming a seasoned apologetics competitor. Each session will be full of fresh ideas and dynamic discussion, but the ultimate goal of this club is to train up devoted and excellent communicators of the gospel.
Online Apologetics with Joel Erickson, Matthew Harper & Kristen Erickson
When: Every week starting September 3, 2019 Tuesdays from 8:00-9:00 pm CST/9:00-10:00 pm EST Cost: $50 Members/$75 Nonmembers
Join us once again for Online Apologetics. We offer weekly accountability, great teaching and resources, growth in knowledge and confidence, and experiences that will last well beyond your competitive years. Each session will be full of engaging discussions and guest speakers with lots of opportunities for students to practice and participate. The ultimate goal of this club is to train up exceptional communicators of the gospel.
Extemp Club for NCFCA & Stoa with Hope Rawlson
When: Every week starting: TBD
Mondays at 6:30 CST/7:30 EST
Cost: $80 Members/$100 Nonmembers
Are you planning on competing in Extemp this year? Our Online Extemp Club is designed to provide Extemp speakers at all levels a fun, productive and practical opportunity to deepen their understanding of extemp topics and to grow as speakers. Hope Rawlson will be focusing on three specific areas to equip you to master Extemp: How to Extemp like a boss; Diving deep and discussing current events; and Practice – because practice makes perfect This club will be a place for progress, discussion, encouragement and learning where we all can not only advance in our skills in Extemp but really come to love it!
Online LD NCFCA Debate Club with Joel Erickson
When: Every week starting September 3, 2019
Thursdays from 8:00-9:30 pm CST/9:00-10:30 pm EST (approx. 1.5 hrs.)
Cost: $100 Members/$125 Nonmembers
Looking to turbocharge your preseason preparation? Joel Erickson is coaching an online LD club for intermediate and advanced competitors. We’ll focus on the three crucial elements of debate. First, we’ll extensively practice debate drills because debate is fundamentally a skill—something that is concretely cultivated, not abstractly conceived. Second, we’ll concentrate on the resolution and case development with background philosophy supplements. Third, we’ll solidify both rudimentary and advanced LD theory to help you communicate in a manner that is accessible to judges.
Online TP NCFCA Debate Club with Eric Meinerding
When: Every week starting September 5, 2019
Thursdays from 8:00-9:00 pm CST/9:00-10:00 pm EST
Cost: $100 Members/$125 Nonmembers
Looking to kick up your TP prep a notch or wanting to learn and grow with other competitors? Eric Meinerding will be leading an online TP NCFCA debate club for all experience levels. The club will be working through two primary areas. The first will be controlling the narrative in a debate round and choosing an AFF case. The second will be drills because hands-on practice is necessary for growth. Club members will spar against one another in mini-debates focusing on applying argument theories, lessons and formulas in a practical way. The intent here is to not just lecture at students every week, but actually practicing debates, impact work, word efficiency, line by line and four-point refutation and the like.
Online Moot Court Club with Eric Meinerding
When: Every week starting TBD
Thursdays from 7:00-8:00 pm CST/8:00-9:00 pm EST
Cost: $100 Members/$125 Nonmembers
Ready to hit the ground running with Moot Court? Eric Meinerding will be leading an online Moot Court club to help you on your way. Whether you’ve been competing in moot court since day one or are trying it out for the first time this year, the club will be tailored to all experience levels based on methods Eric used while competing in moot court in college at the national level. We will be covering strategy, speaking, how to answer judge questions, brief-writing, drills, and more.
Online Speech Clubs with Heather Neumann
When: Every week starting TBD (12 weeks) Choose from one of three options:
Tuesdays 9:00-10:00 am CST/10:00-11:00 EST
Tuesdays 1:00-2:00 pm CST/2:00-3:00 EST OR
Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 am CST/10:00-11:00 am EST
Cost: $100 per student with sibling discounts available
Learn all about the Art of Communication in one of Lasting Impact!’s very own Online Speech Clubs. Through the power of technology, online clubs will meet weekly in the comfort of your own home… or wherever you happen to be! Speech Coach, Heather Neumann, will lead students/families through a fun-filled 12-week journey on the basics of Speech- about different speech events, how to choose a topic, as well as delivery. Students will be held accountable, stretched, and encouraged. There will be expectations, presentations, and feedback and students will be well prepared to compete for the 2019-2020 speech season.
We can’t wait to see you! For the complete list and to sign up, CLICK HERE
There is often a huge misconception about really good communicators. Most people think that those fantastic communicators started out that way… that they were just naturally talented or gifted!? I hear it all the time, “That person must have been a natural speaker.” Or “He/She is just gifted.” Or how about, ” They were born that way!!” While they may be a great communicator now, I doubt they were born reciting Shakespeare. Each of the coaches we have have at Lasting Impact! started their speech and debate journey between the ages of 8-16. And they didn’t become a National Champion Speaker their first year. The point is, they all made a conscience decision to begin. Will you?
Let’s say you were about to start a years worth of soccer competition. If you were seriously trying to be at least decent you would never skip all the practices and show up to the first game completely unprepared. That’d be ridiculous and you’d definitely lose. No, you’d take the time beforehand and make sure you know how to play and play well.
It’s true with soccer and it’s true with extemp. The key to succeeding is to prepare and prepare well! If you are looking for accountability, fun, and guidance- check out Lasting Impact’s new Online Extemp Club! If you are ready to get started now… below is a list and analysis of the resources for extemp that helped me go into every tournament last year feeling completely prepared and ready to take on any topic that came my way!
So you think you’re funny huh? Good. Because confidence is key In HI. If you want a joke or action to make the judges laugh you have to not be embarrassed about doing/saying it. You are the performer, the entertainer. If you just walk up and tell jokes no one will laugh. You must keep your audience engaged in the characters and scenes and then your jokes will start to land.
Now… where does one find a book that has rich characters and is funny?
As a speech and debate club leader, I love finding out about how different clubs started or how they work. Being a club leader can be challenging at times, but oh so rewarding!! Here is what my friend, Janet McKay, from North Carolina had to say about her club – Logos…
Now is the time to kick start your season – head to a speech and/or debate camp! Get energized. Learn valuable lessons. Whether you are a beginner or advanced student, rev up your summer at camp! Don’t believe me? Here’s what people who have been to a Lasting Impact! Camp had to say…
“But in your
hearts revere Christ as LORD. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (1st Peter 3:15)”
The first time I read these words, I knew it
was not a suggestion, it was a command. A command, as followers of Christ, to
always be prepared to give an answer.
Have you ever been thrust into a decision or situation where you felt like it was paramount for you to do the right thing, but you didn’t know exactly what the right thing was? Making a snap decision is intimating and overwhelming, however, speech and debate alum Melika McKinnis draws from her time in Teen Pact, studies at Hillsdale College, experience in State and Federal government, and much more showing us the help we can find through a grounded faith to make weighty decisions.
She roadmaps (as any former speech and debate student would) how we can best live out a life of restorative grace and love through showing up, standing up, and doing our part. Melika will be kicking our weekend off with the question: how can you answer your call? And then we’ll be taking the time to give you the tools to potentially answer that call in this season of speech and debate.
We hope you join us June 28 at 4:00 pm CT for Lasting Impact’s first annual Summer Intensive so you can gain advice, inspiration, perspective and more. CLICK HERE to join us! But hurry, the registration link will close.
Melika McKinnis is the Special Assistant for Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback.
Prior to joining the State Department, Melika served as the Communications Director and Press Secretary for then Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, a job she first tackled at 24 years old. Her duties included advising on message development, political strategy, and governance. She was responsible for speechwriting, media preparation, digital communications, grassroots engagement, and leading a multi-agency communications team.
Melika also served as Communications Director for Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, and Vice President for Communications and Strategic Development for Forge Leadership Network.
Melika was a 2016 Publius Fellow through the Claremont Institute: Recovering the American Idea. As an undergraduate, she earned the Edward Everett Prize in Oratory and was named a George Washington Fellow. She holds a B.A. in Politics from Hillsdale College.
Are you thinking about signing up for Lasting Impact!’s first annual Online Speech and Debate Summer Prep Intensive, but just haven’t had the time yet?! Well, now is the time to make the time! The Intensive starts TOMORROW!! This is like your very own Speech and Debate Camp in your own home! Perhaps you haven’t had enough of your questions answered? Here is the scoop…
Who is the Intensive for? ANYONE who wants to grow in Speech and Debate! We have carefully picked each of these sessions to jump start your summer. There is no limit to the amount of “nuggets” of information you will receive. Therefore, we believe students, parents, coaches, and clubs will benefit from joining us.
When is the Intensive? It starts TOMORROW, June 28, 4:00-9:00pm CT, and SATURDAY, June 29, 9:00am-4:00pm CT
Do I have to be there the whole time? Nope. You can come in and out of sessions, as you please (please be sure the mute your microphone).
Can my family join? Yes, the cost of the Intensive is for your entire family. Once you have the access code, members of your family are welcome to log on, as well. You do not need to be logged in to a computer, there will be a phone number, as well.
Will it be recorded? YES! Those who register will have access to the links. We ask even if your can’t be there to sign up to ensure you get the recordings. We don’t know if we will post them for purchase after the event.
How do I log in? You will be receiving an email with “what to expect”, as well as the link to Zoom- our online meeting forum. Each day will have their own link. You can expect that email by noon on Friday. Please contact us, if you don’t receive an email by noon on Friday.
Why should I attend? This event is for YOU! You will be able to gather information, make a plan of action, or perhaps be energized in a new event. Our panel of guests are from around the country and have years of experience they are willing to share with you!
Will there be giveaways? Oh yes!! In addition to free merchandise and coaching sessions, we will have hand outs for most of our sessions. You must be present in the session for most of the giveaways.
What is the cost? The cost is only $25 (for members) for your entire family.
Did I miss any questions you may have? Are you hoping we answer one of your questions during one of our sessions? Please feel free to contact us – lastingimpact2016@gmail.com
We’re so excited for the discussions that will be taking place during the Online Speech and Debate Summer Prep Intensive this coming weekend. If you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to check out the full schedule and register today! Now it’s time to introduce the awesome coaches that will be lecturing, leading sessions, and answering your questions this weekend. They are excited to help you start your season strong and share their experiences and advice…
Nationals is over. The season is over. Your speech and debate career is over. No longer will you wander the halls of random college campuses anxiously waiting to give a speech. You won’t sit in breaks and hear your name ever again. You won’t have the opportunity to speak in front of judges about something you care about ever again.
These were all the thoughts swimming through my mind last year when I left the national championship. You see, brand new alumni, I was you last year. Coming off my speech and debate career with lifelong friends and memories, devastated it was coming to an end. I honestly don’t remember too much about the very last night of nationals last year, but I know a lot of crying was involved. I had poured my heart and soul into this league for three years and now a piece of paper saying I finished high school was taking it all away.
In short, it felt like my world was ending.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
Brand new alumni, rest assured, as amazing as this activity is, there is life after it. However, being the alumnus I am, I can’t tell you this without my handy dandy three points.
Take Time Chances are this league was one of the largest parts of your life the past couple of years. You have poured blood, sweat, and tears into this league. You have grown and been shaped through speech and debate and you feel like the rug has been pulled out from beneath you. There is likely a lot of change going on in your life right now. It’s okay to be sad about the end of an era. Take a couple of days and allow yourself to sit in the emotion. Let yourself feel it. However, don’t stay there. Do something you love, hang out with some friends, even watch a movie. Your life is more than speech and debate, find something else you love and do that.
Give Back One of the best things I did as a new alumnus was to help coach my club. Going to an occasional meeting and listening to people discuss debate and give feedback on speeches was like a breath of fresh air for me. Judging was even better. I went to speech and debate tournaments, as an alum this year and I think I had more fun as an alumnus than I did as a competitor! Now don’t get me wrong, I still really missed giving impromptu when I heard a topic I got excited about and I might have written down cx questions in a couple LD rounds. However, being a judge was a lot of fun for me and allowed me to see just how much effort it takes to rank a competitor. It allowed me to see my friends and feel the energy of the tournament while paying it forward for the next generation of speakers. Take my word for it, new alumni, giving back is one of the best parts of being alumni. Give your email to some rising competitors and let them ask you questions. If a friend asks for feedback on a speech, give it. They’re looking to you now; don’t take that lightly.
Let Go. Perhaps the hardest of my three suggestions is to let speech and debate go. Not completely, mind you, (see step 2) but there must be a letting go process that happens. If you don’t allow yourself to move on then you will not be able to see the next steps God has for you on this big journey we call life. Some of you are ready to be done and have already kissed speech and debate goodbye, but for others, you weren’t quite ready to give all of this up yet. It will come. But you have to help it along a little bit. My suggestion to new alumni is to read your last set of ballots over once or twice then put them away. Your career as a competitor is over now, my friends, and as much as it stinks at times, we must move on to the new path we’ve been given. You’ll be okay, brand new alumni, you have been taught to speak well, you have been given wonderful opportunities and friends that will last a lifetime. God gave you the gift of speech and debate and now it’s finally time for it to come to a close. On to a new adventure new alumni!
Best wishes class of 2019 Sincerely, An alumnus of 2018
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