Blog

Lasting Impact! Speech and Debate Summer Camps and Workshop Schedule

We are so excited about reaching out to so many communities this summer (and fall)! Each speech and debate camp/workshop that Lasting Impact! is a part of, is unique! More information and registration links will be coming in the next week or so. Also, Lasting Impact! Is excited to announce we will be hosting a variety of Online Workshops this Fall!! That schedule will be out by mid- August. Remember, if you are lacking motivation this summer, you can read The Value of Speech and Debate Camps. 

We hope to see you soon! Here is our schedule so far…

Continue reading “Lasting Impact! Speech and Debate Summer Camps and Workshop Schedule”

FREE Memberships for the 4th!!

In honor of The Fourth of July we are giving away FOUR FREE memberships! Now is the time to join! Or tell your friends to be part of the Lasting Impact! Community…

  • 200 articles all about speech and debate
  • discounts on coaching, workshops, and products
  • support for your family or club
  • the latest scoop on rules, analysis, and feedback
  • a video gallery with over 50 videos
  • online apol, impromptu, and speech clubs

It’s easy…

1. Like our Facebook page.

2. Share this post.

3. Comment in the comment section (on our Facebook page).

Memberships will be awarded on Friday- which will be a part of Lasting Impact! Free Friday giveaways for the month of July- so be sure to have liked our Facebook page, because that is where the fun will be!

Guest Post: The Importance of Words

As I sit here, the week after a major national competition, I am reminded of a speech I heard ONCE! A speech that made an impact on me about “words”. I wonder how many words were spoken through speech and debate last week at the NCFCA National Championship? I wonder how many students cried after they didn’t advance and they now think that their words have no more purpose? Or how many students were disappointed after making it to finals, yet not presenting their speech in The Showcase Of Excellence? This journey does not have to be over!! I am here to tell you… this is just the beginning! Your words and speeches can continue! You can continue to have a lasting impact… all you have to do is find another opportunity to share your heart, your message, your words…

Continue reading “Guest Post: The Importance of Words”

One Year Later… My Remembrances in Speech and Debate By: Kaitlyn Butts

One year ago, I was working hours each day to prepare for the 2017 NCFCA National Championship. Each day I gave impromptus, studied my apologetics cards, read the news, brushed up on my platform speeches, honed my LD cases, perfected my arguments, and researched outside cases in the Moot Court packet. It’s been seven years since I attended my first tournament and nearly one year since I became the NCFCA sweepstakes champion. My freshman year of college has stretched, challenged, and grown me in ways the girl who walked across that stage couldn’t have imagined. My tangible awards are on the shelves and stuffed in the drawers of my room… they collected a lot of dust while I was away. I understand that it could be easy to assume that I remember my time in NCFCA through the lens of my successes, but I’ve had a year to reflect. I want to share what I still hold near to my heart as I look back. These lasting memories shape who I am and how I coach current and future competitors. These are my remembrances…

Continue reading “One Year Later… My Remembrances in Speech and Debate By: Kaitlyn Butts”

Why It’s so Hard to Win on Negative at Nationals?? And what to do about it…By: Griffith Vertican

Greetings NCFCA Debaters and Coaches,

Some years ago I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine about the difficulties of being on the negative side in team policy and what to do about it. Reflecting on that conversation and many more since I’ve put some serious thought into why affirmative teams have such a seemingly significant advantage particularly at Nationals…

Continue reading “Why It’s so Hard to Win on Negative at Nationals?? And what to do about it…By: Griffith Vertican”

The “What Now?” After We Don’t Advance at The National Championship

With NCFCA National Speech and Debate Championship right around the corner, most of us are editing our platforms, hammering down our blocking for interps, and revising our debate cases. The preparation is vital, and I can testify to the importance of putting in the work. However, I think it’s necessary to keep a few things in mind while approaching the end of the season…

Continue reading “The “What Now?” After We Don’t Advance at The National Championship”

A NEW must-have Resource- Speech Games!!

Every Speech and Debate Club needs ice breakers to get things started. Every coach needs creative ideas for getting kids outside of the inhibitions that box them in and stifle their performances. Our games book is an idea generator to help you accomplish both! Cross-referenced by the skills they enhance, these games are designed specifically to enhance performance in a variety of speech events.

These games are broken up, to help you the user, identity with what “target skill” you want to focus on. There are games for each of the types of speech- interpretive, limited prep, and platform. Target skills include…

Characterization

Environment

Improv

Limited Prep

Object Work

Performance

Visualization

There are over 40 games… the variations to these games are endless!! Also included are lists and scenarios – ideas to keep your club or group on their toes for years to come! This is a must have resource for every Speech and Debate Club.

Pre-order your copy today! Here.

Pace your Race to the Finish

If you've taken a nice hard look at the schedule for the NCFCA National Championship this year, you know that the pace of the tournament is a LOT slower than usual for competitors.  More time is built in between rounds.  Two days are short days of competition.  Including Moot Court, the tournament will last for six days.  In my tenure, this is an uprecedented pace, and it is one you should definitely factor into your own personal approach for stamina and optimum performance.

You need to be a member to view this content.  Please sign up or login.

IT’S HERE… well sort of – Lasting Impact! Vol. 2!!

Lasting Impact! Volume Two is all new! Every article we posted in our second year is chock full of advice, tips, encouragement, information, coach and student perspectives, and more- over 200 pages! We WANT you to have this at your fingertips when you are wondering what to cover in club, or how to help your own student go the extra mile. Read it cover to cover, or browse for what you need. This is a useable resource ready for YOU to put these ideas into action.

Through out the year, members asked if they could have all our articles available, in one easy place- like on their book shelf! We compiled all our articles and put them in easy to find categories, so you can have them at your finger tips! Categories include…

Speech and Debate

Interps

Platforms

Limited Prep

Delivery/Presentation

Tournaments

Inspiration/Encouragement

Judges

Coaches

There are over 75 articles for students, parents, coaches, and clubs to use and implement. There are awesome pictures to be inspired by! This book would not possible with out the love and support of so many people!

Kristi says, “We don’t propose to lay out a curriculum or a “how to” book. We propose to share the stepping stones Heather and I, along with the help of so many, found along the way. We hope these articles inform and inspire you as you learn and grow on your speech journey.”

This product is available for pre-sales only. Purchases made prior to 6/15/2018 will be delivered to purchaser at the NCFCA National Championship. For purchasers who are not attending the championship, the product will be shipped June 30, 2018.

Purchase here.

The Harms of the Compliance Mentality (JO)

I've been involved with my home school speech league for ten years.  Before that, I taught public school where I coached in a different league.  Before THAT, I competed myself in yet another league.  All of those leagues have operated  with rules.  Honestly, no one really loves rules.  We understand the importance of them in maintaining a level playing field, but we don't really love them.  Our human nature longs to kick against them and give ourselves more room.  And when we do, we are in error.  Becoming hyper sensitive to rules and every potential violation of those rules is the equal but opposite error.  It creates a litigious environment where we are on the look-out for rules violators we can haul off to the compliance team to be punished.   There are some dangerous harms in leaning to that side of the balance...

You need to be a member to view this content.  Please sign up or login.

National Impromptu Prep Meeting – May 31

According to National Impromptu Champion, Abbey Lovett, “The most overlooked event heading into Nationals is Impromptu and yet, it usually has the most amount of competitors. If you want to climb the ranks in Impromptu at the National Competition, you need to go in prepared.”

This Nationals workshop will take you through everything you need to know to succeed at nationals from the moment you walk into the competition room to the moment you leave (and much more) through the excellent instruction of Abbey Lovett.

Impromptu Nationals Prep:
– Reflecting on the year: what has worked, what hasn’t worked, how do you improve on that? Nationals is all about taking your biggest successes and enhancing them so they stand against the most competition you’ll ever see.

– At home prep for Nationals: How to research, practice, and collect stories as you’re preparing to leave for Nationals.

– At tournament prep: How to best use your time before each round to make sure your mind is prepared.

– Creating content: Judges at nationals are looking for the perfect combination of content, stories, and humor. Learn how to best organize your prep to give you the time you need to bring all of that to the table.

– Standing apart from the competition: How to catch the judges’ attention and keep it.

– Organizing your speeches in a memorable way.

– Presenting under pressure: Nationals can be scary! Especially once you start competing in elimination rounds. We’ll discuss some of the top strategies for not cracking under the pressure.

– Storytelling: How to tell compelling and inspiring stories that grab your audience’s attention and makes them remember your speech long after you’ve left the room.

WHEN: Thur. May 30

TIME: 7:00-8:30pm CT (PLUS a half hour one on one session with Abbey)

WHERE: An online Zoom meeting.

FOR: Nationals prep, but all are welcome.

COST: $25 members/$40 non members

Note:  If you purchase the session but are unable to attend,  we can still send you the link!

Register here!

 

What is a Speech and Debate Champion? By: Abby Wright

Abby Wright knows what it is like to be a champion. She is a two time NCFCA champion, not just for one event, but two. She is the NCFCA 2015 After Dinner Speaking Champion and the 2017 Persuasive Champion. Here is her perspective on what it means to her to be a “National Champion.”

Continue reading “What is a Speech and Debate Champion? By: Abby Wright”