Category: Club

Fall 2026 Speech and Debate Classes and Clubs Are Here! SIGN UP NOW!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

A new season means new opportunities to grow, learn, and discover what you’re capable of.

Whether your student is stepping into Speech & Debate for the very first time or preparing for another competitive season, our Fall 2026 lineup has something designed to help them thrive. From foundational speech classes to advanced debate training, interpretation, extemporaneous speaking, Lincoln-Douglas, Team Policy, Moot Court, and specialty clubs, every class is built around one goal: helping students become confident communicators who think critically, speak with purpose, and make a lasting impact.

At Lasting Impact!, we believe communication is about so much more than winning rounds. It’s about learning to defend truth with grace, lead with confidence, and use the gifts God has given each student to influence the world around them.

Why join a Lasting Impact! class?
• Learn from experienced, nationally recognized coaches.
• Receive consistent instruction and meaningful feedback.
• Build friendships with students from across the country.
• Grow in confidence, critical thinking, and communication.
• Strengthen skills that last far beyond competition.

Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned competitor, we’d love to have you join us this fall. Classes begin soon, and many have limited enrollment, so don’t wait!

View the complete Fall 2026 lineup and register today:
Lasting Impact! Fall Classes & Clubs

Looking for More Personalized Coaching?

At Lasting Impact!, our support doesn’t stop with classes or clubs we create. Whether you’re starting a new Speech & Debate club, leading an established team, or simply looking for extra help, our experienced coaching staff-

We are here to partner with you!

We offer private coaching, club coaching, personalized lesson plans, tournament preparation, and one-on-one mentoring, script assessments across Speech, Lincoln-Douglas, Team Policy, Moot Court Leagues. Need a coach for your club? Hire a Lasting Impact! team member and receive the encouragement, expertise, and practical guidance your students need to succeed.

Check out our Coaches – HERE

No matter where you are in your Speech & Debate journey, we’re here to help you make a Lasting Impact!

We can’t wait to learn, grow, and invest in another incredible season together!

Mid-Summer Motivation for Speech & Debate Families!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

One of the greatest gifts we can give our students isn’t simply another speech or another trophy- it’s preparation. When students learn to think deeply, communicate truth clearly, and serve others with their words, they’re developing skills that will last far beyond a single tournament.

Summer is the perfect time to begin that work!! Without the pressure of weekly tournaments, students and coaches have the opportunity to learn new skills, explore new events, and build a strong foundation for the season ahead. The time invested now often becomes the confidence they carry into competition later.

That’s why we’ve put together several opportunities to help you prepare, grow, and head into this year with confidence!

50% OFF Select Lasting Impact! eBooks

For a limited time, we’re offering 50% off select eBooks, including some of our most popular resources!

Speech Grab and Go
Need a jumpstart? Speech Grab and Go is filled with ready-to-use speech ideas, lessons, and inspiration to help coaches and students move from “I don’t know what to do” to confidently preparing speeches.

The Ultimate Interp Guide
Whether you’re brand new to interpretation events or looking to sharpen your skills, this guide walks students through choosing literature, developing characters, creating meaningful blocking, and connecting with an audience. It’s one of our favorite resources because it teaches students to tell stories that truly matter.

Lasting Impact!’s Guide to Limited Prep
Limited Prep events can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to be! This guide is packed with practical instruction and proven strategies to help students think critically, organize ideas quickly, and communicate with confidence when the clock is ticking.

If you’ve been thinking about adding these resources to your coaching toolbox, now is the perfect time! Lasting Impact! Members receive this 50% discount all month long.

Extemp Roundtable Begins Next Week!

If your student is planning to compete in Extemporaneous Speaking this season, there’s still time to join our Extemp Roundtable!

This interactive experience is designed to prepare students for one of speech and debate’s most challenging limited prep categories. Together, we’ll learn:

  • How to research effectively
  • How to structure a compelling extemp speech
  • How to make the most of that single notecard
  • How to deliver with confidence and leave a lasting impact on the judge long after the round is over

Whether your student is new to Extemp or looking to strengthen their skills, we’d love to have you join us!

Join Us on July 14!

We’re also excited to invite you to two FREE online events designed to encourage and equip your family for the upcoming season.

7:00 PM – Tackling New Speech Events

Are the new speech events leaving you with questions? Wondering how to approach events like After Dinner Speaking and some of the other additions this season or an event new to you?

We’ll discuss practical strategies, event expectations, brainstorming ideas, and ways to confidently coach these new categories. Whether you’re a veteran coach or just getting started, you’ll leave with ideas you can begin using right away.

8:00 PM – Coaches Social

After the webinar, stick around for our Coaches Social!

Coaching can sometimes feel lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. This is a relaxed time to connect with other coaches, ask questions, share ideas, celebrate victories, and find fresh motivation as we prepare for another incredible year of speech and debate.

Sometimes all we need is a little encouragement from people who understand the journey.

To sign up, simply email Heather@lastingimpact.info.

Investing in What Lasts

Speech and Debate is about so much more than tournaments and trophies. It’s about helping young people become thoughtful communicators, courageous leaders, and faithful ambassadors for Christ wherever God calls them.

We hope you’ll take advantage of these opportunities to invest in your students- and in yourself as a coach. Whether it’s picking up a new resource, joining the Extemp Roundtable, or connecting with other coaches on July 14, every small step you take today can have a lasting impact for years to come.

We can’t wait to learn, grow, and prepare with you this season!

Make an IMPACT! Join us! Speech and Debate Camps this summer! 

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Our speech and debate summer camps aren’t just about communication! At Lasting Impact! we focus on connection and community, building friendships across regions and leagues. Our team is thrilled to offer you a wide variety of online camps throughout the summer months. We are offering a variety of ONLINE CAMPS to help you grow, grow, GROW… including camp geared toward COACHES!! And in addition to our Online Camps… we travel!! We have been to over 20 states… including Hawaii! All camps are now open for REGISTRATION, and over the next few weeks we will be introducing you to our elite coaches. We can’t wait for you to join us or contact Anne (anne.lastingimpact@gmail.com) to learn more about hosting a specialized camp in your area!!

Are you at NCFCA Nationals? Come visit us for a chance to meet our summer coaches and win fun prizes! Checking in from home? Reach out to our new Education Programs Director Anne McClure (anne.lastingimpact@gmail.com) to be entered into our drawing for a free coaching session. Here’s to a great summer together! 

Stay Inspired. Stay Informed. Stay One Step Ahead.

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Great thinking doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built over time through intentional learning, strong ideas, and meaningful conversation. That’s exactly what Lasting Impact! is here!!

When you subscribe to Lasting Impact!, you’ll receive weekly articles designed to challenge, encourage, and equip students, parents, and coaches in Speech & Debate and beyond. Presently, we have OVER 600 articles!! That’s TEN years worth of information!! We are the LONGEST Speech and Debate Community supporting leagues, clubs, coaches, parents, and students!! We love what we do! And we are here to stay!

What You’ll Get When You Subscribe

✔ Weekly Articles
Thoughtful pieces on critical thinking, purposeful practice, communication skills, and competitive growth—written to be practical, encouraging, and immediately usable.

✔ Top News & Ideas at Your Fingertips
Stay informed on relevant topics, emerging arguments, and trends shaping conversations in debate rounds and classrooms alike. We are active involved coaches… judging and running tournaments. We are club leaders listening to students and reading ballots. We have a pulse of what is going on. Each article is written with purpose—so you can spend less time searching and more time growing.

✔ Tools You Can Actually Use
From practice techniques and speaking tips to mindset shifts and coaching strategies—everything is created to support real growth, not just theory. We have years of experience from around the nation.

✔ Encouragement for the Journey
Whether you’re a student learning to find your voice, a parent supporting from the sidelines, or a coach guiding a team, you’ll find insight that meets you where you are.

Why Lasting Impact! Exists

This space was created to build thinkers, not repeaters. To start conversations, not end them. To be bold, grow, be courageous and strong. To give you resources that inspire independent work, deeper thinking, and confident communication.

Simple. Valuable. Worth Your Time.

No clutter. No overwhelm. Just clear ideas delivered straight to your inbox—so the best insights are always within reach.

Subscribe today and never miss an article. Look for the SUBSCRIBE button on the right of the home page on a computer, or scroll below on a mobile device.

Opinion – LD Frameworks and How to Apply the Scales to Judging by: Henry Chen

Posted on by Heather Neumann


Since most people’s default mode is policy thinking, Lincoln Douglas Debaters need clear positive examples of
what values reasoning looks like when it’s working. Here are How Different Frameworks Generate Duty-Measure Arguments… Each major moral framework has its own way of generating duty-measured arguments.
Understanding how your chosen framework generates duties helps you construct genuine
values arguments. Read on to see different frameworks and how judges can respond to them…

Continue reading “Opinion – LD Frameworks and How to Apply the Scales to Judging by: Henry Chen” →

Sign Up for Lasting Impact! Winter 2026 Online Debate Clubs

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Winter Debate Clubs at Lasting Impact! are designed to help students stay sharp, grow confident, and deepen their debate skills during their speech and debate season. These clubs provide structured instruction, guided practice, and meaningful feedback in a supportive community led by experienced, knowledgable coaches. Students will strengthen argumentation, critical thinking, and persuasive communication—skills that extend far beyond competition. Whether your student is brand new to debate or preparing for higher-level rounds, our Winter Online Debate Clubs offer a focused, encouraging environment where students from across the country learn, connect, and continue building skills that truly last. Here is the winter line up…

  • NEW! LD Socratic Circle with Anne and Caleb McClure
  • LD NCFCA with Ethan Tong
  • Moot Court Advocacy with Ethan Tong

Get the full descriptions in the SHOP! Want to learn more about what our NEW LD Socratic Circle is all about? Keep reading…

Continue reading “Sign Up for Lasting Impact! Winter 2026 Online Debate Clubs” →

The Gift of Speech and Debate Coaching

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Why Students and Parents Benefit from Investing in an Outside Speech & Debate Coach

In Speech and Debate, we often talk about skills—communication, organization, delivery, argumentation. But behind every great speaker, every confident competitor, every transformed student… there is usually a coach… a coach can be a club coach, mentor, sibling, alumni, even a parent!!

A coach is more than a tutor. More than a teacher.
A coach is a guide, a mentor, and often the person who sees potential long before the student sees it in themselves.

Coaching, at its core, is a gift—a gift of clarity, confidence, and growth that lasts far beyond tournaments. Why can a coach be the right fit for you? Why does coaching matter? Read on…

Continue reading “The Gift of Speech and Debate Coaching” →

Lasting Impact! Who We Are…

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Welcome to Lasting Impact! If you are new here or need a reminder of who we are, what we do, or OUR HEARTS, let me share that with you! At Lasting Impact, we believe that every voice deserves to be heard—and what better way to equip young people than through the art of communication and speech and debate. For over a decade, we’ve been supporting students not just in developing rhetorical confidence, but in nurturing their Christian worldview so they can speak with conviction, grace, and purpose.

What Makes Lasting Impact! Different

  • Christ-Centered Coaching: We don’t just teach students how to speak—we help them understand why their words matter. Our coaches guide competitors to articulate truth, act with integrity, and reflect Christ in every argument and interaction.
  • Real-World Skills, Real-World Faith: From our countless resources to coaching sessions to debate strategy and script assessments, our tools are grounded in practical skills—but always rooted in biblical principles.
  • A Legacy of Growth, Not Just Trophies: Our goal isn’t to chase awards—it’s to cultivate growth. As one coach reflects, we help students see that “competition allows you the opportunity… to learn to effectively communicate a Christian worldview.”
  • Our Community & Coaches
    Our team—seasoned coaches and Christian mentors—is committed to walking alongside each student. Whether you’re shaping your delivery, fine-tuning an argument, or seeking encouragement between rounds, our coaches bring both expertise and heartfelt support. Their genuine love for the students shows in every class, every feedback session, and every post-tournament conversation.

Why Lasting Impact! Matters
In a world where media and communication are powerful tools, we equip students to use their voices wisely—answering not just for trophies or applause, but for dignity, truth, and to ultimately deepen their faith. Speech and debate becomes more than a hobby: it becomes a platform for Christ.

Get in Touch
Curious how your student can get started? Whether it’s private coaching, script feedback, or an online club, we’re here to help them grow. Reach out and let’s start this journey together.

Heather Neumann is the Founder and Director of Lasting Impact! She continues to coach, lead clubs, mentor students and parents, runs tournaments, and still makes time to direct theater and write plays. She loves spending time with her own family any chance she can get. She can be reached at heather@lastingimpact.info

Sign Up for FREE Fall Apologetics Club – Starts TONIGHT!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Although most our clubs have started we are still happy to welcome a few more! Why not start with FREE Apologetics TONIGHT! That’s right we decided that we’re going to do something completely different for apol club this year.

We’re dropping discussion of the specific Speech and Debate Apol topics in favor of a broader, more holistic approach. In short: seminary crash course. This is not just for students, but it’s for anyone who’s interested… parents, siblings, even alumni. Register with the code PARENT2025. You can register here: https://lastingimpact.info/product/club23864/.

Here are some of the things we’ll discuss:

– Why is there so much overlap between Matthew, Mark, and Luke? How could they possibly remember word for word what Jesus said to them?

– When should we interpret Scriptures literally or figuratively? 

– Why do 1 & 2 Kings tell the exact same stories 1 & 2 Chronicles do?

– How do we deal with the transgenderism argument that some people are born “intersex,” with both genitalia?

– What is the point of including the minor prophets in Scripture?

– Where in the Bible does it say that women cannot be pastors, if the word “pastor” only shows up once?

And MANY other things. If you enjoyed last semester, this one will be even better.

This has been my project for the last two years while in school for seminary. Trying to distill important things you never hear about if you don’t go to seminary into a single semester-long course! This information you are bound to use in your Apologetics rounds, but more importantly life! I would love for any of you to join, again, even if you’re graduated. It’s for everyone—and it starts TODAY! Don’t miss out!

You can register here: https://lastingimpact.info/product/club23864/.

Ethan will be receiving his Masters of Divinity from Truett Theological Seminary in December of 2025. He attended Hillsdale College, where he graduated in the top ten of his class. He has been a Lasting Impact! coach for over three years.

Discover Your Voice: Join Our Online Speech & Debate Clubs

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Are you ready to sharpen your speaking skills, think faster on your feet, and have fun while learning? This fall, we are excited to launch a series of online speech and debate clubs designed to help students of all experience levels grow, compete, and explore their potential. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your skills to the next level, these clubs provide a multi-week, supportive environment to improve, practice, and succeed.

Here’s what we have lined up for the 1st Semester 2025-26:

  • Speech 101 & Speech 102 – Perfect for beginners and those looking to polish foundational skills. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling speech, use your voice effectively, and engage any audience. These classes build confidence, structure, and technique—essential skills whether you’re speaking in class or preparing for competition.
  • Apol Club with Ethan Tong – Dive into the world of Apologetics and sharpen your ability to think critically, argue persuasively, and defend ideas with clarity. This club encourages intellectual curiosity and the confidence to present complex ideas in a thoughtful way. And in case you haven’t heard – it’s FREE!
  • Fall LD Club with Ethan Tong – Lincoln-Douglas debate is all about persuasion, evidence, and ethics. In this multi-week club, students will analyze cases, practice argumentation, and learn strategies that make them compelling speakers and sharp thinkers.
  • Moot Court Caselaw Club with Ethan Tong – Step into the courtroom in this exciting exploration of legal reasoning and argumentation. Students will review real cases, prepare briefs, and practice delivering oral arguments—developing skills in logic, rhetoric, and critical thinking that go far beyond the debate stage.
  • Extemp Club with Roman Hogancamp – Learn to think on your feet in current events extemporaneous speaking. This club teaches students how to quickly analyze topics, organize their thoughts, and present concise, persuasive speeches—all while staying informed and confident.
  • Interp / Drama Club – Explore storytelling, performance, and character interpretation. Students will work on monologues, scenes, and interpretive pieces, enhancing voice, body language, and emotional impact in both performance and competitive settings.

Each of these clubs lasts throughout the first semester, giving students time to practice, grow, and see real improvement. Unlike one-time webinar or workshop, our clubs allow for consistent feedback, skill-building exercises, and a chance to develop lasting relationships with fellow students who are equally passionate about speech and debate.

Whether your goal is to gain confidence speaking in front of others, compete successfully, or simply enjoy the art of communication, there’s a club here for you. Plus, the online format means you can join from the comfort of home while still engaging in interactive, collaborative learning.

Spots are limited, so don’t wait! Join us this fall and take your skills to the next level. Your voice is powerful—let’s make sure it’s heard. Go to the SHOP NOW and sign up!

Online Clubs Start After Labor Day – Sign Up NOW

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Did you know Lasting Impact! has a variety of Speech and Debate Clubs? Check out the SHOP to see what’s in store for Fall 2025 – https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/clubs/

If you are looking for a coach to jump into your clubs for an online zoom session- we do that too! Our coaches are fabulous at what they do! We have coached numerous National Champions, but we also connect with those who don’t! Speech and Debate is a personal journey. It’s a joy and honor to come alongside students, parents, coaches, and clubs wherever you are! For more information or questions contact Heather@lastingimpact.info

Why Moot? By: Ethan Tong

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Moot Court is alive! After NCFCA decided to discontinue the activity this past year, a few parents and I started the High School Moot Court Association (HSMCA) to facilitate continued Moot competition. You can find more information at our website, hsmca.org.

We started by getting a team together, and we got the best of the best. We have last year’s head of ballot admin, last year’s judge recruiter, a tournament staffer, one of the NCFCA packet writers and editors, two decorated alumni, a practicing attorney, a financial advisor, and myself on the nine-person board. 

Then we filed for 501(c)(3) status, and then started doing all the small things that it takes to get a league off the ground: designing a logo; building roles and job descriptions; budgeting; planning a tournament platform; marketing; website design; designing a rulebook. 

And at long last, we’re approaching the finish line of the start-up process. But getting the league off the ground is really just step one. The second step is getting students and families involved. So… why should your family be involved in Moot Court? Three reasons come to mind. 

Continue reading “Why Moot? By: Ethan Tong” →