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!
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.
Every debate season begins the same way- with excitement, anticipation… and a little uncertainty!? A new resolution means new research, new strategies, new arguments, and countless hours spent learning how to communicate truth with clarity and conviction. It can feel overwhelming, especially at the beginning of the year.
That’s exactly why we, at Lasting Impact! are excited to introduce two brand-new resources for the NCFCA 2026–2027 season (we also have ANOTHER resource coming soon).
Our goal has never been to simply give students arguments to memorize. We want to equip them to become thoughtful thinkers, persuasive communicators, and confident competitors. These new resources were created with that purpose in mind… to jump start and kick off the new year…
Featuring more than 350 pages of material from five talented authors, this Sourcebook contains eight complete cases covering a wide variety of approaches to this year’s resolution – Resolved: The United States Federal Government should significantly reform its foreign policy toward the Republic of Turkey.
Inside you’ll find:
Eight complete affirmative cases
AFF backups and NEG briefs for every case
Both specific and open-ended mandates that encourage deeper research
Practical examples of different approaches to case construction
The cases span topics including rare earth investments, democracy aid, military policy, anti-corruption initiatives, Turkish banking sanctions, missile detection, and more.
Rather than presenting only one “right” way to debate the resolution, the Sourcebook demonstrates multiple ways experienced debaters approach research, organization, and advocacy. Whether you’re building your first case or refining your tenth, we hope this resource sparks new ideas and strengthens your understanding of the topic.
If you’re new to Team Policy- or know someone who is- don’t miss our Intro to Team Policy – A Guide!Designed especially for first-year students, parents, and coaches, this resource breaks down the fundamentals of Team Policy in a clear, approachable way. This is a non-league specific guide- from understanding the structure of a round to learning key terminology and preparing for competition, this guide helps take the mystery out of Team Policy so you can begin the season with confidence. It’s the perfect companion for families just starting their Team Policy journey. Check it out HERE
NEW! 2026–2027 NCFCA LD Casebook
We’re equally excited about this year’s NCFCA LD Casebook, and for good reason.
This edition features 10 original cases written by five accomplished alumni who have competed, researched, and coached within the NCFCA community. The resolution centers around – Resolved: It is Just for a Criminal Justice System to value Retribution over Rehabilitation.
But this year we’ve added something entirely new!!! Each case includes access to exclusive video interviews with the author. Instead of simply reading a case, you’ll hear directly from the writer as they explain:
Why they chose their framework
How the argument develops
What story the case is trying to tell
Possible rebuttal strategies
Ways to defend the position effectively
Learning how an experienced debater thinks is often just as valuable as the finished product itself.
The Casebook also includes analysis of the resolution, philosophy review, and recommended resources for additional study, helping students develop a deeper understanding of justice rather than simply preparing for the next round.
ALSO- COMING SOON… We’re not finished yet! Later this month, we’ll also be releasing the Official NCFCA LD Guide by Hillary and Nathanael Kolssak. Whether you’re brand new to Lincoln-Douglas debate or looking to strengthen your understanding of the event, this guide is designed to provide practical instruction, thoughtful insight, and a solid foundation for the season ahead. Stay tuned- you’re not going to want to miss this exciting new resource!
Learning From Those Who Have Gone Before
One of the greatest blessings of the speech and debate community is the willingness of coaches and alumni to invest in the next generation. These resources represent hundreds of hours of research, writing, editing, and collaboration. We’re incredibly thankful to coaches, writers, and contributors… Roman Hogancamp, Brendan McDonald, Derek Sun, Andrew Formo, Xander Yoder, Gabriel Zylstra, Caleb McClure, Carlton McCormick, Caleb Zylstra, and Melody Jardinico. These people continually give of themselves sharing both their knowledge and their experience to equip the future generations, as well as coaches and parents.
Their work provides students with more than finished cases… it offers a window into effective research, persuasive writing, and strategic thinking. Lasting Impact! is committed to putting out the highest quality products! These books are just a starting point… we look forward to hearing about where you take them.
Our Hope
Every resource we create has the same purpose: to help students communicate truth with wisdom, confidence, and integrity. Winning rounds is exciting, but our greater desire is that students leave speech and debate equipped to think critically, speak graciously, defend their beliefs well, and influence others for Christ. We hope these new resources become valuable tools as you prepare for another incredible season.
Thank you for allowing Lasting Impact! to be part of your journey. We can’t wait to see what this year’s students accomplish.
A coach watches a Lincoln-Douglas round and sighs, “Two ships passing in the night.”
A judge sits in the back of the room, looking at a ballot, completely paralyzed. The Affirmative defined Justice as Moral Desert. The Negative defined Justice as Human Dignity. Neither debater engaged the other’s definition. Neither debater acknowledged the other’s value. They built two parallel universes, spoke past each other for 45 minutes, and left the judge with an impossible task: choose between two competing worldviews, or flip a coin based on who spoke more persuasively.
We end up with these “toss-up” decisions because judges aren’t allowed to hand down a double loss. But make no mistake: when a round devolves into non-intersecting worldviews, both debaters failed at the fundamental task of Lincoln-Douglas debate.
The root cause of this failure isn’t that debaters are lazy, or that parent judges don’t understand Kant. The root cause is that our community has forgotten the true nature of a Value-Criterion framework.
The framework is not a weapon to bludgeon your opponent. It is not a fortress to hide in. It is a scale. And until both debaters agree to put their cases on a scale that can actually register weight, the debate hasn’t even begun….
If you’ve ever wanted to coach Team Policy Debate but weren’t sure where to begin, you’re not alone!!
Team Policy can feel overwhelming at first. There are cases to build, evidence to organize, flowing to master, cross-examinations to navigate, and a whole new vocabulary to learn. Whether you’re a brand-new coach, a parent stepping in to help, or a student eager to tackle one of debate’s most rewarding events, getting started can feel intimidating. This Guide will be the resource you will want to grab- whether you re a student, parent, coach, or even Classical Conversations Tutor.
That’s exactly why we’re so excited to introduce Lasting Impact!’s brand-new resource written by Coach Emalyn Sharp! Coach Emalyn has almost a decade of experience, and she started as a competitor and knows what a competitor AND coach both need and want to know!
This conversational, easy-to-follow guide takes readers from the very beginning of Team Policy Debate and walks through the essential skills needed to compete with confidence. Instead of assuming prior knowledge, Emalyn explains each concept in a clear, approachable way, making even the most challenging aspects of Team Policy understandable.
Inside you’ll discover:
The anatomy of a Team Policy round
Evidence and ethical sourcing
How to build strong arguments
Constructing an affirmative case
Cross-examination strategies
Preparation time
Effective partnerships
Understanding negative briefs
Flowing techniques
Advocacy skills
And much more!
What makes this resource especially valuable is that it doesn’t simply explain what Team Policy is—it teaches readers how to do it. Beginning with the fundamentals, Emalyn gradually builds toward more advanced strategies, argument construction, and case-writing techniques, giving readers a solid foundation they can build upon throughout the season.
For coaches, this book is an outstanding educational tool. If you’ve never coached Team Policy before, you’ll find practical explanations that make lesson planning simple. Even better, the appendix includes ready-to-use lesson plans, allowing you to spend less time preparing and more time investing in your students.
For motivated students, this book serves as an excellent self-study guide. It empowers competitors to understand not only the structure of Team Policy but also the reasoning behind successful debate strategies.
It’s important to note that this is not a resolution-specific sourcebook. Instead, it is designed to be used to give you the skills and framework needed to make the most of your research and preparation year after year.
To celebrate the release, we’re offering this resource at an introductory price of just $40! If you’ve been looking for a practical, comprehensive guide to help launch your Team Policy journey, now is the perfect time to add this book to your coaching library or debate toolkit.
At Lasting Impact, we believe confident communicators are built through excellent instruction and intentional coaching. We’re thrilled to add this resource to our growing collection of tools that equip students and coaches to communicate truth with wisdom, confidence, and excellence.
Don’t miss the introductory pricing—grab your copy today and take your first step toward mastering Team Policy Debate! And don’t forget- or TP Camp is coming soon… along with our NCFCA TP Sourcebook!
This week, some of the nation’s top speech and debate students are gathering in the historic hometown of President Calvin Coolidge for one of the most unique competitions in forensics: the Coolidge Cup. And did you know Lasting Impact! will be there? In fact, many of our Lasting Impact! Coaches are Coolidge Champions and alumni. We have been a proud supporter and have coached numerous students for the competition and we want to encourage you give this league a try…
Here we go again: next season’s Team Policy resolution has been announced, and plenty of people are less than thrilled. They’re worried that Türkiye is too obscure, boring, and irrelevant. As two longtime TP debaters, we can say that this isn’t new. Every year, skepticism is often the first reaction to an unfamiliar resolution, especially in foreign policy years like this one…. (Keep Reading Below…)
NOTE – We are excited to welcome Tyler Barron and Derek Sun to the Lasting Impact!Team this season! They will be coaching at some of theOnline Speech and Debate Camps offered by Lasting Impact! this summer. Check them out – https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/online-camps/ ALSO- don’t forget our NCFCA TP Sourcebookand GUIDE will be coming out soon!
Summer is often seen as a time to relax, recharge, and step away from the classroom. While rest is important, summer can also be an incredible opportunity for students to develop skills that will benefit them for years to come. At Lasting Impact!, our Summer Speech & Debate Camps are designed to help students grow as communicators, thinkers, leaders, and confident young adults.
The benefits extend far beyond a week of camp. The skills learned through speech and debate become tools students carry into school, college, careers, and everyday life.
Building Confidence One Conversation at a Time
One of the greatest benefits of speech and debate is increased confidence. Students learn how to organize their thoughts, express ideas clearly, and speak in front of others with poise. Whether they are giving a presentation in class, interviewing for a job, auditioning for a show, or speaking at a community event, confidence in communication becomes a lifelong advantage. Research consistently shows that public speaking experiences help students become more comfortable sharing ideas and participating in academic and professional settings.
At camp, students practice in a supportive environment where mistakes are viewed as opportunities to learn. Many participants arrive nervous about speaking and leave eager to share their voices.
Developing Critical Thinking Skills
Speech and debate are much more than standing in front of an audience. Students learn to analyze information, evaluate evidence, consider multiple perspectives, and build logical arguments. These critical thinking skills strengthen performance across academic subjects and help students become thoughtful problem-solvers.
Debate, in particular, challenges students to understand both sides of an issue. Learning how to respectfully disagree, defend a position, and respond thoughtfully to opposing viewpoints prepares students for real-world discussions and decision-making.
Strengthening Research and Writing Abilities
Every great speech or debate begins with research. Students learn how to find credible sources, evaluate information, and support claims with evidence. These skills naturally translate into stronger essays, better class projects, and improved academic performance.
In an age where information is everywhere, the ability to distinguish fact from opinion is more valuable than ever.
Preparing Students for Academic Success
Research has found connections between debate participation and improved academic outcomes, including gains in analytical thinking and language arts performance. Students who participate in speech and debate often become more engaged learners because they are regularly practicing reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills together.
Speech and debate encourage students to think deeply, ask questions, and communicate their ideas effectively—skills that support success in every classroom.
Learning Leadership and Collaboration
While many people picture speech and debate as individual activities, they are also highly collaborative. Students work together to brainstorm ideas, practice presentations, provide feedback, and support one another’s growth. Through these experiences, campers develop leadership skills, teamwork, empathy, and the ability to communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds and perspectives.
These interpersonal skills are essential in both educational and professional environments.
Finding Their Voice
Perhaps the most meaningful outcome of speech and debate is that students discover their voice. They learn that their ideas matter, their perspectives have value, and they can make an impact through effective communication. Educators and coaches often describe speech and debate as one of the most transformative extracurricular experiences because it helps students become active participants in their schools and communities.
For some students, that means becoming a stronger advocate. For others, it means overcoming shyness, developing leadership skills, or simply gaining the confidence to speak up in class.
The Lasting Impact Difference
At Lasting Impact!, our Summer Speech & Debate Camps focus on creating a welcoming, engaging environment where students can challenge themselves, build friendships, and grow as communicators. Through interactive activities, fun competitions, collaborative learning, and personalized coaching, students develop practical skills while having an unforgettable summer experience.
The confidence they gain, the friendships they build, and the communication skills they develop won’t end when camp concludes. Those lessons become part of who they are—creating a lasting impact that extends far beyond the summer months.
This summer, give your student more than just an activity. Give them a voice, a platform, and the confidence to use both.Are you interested in running a camp? Talk to Anne McClure – anne.e.mcclure@gmail.com about bringing a Lasting Impact! Team TO YOU!! Our Online Schedule will be RELEASED SOON!!
As we move toward the close of another incredible speech and debate season, this is the time to make a valuable moment to pause, reflect, and grow. AKA- Don’t STOP!!
The end of a season is not just about celebrating what went well—it’s also the perfect time for intentional assessment. Whether a student just completed a production, wrapped up a speech season, finished a debate cycle, or completed a class, personalized coaching can help turn experience into lasting growth.
That’s why we’re excited to offer a special BOGO Coaching Call promotion – FOR ONE WEEK ONLY… now through May 24: Buy one coaching call and receive one free (with the same coach). Read ALL the details below…
This is a wonderful opportunity for students and families who want to maximize progress while building momentum for their Regional, National, next season, or beyond!
Why End-of-Season Coaching Matters
A coaching call at the close of a season gives students the chance to process their growth while the experience is still fresh. Having a professional help to assess ballots, cases, both in speech and debate can make a difference.
In these sessions, students can:
Assess what went well in past competition
Identify strengths that should continue
Pinpoint growth areas in confidence, technique, preparation, or mindset
Receive personalized feedback from a coach who understands their goals
Create a clear next-step plan for summer or fall training
Too often, students jump from one tournament right into the next without taking time to reflect. But reflection is where real growth happens, especially when you are reflecting with an experienced coach.
Assessment transforms “I did it” into “Here’s how I get even better.” If you have been getting minor improvement ballots all season long… a one hour coaching session can help bring you to the next level!
The Power of Two Calls Instead of One
The beauty of this BOGO offer is that the second call creates space for follow-through.
The first coaching session can focus on:
Season reflection
Strengths and challenges
Goal setting
Honest assessment
The free second session with the same coach allows students to:
Revisit those goals
Check progress
Strengthen skills discussed in the first session
Prepare for the next level
Build confidence with consistency
OR use the coaching call for multiple family members
Growth happens best when feedback is paired with action. Two calls give students both the insight and the support they need.
BOGO Coaching Offer Details…
All coaching must be done by June 1
Buy one coaching call and receive one free with the same coach (some exceptions can apply).
ONLY one paid session per family.
Offer good for members or nonmembers of Lasting Impact!
Coaches include – Heather Neumann, Kristi Eskelund, Caleb McClure, Hillary Kolssak, Nathanael Kolssak, and Seth Margolis
The season may be ending, but growth doesn’t stop here!! Now is the perfect time to invest in reflection, refinement, and readiness for what’s next. Click HERE to schedule your coaching call today.
Imagine for a moment that you were the one being judged… You step onto a stage, or in front of a classroom, give a speech, perform a song, submit a piece of writing, or present an idea you have worked hard on. When the results come back, the comment sheet says:
“Good job.”
That’s it.
No explanation. No encouragement about what worked. No guidance about what could improve.
How helpful would that be?
Probably not very. Especially if you were hoping to improve or gorw!
Yet this is increasingly what feedback looks like today—short, vague, and often almost nonexistent. I recently was going over a competitor’s ballots with them and it took less than 5 minutes to go through 6-9 ballots! Is this because he had a flawless performance? Does he not have room for growth? No. I believe judges don’t exactly know what type of feedback students are looking for. Plus, in many areas of life—education, competitions, workplaces, even the arts—people are writing less and less when evaluating others. Time is short. Attention spans are shorter. And meaningful critique is quietly disappearing. But good feedback is not just helpful—it is essential for growth. So- what can we do about it? Grab a cup of coffee and read this article!!
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.
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Practice is where Speech and Debate competitors are truly made—but not all practice is created equal. Hours spent rehearsing without focus can lead to burnout, frustration, and stalled growth. Purposeful practice, on the other hand, builds thinkers, communicators, and confident competitors. The difference isn’t time... It’s intention. Read on for more EIGHT intentional practice tips and to understand why purposeful practice is so important...
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What’s the point of asking your judge what they want to see in the round? There isn’t one, if you’re not going to act on it. One of the biggest mistakes debaters make is misunderstanding what it means when a judge says they want you to focus on impacting. Most debaters think that means just making it really clear why you should win that particular argument. Some debaters will take it a step further and interpret that statement to mean explaining why that argument wins the round. However, very few debaters understand the implicit request in that phrase. We often forget there should be some guiding idea or principle behind every debate case. Judges want to hear not just why you win an argument, or why that argument wins you the round, but why that argument matters beyond the context of high school speech and debate. Continue to read THREE levels of layered impact…
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