Category: Encouragement

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.

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

Why Should You Attend a Summer Speech and Debate Camp?

Posted on by Heather Neumann

As a coach, I’ve seen countless students walk into a Speech and Debate Camp a little nervous, unsure of what to expect. But by the end of the camp, they’ve transformed—equipped with new skills, fresh strategies, and the confidence to tackle their next competition head-on. If you’re a student considering whether to attend a Speech and Debate Camp – online or in-person or a parent wondering if it’s worth the investment, the answer is a resounding YES! I have countless of reasons why… but here’s just two reasons why: (and remember- we have TWO awesome online debate camps coming up… check them out HERE – https://lastingimpact.info/shop/ )

Continue reading “Why Should You Attend a Summer Speech and Debate Camp?” →

Do a New Thing – Do Apologetics! by: Karen Harper

Posted on by Heather Neumann

My dear friend, Karen (affectionately known to me as Sally) was an Apologetics Coach for her Speech Club, Truth Advocates, for a number of years. The Lord called her home unexpectedly on Oct. 18, 2023. She was a tremendous blessing to her family and community outside Louisville, KY. She wrote this article for me back in 2019. I feel pressed to share it again. There is so much truth here! I wanted you to catch her heart and vision of why and how you can DO APOLOGETICS! In memory of Karen, aka my Sally…

Continue reading “Do a New Thing – Do Apologetics! by: Karen Harper” →

Ready, Set, (Speech and Debate) Summer!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Can you believe it’s mid-June? Can you believe I have had coaching sessions already for fall 2023?! I’m not going to lie- I love summer prep! I love the enthusiasm that comes with tackling new resolutions, speech ideas, and the inspiration that comes from simply seeking His will.

Are you feeling ready for what the new speech and debate season has in store? If you are feeling unequipped, unsettled, or uninspired – join Lasting Impact! to get energized!!

Online Summer Camps! 

In Person Summer Camps!

One on One Coaching! https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/services/ 

  • There’s nothing like a coaching session to give you accountability for the summer! 

Over 400 Articles!

  • Look through all our past articles to see what past coaches, competitors, even National Champions wanted to share with us!

New! Limited Prep Guide! https://lastingimpact.info/product/club15091/ 

  • The latest Lasting Impact! Resource full of beginner, intermediate, and advanced tips to help you grow in your limited prep speaking. Including Impromptu, Mars Hill, Extemporaneous, and Apologetics.

Books and Resources!

And don’t forget Fall Clubs are right around the corner… sign up now! Space is limited! https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/clubs/ 

  • Speech 101 with Heather Neumann
  • Speech 102 with Heather Neumann
  • Interp Club with Heather Neumann and Lynda DePasacreda
  • Limited Prep with Ethan Tong
  • Debate Readiness with Amy Eichholz
  • LD Fundamentals with Hillary and Nathanael Kolssak 
  • LD Strategies with Ethan Tong
  • Intermediate LD with Peter Montgomery 
  • LD Roundtable with Noah McKay
  • TP Foundations with Emalyn George
  • Advanced TP with Eric Meinerding 
  • Extemp Roundtable 

We can’t wait to see you again, meet for the first time, come alongside you and GROW, EQUIP, INSPIRE, and IMPACT! As always, we are cheering you on, and remember- you got this… cuz He’s got you!

Summer Speech and Debate Prep With Us!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Ok- maybe we are a bit premature! Some of you haven’t been to your National Championship, yet! But REGISTRATION IS GOING ON NOW! Lasting Impact! aims to empower students with the skills of effective communication and teamwork through the avenues of debate and public speaking. Check out what you can sign up for by going to the SHOP ( https://lastingimpact.info/shop/ )or read the list below…

  • In Person Camps! The Impact! Tour is topping at over 10 locations from HI to FL! We love partnering with clubs and are excited to bring energy and fun and quality coaching to your home town! We still have some dates available, if your state isn’t on the list, contact us!
  • Summer Sessions! https://lastingimpact.info/product/club15065/ We added something new to the mix this year! Online weekly encouragement to boost students, parents, coaches, and clubs! Every Monday night for ten weeks we will dig into the topics you want to hear about. We’ve invited special guests, as well as our coaches for you to hear the latest ideas and inspiration. Sessions include…
  • How to get started in Speech and Debate 
  • Overview of Resolutions 
  • How to Research 
  • Picking Topics
  • The Ins and Outs of Expository or Digital Presentations 
  • Purposeful Practicing 
  • Running Clubs/Club Leading
  • And More!

No time for summer prep!? We have that covered too! Fall classes and clubs are filling up! https://lastingimpact.info/product-category/clubs/ And more classes will be added! Classes include…

  • Debate Readiness 
  • Speech 101
  • Speech 102
  • Fundamentals of LD
  • Fundamentals of Limited Prep
  • TP Basics
  • And More!

We, at Lasting Impact! have a passion for the Art of Communication! We are excited for what the Lord has in store for young people, and want to help them understand the value and power they have to IMPACT and inspire! If you aren’t seeing something you want contact heather@lastingimpact.info

Headed to Nationals… Now What? By: Lynda DePasacreta

Posted on by Heather Neumann

I’ve been blessed to coach students heading to the national championship and watch students compete since 2016. Year after year, I often find myself saying the same thing- get a fresh perspective! It is not a new concept.

What inspired me today applies particularly to speech students, though I would encourage debate students to think through the same concept – how do we view our case, digital presentation/expos, apologetics? You name it, pick a topic.. how do we approach any of it with a fresh perspective that will not only engage our audience and judges, but engage our own minds as well…

Continue reading “Headed to Nationals… Now What? By: Lynda DePasacreta” →

Introducing – Lasting Impact! Summer Series – Register NOW!

Posted on by Heather Neumann

You asked for it! We will provide it!

What?

Lasting Impact! Summer Session Series

What!?

Weekly live (yet recorded) Speech and Debate sessions to increase your summer prep! Each week we will cover areas or subjects pivotal to Speech and Debate. Sessions will include…

  • How to get started in Speech and Debate 
  • Overview of Resolutions 
  • How to Research 
  • Picking Topics
  • The Ins and Outs of Expository or Digital Presentations 
  • Purposeful Practicing 
  • Running Clubs/Club Leading
  • And More!

Each week there will be a theme, which will include guest speakers. The schedule will go out in advance.

When?

June 26-Aug. 28

Mondays – 7:30pm CT

Cost – $150 per family/$125 per membership family

Questions?

  1. Do I need to be physically present? No. But being there is an advantage! The recordings will be sent out.
  2. Can I watch the recordings later? Yes, we will keep the recordings for the remainder of the year, possibly longer.
  3. Do I need to purchase one for each student? Nope! The cost is per family.
  4. Can I use a video for club? Yes.

Lasting Impact! loves coming along students, parents, coaches, and clubs providing you with the tools for the toolbox to create an impact! Come! Be inspired! And be get ready to make an IMPACT! Register NOW – https://lastingimpact.info/product/club15065/

A Recipe for Regionals or The National Championship

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Ahhh- yes, another baking recipe article from someone who does not like to cook or bake, but I do know how to write a speech, coach a speech, teach public speaking, and prepare for the next level of speech and debate competition! 

Whether you are heading to your Regional Championship, National Championship, or simply the last chance to achieve your goals, it’s time to relook at your speeches and make sure they have some key ingredients…

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Why Compete in Speech and Debate? By: Emalyn (Sharp) George

Posted on by Heather Neumann

What’s Your Focus?

This part of the season is particularly stressful. The last qualifiers are passing by, spelling the end of the season for some, and the road to Regionals for others. Exhaustion sets in as energy starts to run low. You have been giving these speeches and researching for debate for four months now, if not more. You trade social activities for brief building, and spend your time talking to walls in an attempt to get your accents perfected. After months of competition and being scrutinized by judges and submitting yourself to emotional and physical exhaustion for three to four days straight, you are likely worn out.

Why are you doing this Speech and Debate activity? 

Continue reading “Why Compete in Speech and Debate? By: Emalyn (Sharp) George” →

Learn to Think Like Your Opponent: Why Debaters Thrive in the Real World by: Liliana Zylstra

Posted on by Heather Neumann

Could the skills learned in high school speech and debate be part of the solution to the culture’s ideological conflict and political division? I believe the answer is yes. Participating in debate is the best way to learn one crucial skill that is incredibly needed and often overlooked. Debate requires students to fairly evaluate views that they don’t hold…

Continue reading “Learn to Think Like Your Opponent: Why Debaters Thrive in the Real World by: Liliana Zylstra” →

A New Speech and Debate Judge Perspective By: Chloe Peters

Posted on by Heather Neumann

“Well…I guess they sit in a circle and hold hands and sing Kum ba yah. But the program doesn’t work because the government needs more money to sing Kum ba yah…and drug dealers and immigration violators don’t even get to sing!” This is a quote from my favorite ballot of last year. It is a vivid description of my team policy case (and it’s not far off either.) 

There is a uniqueness to speech and debate leagues that didn’t become fully clear to me until this past weekend. I walked into the competition room, taking deep breaths to relax my nerves. Only this time, I wasn’t competing. I was a judge…

Continue reading “A New Speech and Debate Judge Perspective By: Chloe Peters” →