About Helix Speech & DebateHelix Speech and Debate is a co-curricular class. Students that are in the class must compete for the team. Students on the team must be in the class.
Students use class time to prepare for competition. Depending on which events in which they choose to compete (there are several from which to choose); students write/find speeches, memorize speeches, write cases, and practice those speeches or cases. Students are then expected to go to a certain number of tournaments, including the "playoffs" throughout the year. Those tournaments take place on weekends. There are also opportunities to compete at invitationals (optional) that are often overnight tournaments. |
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Competition Events
Original Events
(Speech)
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Original Oratory
An original speech with the goal to persuade motivate and/or inspire. The subjects vary considerably. |
Original Advocacy
An original speech that advocates legislative or regulatory change to solve a current problem. |
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Informative
An original speech to inform about an object, idea, concept or process. Audio and/or visual aids are allowed, but not required. |
Original Prose/Poetry
An original story told through prose and/or poetry. The speaker takes on the various characters. Closely related to the Interp events. |
Interpretation Events
(Speech)
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Dramatic Interpretation
A story chosen and cut from a published story, play, movie, etc... that is serious or dramatic in nature. Competitors deliver that cutting by performing the character(s). Various topics can be chosen. Duo Interpretation Two contestants present a story chosen and cut from a published story, play, movie, etc... that is dramatic, humorous or a bit of both. The partners may not touch and may not use props or costumes. |
Humorous Interpretation
A story chosen and cut from a published story, play, movie, etc... that is humorous in nature. Competitors deliver that cutting by performing the characters, the bigger the better and the more the merrier. |
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Program Oral Interpretation
The contestant is to present a program of three or more separate selections, based upon a theme of their choice, playing the many characters of those pieces. Students perform with a binder in hand. |
Declamation (Oratorical Interpretation)
Student chooses a speech delivered originally by a real person. This is not meant to be an impersonation. but should embody the message of the original speaker. An often used resource is TedTalks. |
Debate Events
Competitive debate involves students, either alone
or in pairs, taking part in an argument that
involves a series of speeches and questioning periods.
The format is dependent on the event.
or in pairs, taking part in an argument that
involves a series of speeches and questioning periods.
The format is dependent on the event.
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Public Forum Debate
Partner debate in which the debaters argue a topic of national importance in terms that a "common" person would understand. |
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
A one-on-one debate that is sometimes called value debate because it places an emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy. |
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Student Congress
A mock legislative session where students compete against 10-15 other students by debating "bills" or "resolutions" that have been determined in advance, giving students time to research and to prepare to speak on these issues. As with other debates, the session involves alternating speeches and questioning periods. |
