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THE STONELEIGH-BURNHAM SCHOOL
DEBATE AND PUBLIC SPEAKING SOCIETY

Full Invitation

Event Guidelines

Dear Colleagues and Members of DANEIS,

You are cordially invited to the Paul Bassett Invitational Public Speaking Tournament, held at Stoneleigh Burnham School on Sunday, September 30. Our tournament will include three speaking opportunities in this order:

    1. Interpretive Reading (mandatory)
    2. Impromptu Speaking (mandatory)
    3. After-Dinner or Persuasive Speaking (choose one per each competitor)

Speakers and their coaches should arrive between 10:30 and 11:15 a.m. Our brunch will be the one meal served during the day. Event guidelines are enclosed and should answer all other questions. This year, in an effort to reduce the number of speakers in each room, we are expanding the number of rooms from five to eight. We will need two judges in each room, so we will need sixteen judges. We are allowing up to six speakers from each school. If you are bringing one to four speakers, bring one judge; if you are bringing five or six speakers, bring two judges. To be eligible for team awards, you must register at least four speakers. Only the top four speakers from a school will be averaged for awards.

First, second, and third place will be awarded in each of the categories. Team trophies will also be awarded to first, second, and third place finishers. An overall tournament winner will be named. Please read your event guidelines carefully and remember that all After Dinner and Persuasive speeches must be original. Impromptu speeches must be just that — Impromptu!

Additionally, guidelines for time keeping and penalties were changed at our all coaches meeting last April. Please refer to the attached event guidelines sheets to see those updates. If we have erred in the changes, please let us know. Please respond by Tuesday, September 26, with your speakers’ names and if they are giving an After-Dinner or Persuasive speech. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Sincerely,
Jacob Steward
Karen Suchenski