Team

SDA focuses on two primary forms of debate: Lincoln Douglas and Policy Debate.  In Lincoln Douglas, students compete one-on-one for 45 minutes. The topics debated in Lincoln Douglas change throughout the year.  In Policy Debate, teams of two argue a topic for one and one-half hours.  Policy debaters are assigned one resolution at the beginning of the year and develop an extensive “library” of evidence that they can use throughout the year to support their assertions and to degrade the assertions of their opponents.  In Lincoln Douglas and in Policy Debate, debaters must argue both the affirmative and the negative position.

SDA students travel to the tournaments where they engage in multiple rounds with debaters from all over the region or country covering both sides of the topic or resolution.  Over a typical tournament weekend, debaters can spend about seven hours engaged in rounds, with breaks in between rounds, and may not qualify in the final rounds. The competitions are rigorous and mentally grueling – a testament to the students’ dedication to an activity they love — but the students relish the discourse and the “clash” as they challenge their opponents.

Other forms of Speech and Debate events in which the SDA students compete include:

• Parliamentary Debate:  This form simulates debate in a House of Parliament and stresses rigorous argumentation, logical analysis, quick thinking and breadth of knowledge over the preparation of evidence.
• Public Forum Debate: Teams of two debate a public policy resolution  that changes monthly.
• Student Congress: Up to approximately 16  individuals compete in a process that is modeled after the procedure of floor debate in American legislature.
• Individual Events are where students perform or recite speeches and monologues, including, among others, original oratory, expository, dramatic or humorous interpretation, thematic interpretation, extemporaneous and impromptu speeches.