BC Senior Public Speaking Competition

Dear Participants, Judges, Volunteers, and Coaches,
​

The DSABC is pleased to invite you to attend the BC Senior Public Speaking Competition to be held online for the very first time!

Event Information:
Host Platform: Zoom Video Conferencing

Date: November 27 - 28th, 2020

​

The top students from this tournament will advance to the Canadian Senior National Public Speaking Competition, likely in February 2021. This event will be hosted online by the Manitoba Speech and Debate Association.

​

This event is primarily targeted at students in grades 10 and over; with a Junior Public Speaking event to be held in April 2021. However, students of any age may choose to participate so long as they recognize that they may not participate in both the Junior and Senior events.

​​

Fees (Non-refundable):

• Competitors: $5/per student

• Payment can be made HERE
   

Payments must be made online by the stage 2 registration deadline. Any schools failing to make payment by this time will forfeit their position to the next participant on the waitlist.
 

Important Dates:

• Stage 1 - Participant Number Requests - Open until Wednesday, November 4th

  • Request the number of students for your school

  • These numbers will be confirmed via email, after which any waitlist spots will be allocated

  • Schools may start by registering up to 6 students - with a waitlist available for additional participants

  • Registration Closed

​​

• Stage 2 - Names of Teams and Judges - Will open Friday, November 6th

  • Open until the end of day on Wednesday, November 18th

  • DSABC membership must be renewed and 2020-21 dues paid in order to participate in stage 2 registration

  • STAGE 2 OPEN NOW

• Friday, November 20th - all asynchronous submissions must be received​

• Wednesday, November 25th -  all asynchronous submission must be judged and ballots returned

Tournament Categories:

​

Students in grades 10-12 are eligible to compete at this event.
 

Students compete in all 4 public speaking categories:

• Debate

• Impromptu Speaking

• Persuasive Speaking

• Interpretive Reading (solo acting will no longer be offered in the senior category)

​

See full description of categories here

​

All pieces presented at this event must not have been performed at any public speaking event prior to September 1st, 2020. This means that speeches at events such as IISPSC 2020 may be reused.

​

Online Event Information:​

• In order to maintain consistency with the format used at the national championship, the persuasive speaking and interpretive reading categories will be “asynchronous”, while the debating and impromptu speaking categories will be “synchronous”. 
   

• Asynchronous categories will require that participants film their speeches and submit them by 11:59 pm on November 20th. These videos must be uploaded to a google drive and the link shared with the DSABC through a google form provided at stage 2 registration.
   

• Judges will receive a pre-recorded briefing for the two asynchronous categories prior to the 21st. On the 21st, they will be sent links to the videos they will judge as well as an online ballot. They must then submit scores for the entries by the end of the 25th. Synchronous categories will take place live on zoom and all finals will be live.
   

• The Zoom Meeting will be password protected for the security of all participants. Screen-sharing will be disabled at all times. Any individual found in the Zoom Meeting who is not registered as part of a school delegation or as an external observer will be removed from the meeting immediately and without warning
   

• All participants (and judges) must have access to a computer with a working microphone and camera for the duration of the tournament. A full technical guide will be released after Stage 1 registration.

Judging Expectations:

• Schools must provide one judge per two participants (rounded up) for the duration of the tournament. ​

• Teams that do not supply a judge may be disqualified from the tournament

• Judges must be fluent in English and comfortable with following fast-paced speeches using moderate to
  high-level vocabulary.​

​

Chaperone Policy

• All students are required to have a school-approved "chaperone" online at all times. The DSABC accepts no liability for any student left unsupervised at any DSABC-sponsored event, whether online or in-person.

• A chaperone can be a coach, teacher sponsor or parent/guardian who is authorized by their child’s school and is willing to take on all chaperone related responsibilities.

• Senior students are not considered chaperones. 

• All adults acting as chaperones are expected to uphold the DSABC Code of Ethics.

​

Schedule

Friday, November 27th

4:00-4:30pm                    Online Registration in Main Zoom Room

4:30-5:30pm                    Welcome & Briefings for Impromptu Category

5:30-6:30pm                    Impromptu Round 1

6:30-7:00pm                    Dinner Break 

7:00-8:00pm                    Impromptu Round 2

Saturday, November 28th

9:00-9:30am                   Online Registration in Main Zoom Room

9:30-10:30am                  Briefings for Debate Category

10:00am                          Debate Motion & Draw Released

10:30-11:30am                 Debate Round 1

11:45am                          Debate Motion & Draw Released

12:15-1:15pm                   Debate Round 2

1:30pm                           Finalists Announced

1:30-2:00pm                   Lunch Break

2:00-5:00pm                  Final Rounds in All Categories

5:30-6:00pm                   Awards

​

​

Tournament Contacts:

Anna Saint - DSABC Public Speaking Director: annasaint394@gmail.com

Jack Bacon - DSABC President: dsabcpresident@gmail.com

​

​