2025-2026: Lettering Standards (Current)

For students to earn a Letter for Speech and Debate, they need to do the following: 

• Attend 35, 2-hours long, practices or the equivalent in hours.

• Compete on the State Team 

  • • • Serving on the Research Pod for Debate counts as being on the State Team

      • Note: If a competitor is slated to be on the State team, but does not attend State for ANY reason (aside from severe illness of themself or a family member), they automatically forfeit their lettering status. 

• Compete on the National Qualifier Tournament Team.

  • • • Serving in House or Senate for Congress counts as being on the Nat Quals Team

      • Note: Exceptions are made on an individual basis if a competitor cannot attend. Acceptable reasons include:

        • • Your event is not offered at Nat Quals (MPA and Impromptu)

          • You are ill or a family member is deathly ill. 

          • You have an unavoidable life event (i.e. a funeral or graduation)

            • • • Must have approval from Jackson 

• Compete at the Majority of Varsity Tournaments as a Varsity Member (6/7)

  • • • Note: for a Novice, you can still Letter if you go to 4 tournaments as a Varsity member and/or if you go to State AND Nat Quals. 

      • Note: If you miss more than 2 tournaments for ANY reason, you automatically forfeit your Lettering Status

• Need to have done one of the following to Letter: 

  • • • Be in Top 16 at 3 or more Varsity tournaments in a Varsity Event.

      • Place First or be in the top 4 as a Varsity Competitor at one or more Varsity tournament. 

      • Place First at State, becoming the State Champion, OR be confirmed All-American (Top 4 at State).

      • Be a National Qualifier (1st, 2nd, or 3rd place) or First Alternate (4th place) at the Qualifying tournament.

      • Break (make it past preliminary rounds) at the National Tournament (from previous season).