3A Speech and Debate Kicks Off CHSAA Winter State Championships

AURORA – With the 3A Speech and Debate State Championships beginning today, the Colorado High School Activities Associations’ winter championship is officially underway. The 3A Speech and Debate State Championships are a two-day event happening at Niwot High School.

Events will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and wrap around 5:15 p.m. on Saturday. Champions will be crowned in Congressional Debate, Creative Storytelling, Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Humor Interpretation, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, One-on-One Value Debate, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, Program Oral and Public Forum, while the Sweepstakes Winner (a team award that adds up student placements in final rounds) will be claimed the state champion at the end of the event. 
 
There will be nine returning champions competing this weekend, including the last two champions in Duo Interpretation, as Battle Mountain’s Body LaCross and Silas Heaphy won last year and University’s Tagan Garcia and Abigail Conner won in 2022. 
Garcia also won Dramatic Interpretation last year, while Jaylee Morado, also from University, captured the Informative Speaking title in 2023. 

In Poetry Interpretation, Eagle Valley’s Sam Maule won last season and Dawson’s Shanti Harrison returns after winning the title in 2021. Resurrection Christian’s Ellyott Siffring also returns after winning Impromptu Speaking a year ago. 

Here is a look at what some of the events will entail and definitions for each of the events:

Interpretation: Drama, Humor, Poetry and Program Oral will be different interpretation events offered at the state championships. An interpretation of something is meant for the competitor to be able to try and convey something that has previously been written or published. It may not be work written by the performer and must be publicly available. Once a piece is selected, the performer has no more than 10 minutes to perform.

• For the Dramatic Interpretation, a competitor is to act out a dramatic scene and can portray more than one character, but is not allowed to use any props.
  • Returning Champion: Tagan Garcia, University (2023)
• Humor Interpretation is similar, but instead of trying to be dramatic you use facial expressions, body language, etc. to try and create a humorous piece.
• In the Poetry Interpretation, the performer tries to mimic the original emotions of the poem
  • Returning Champions: Sam Maule, Eagle Valley (2023), Shanti Harrison, Dawson (2021)
• Finally, Program Oral is a mix of everything and tests the performer’s ability to interpret multiple types of literature.
• There is also a Duo Interpretation section in which each performer must portray multiple characters and may choose between the options of the solo interpretation styles.
  • Returning Champions: Battle Mountain’s Body LaCross and Silas Heaphy (2023) and University’s Tagan Garcia and Abigail Conner (2022) 

Lincoln-Douglas Debate: In a topic chosen by the National Speech and Debate Association two competitors will go one-on-one in a debate where one argues the affirmative of the argument and one argues the negative. Competitors submit evidence to support their cases. While the affirmative argument must stay per the guidelines, the competitor arguing the negative is allowed to argue whatever they want, as long as it does not support the affirmative. 

Public Forum Debate: This is a two-on-two competition in which one side argues the pro and one argues the con of the chosen topic by the NSDA. The public forum debate does have a section called a cross fire round in which each team takes the floor and they can answer questions at will, really creating a free-for-all environment. 

Congressional Debate: In the congressional debate, a caucus of 12-to-18 students creates a mock congress in which they function like the actual congress in Washington D.C. In the mock congress, competitors create: legislation, amendments, resolutions and even elect a presiding officer over the house. They are judged on their ability to get things passed and to convince their constituents to side with them. 

Extemporaneous Speaking: Extemporaneous means do so essentially without preparation. When a student is preparing to compete in extemporaneous speaking, they choose a topic that is centered around things such as: domestic and foreign affairs and foreign policy. Each topic is within two divisions, either international, or national. At the 3A level, the competitor chooses which topic they want to speak on and must remain in that division for the remainder of the competition. In order to choose a topic a student must report to a preparation room, where they will draw three topics and choose one of the drawn ones. They will then have 30 minutes to prepare a speech on that topic, using things like: published books, magazines, journals, etc. All materials must have been checked by a judge, because students cannot consult with outside sources, or use prior notes in the competition. 

Informative Speaking: In informative speeches, competitors create a speech that is 10 minutes in length that is aimed to inform the audience about a topic of their choosing, rather than advocate for one side over the other. 

• Returning Champion: Jaylee Morado, University (2023)

One-on-One Value Debate: Only contested in 3A, competitors will draw an argument 30 minutes prior to the competition, and then one will argue the affirmative and one will argue the negative. They are taken into a preparation room in which they are allowed to research their topic. Unlike some of the other debates, they do not have to have the burden of proof. They also must do so without any outside materials. Each competitor is judged based on their argumentation skills 

Impromptu Speaking: A competitor chooses between three topics that contain a phrase and a word five minutes before their speech. Each topic is a current event and that student must speak for three-to-five minutes on the topic that they have chosen. 

• Returning Champion: Ellyott Siffring, Resurrection Christian (2023)

Creative Storytelling: A competitor chooses between three topic outlines and then is given 15 minutes to prepare a creative story based on the outline that they have chosen. Once picked, they are not allowed to use outside sources and are expected to have narration and characterization in their story. Each story must be between three and five minutes. 

Original Oratory: Students deliver a self-written, 10 minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic, and emotional appeals. Topics range widely, and can be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is delivered from memory.