FAQ Seattle University Tournament
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Click your question below—
after clicking, look to the top of your screen.
Note: The days leading up to the Tournament, we will
have a zoom information session where parents/family can ask questions and
learn more about the details of being in the tournament.
Students are also given information about how the tournament works in the class
where they prepare for the tournament.
FAQ
Seattle University Tournament
How Important is it that we register for the Tournament?
WHAT
HAPPENS AT THE TOURNAMENT?
What will my student do during the tournament?
What Events should I register for?
What topics can they use for their speeches?
What are the main differences between the different days
of the Tournament?
Can I drop off my child at Seattle University?
STAY
FOR THE WHOLE TOURNAMENT?
Does my child need to be there for the whole tournament?
WHO
PARTICIPATES in the tournament?
Who will my child debate with?
Is doing two tournaments too much?
SPEECH
& DEBATE AT THE SAME TOURNAMENT
Is doing Speech and Debate together too much?
LENGTH
OF THE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TOURNAMENT
The tournament seems long—can my kid handle it?
DO
WE NEED TO STAY FOR AWARDS?
MY
QUESTION ISN’T ANSWERED HERE.
DATES-TIMES of the Tournament
See the registration form. It will tell you.
Also you can see dates and times at the Dashboards
COST
What is the Cost?
Fees are $50 to $75.
Costs depend on the
event entered.
Entering both speech event and debate/congress costs more.
See the registration form for details.
Low Income/Rainier Scholars receive the same discounts as in our program fees.
SHOULD WE REGISTER?
How Important is it that we register for the Tournament?
Very important. This may be a transformative moment for your child.
Many students “find” themselves in the tournaments—they have a group of friends that share their passion and interest.
Even for students who just participate—they will grow tremendously in their speaking and thinking skills during the tournament.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE TOURNAMENT?
What will my student do during the tournament?
Prepare for your event (polishing your speech, working on your cases/responses)
Come to campus with the Dashboard for your Tournament bookmarked/favorited and ready to view.
When you arrive at Seattle University, you should go to the Climb School Room.
You will know your Climb School Room by finding it on the Dashboard for your Tournament
You can get food (located in the location/room noted in the Dashboard for your Tournament).
A Climb Instructor should be in your school room (if not, contact Jim Hanson who is usually in Pigott 208)
The Climb Instructor will answer any questions you might have.
About 10 minutes before your round is to start, check the Postings on the Dashboard for your Tournament.
The Postings show you where to go, what event/what side of the topic you are doing.
As soon as that is posted, go to your round. The judge should provide help there.
I’m doing 2 speeches—which do I go to first? Doesn’t matter—you choose either one to go to first.
At the end of the debate/you’ve given your speech, leave your room and head back to your School Room.
During the day—you can eat the lunch and pizza slice snack provided.
During the day—you’ll debate 4* times, do congress twice, or give each of your speeches 2 times.* Note: In the March Saturday tournament, instead of a 4th debate, you watch the top 2 teams of the Tournament debate each other.
After the last round, there is an awards assembly announcing the top performing students in their events.
WHICH EVENTS?
What Events should I register for?
Register for the events your child is taking in our program.
So, for example, if your child is in the elementary debate program, sign up for
elementary debate.
They will be fully ready as our program directly prepares students to
participate in the tournament.
If your child knows an event well but isn’t in the program for that, they can also register for that event.
Willows Prep: Sign up for Public Forum Debate on Sunday.
CLOTHING
What should they wear
Nice casual works. So does more formal.
Slacks, collared shirt or blouse, skirts, good.
Also fine, suits, dresses, ties, formal wear.
Judges should focus on the content of the students’ speeches but a distracting slogan on a shirt or particularly messy look might not work so well.
No hateful nor “not suitable for the workplace” messages on clothing.
DEBATE TOPICS
What topics will they debate?
The tournament uses the same topics we use in our program. See the Dashboard.
SPEECH TOPICS
What topics can they use for their speeches?
Students use the exact same speeches they have prepared for PowerPoint and Platform in our classes.
For impromptu speaking, students get the same kinds of topics that they received in class.
Impromptu topics will
be provided by the judge in the round
(students get the topic and have a short time to prepare and to speak).
WHICH DAY TO CHOOSE?
What are the main differences between the different days of the Tournament?
In the Summer, the tournament is only offered on Friday in-person.
Saturday is for middle schoolers doing debate only and is a full day experience.
Sat happens in person at Seattle University (except for the mid-January tournament which is online).
Sunday is for all
ages and is a full day experience.
On Sunday, we have
elementary debate, middle school debate, public forum debate (for Willows
Prep), congress, and speech events.
Sun happens in person at Seattle University.
For elementary school debaters, You can participate in debate on Sunday in person only. We expect 12 to 20 teams.
For middle school debaters, You can participate in debate on Saturday or Sunday.
Saturday in person, 4 rounds, expected 80-100 teams (in May, 20-30 teams).
Sunday in person, 4 rounds, expected 25-35 MS33 and 25 Pub Forum teams.
Congress, You can participate Sunday in person.
Speaking Events, you can participate or Sunday (2 rounds in person; you give your speech each round).
DROP OFF CHILD?
Can I drop off my child at Seattle University?
Yes
but we EXPECT parents of 3rd and 4th graders to remain
with their child at Seattle University.
We’ll have a staff
member there in the mornings (and afternoons for congress and speech students)
to guide them into the Piggott building.
Climb students meet with an adult leader in a “school room” between rounds.
Children are together with adult supervision throughout the tournament.
Yes
you can park at the school and be there with your child
(we expect this for 3rd and 4th graders but many parents
also come in-person
to see their older kids because they want to celebrate in their child’s
achievements).
STAY FOR THE WHOLE TOURNAMENT?
Does my child need to be there for the whole tournament?
Being there the whole time noted below is by far the best option.
Debaters debate in
ALL debates. 9am to 615pm
Speakers present their speeches twice at two different times (called “rounds”)
in the schedule. 2pm to 615pm.
Congress have 2 sessions. 1230pm to 615pm.
If you can’t be there the whole time, please contact Jim Hanson at jim@climbthemountain.us and we can see if that will work.
WHO PARTICIPATES in the tournament?
All
of the Climb programs participate.
Many schools in the Puget Sound area plus British Columbia participate.
DEBATE PARTNERS
Who will my child debate with?
When you register, tell us who you want and don’t want as a debate partner.
And if you really want that person—coordinate with them to attend the tournament on the same day.
We put students
together from the same program if at all possible
based on
their preferences and beyond that also based on having similar speaking scores
in the program so they are equally matched.
My kid doesn’t have partners that are going to the
tournament. Who do they debate with?
We will take care of
that. We will put your child with other students to create a team.
We’ll do our best to put another student at about the same level with your kid.
Note: When a debater drops—we usually have to fix that team which unfortunately can also affect
other teams.
We will do our best to keep in communication with you on this but sometimes the process of fixing teams is time consuming; sometimes the drop/change happens on the morning of the tournament. Please be flexible and work with Jim Hanson and your child to make the tournament a positive experience for you and all of the debaters.
WANT TO DO TWO TOURNAMENTS?
Is doing two tournaments too much?
Always depends on your child. Students might get overwhelmed by doing Saturday and Sunday both but some kids do that and love it.
SPEECH & DEBATE AT THE SAME TOURNAMENT
Is doing Speech and Debate together too much?
Again, depends on
your child. Doing them together on Sunday is a fair amount to do,
keeping your child busy. That said,
we’ve had a number of students do it
and it was just fine for them.
LENGTH OF THE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TOURNAMENT
The tournament seems long—can my kid handle it?
I worried about this when
we started but what I have found is that the vast majority of
kids
including elementary students thrive in the environment of the tournament.
They’ll be tired at the end but during the tournament,
they’ll have lots of energy and can handle it.
DO WE NEED TO STAY FOR AWARDS?
Yes, stay until 615pm.
If you want any awards (plates and medallions) you win, you should stay.
We can mail items but it isn’t a fast service and
there is a fee for having items mailed to you.
MY QUESTION ISN’T ANSWERED HERE.
Contact Jim Hanson at jim@climbthemountain.us and ask.
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