January 29, 2008 ODU Forensics & Debate Fred R. Warren Director, Forensics & Debate Batten Arts & Letters Room 3027 Norfolk, VA 23529 Ph: 757-683-5439 Fx: 757-683-4700 Dear Forensic Coach: You are cordially invited to attend Old Dominion University s 6th Annual "Virginia is for Forensics Lovers" Invitational High School Tournament on February 09, 2008. This is Old Dominion University s (ODU) sixth annual high school tournament, which is run by ODU college students. Last year's tournament was a complete success, yet we still strive each year to improve in different ways to make each tournament even better. We hope to make this year's competition a little larger, more exciting, and more challenging than tournaments in previous years. Old Dominion University will be open and teaching classes on that Saturday, providing an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about institutions of higher education firsthand. Encounters with universities can provide an enormous amount of information for the inquisitive students and ODU has a lot of information to offer interested students. If any of your students have questions about college level forensics or college in general, I encourage them to bring their questions. This will hopefully make the "Virginia is for Forensics Lovers" tournament an educational and exciting tournament for all the students involved. Please read the following the invitation very carefully. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the forensics office in Batten Arts and Letter, Old Dominion University at the address or phone number to the left or even through our e-mail address below. Any questions about registration must be entertained as soon as possible, our tournament is scheduled for February 9 th, 2008. Sincerely, Fred Warren, Director ODU Forensics and Debate
Forensics Events Offered Events: Original Oratory, Extemporaneous Speaking, Prose, Storytelling, Poetry, Impromptu, Duo, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, and Duo Improvisational Pairs Novice events will be offered as follows: all students will be competing in the same division, i.e. novice students will compete with varsity students. During registration, students who are novice must be designated with the word "Novice" next to their names. If the demand for the novice level is high enough in certain categories, then novice prizes will be awarded to the top novices in each of those categories. Ultimately, the learning experience from competing with varsity students will be achieved, and small categories with inadequate competition will be avoided. x General Rules for Forensics A synopsis of individual event rules are included in this invitation packet. x No school may have more than FOUR ENTRIES per category. x No competitor can use the same selection in two different categories. x Competitors are limited to ONE EVENT in Bracket A and ONE EVENT in Bracket B. x A judge should be provided for every six entries or fraction thereof For example, if five students are brought from Exemplia High School, and three of them are entered in two events each, then two judges need to be provided. Extra judges will be available for hire at Old Dominion, but they will be sparse. The rate for a hired judge is $10 per uncovered entry. Thus, in the above example with 8 entries and only one judge, the fee would be $20. x Tam sweepstakes will be determined by preliminary round scores using the following means - 3 points will be awarded to first place, 2 to second, and 1 to third. This provides a balance between strength in numbers and quality over quantity while competing for a sweepstakes awards. x Sweepstakes awards will be given to the top three schools in three separate divisions. x Divisions will be based on a school s total number of entries on February 9, 2008. x Awards will be awarded to the top six students in each of the 10 events. x Hotels x There are many hotels in the Norfolk area. The two that are suggested are Quality Inn at 757-587-8701 and Hampton Inn at 757-489-1000. Both are less than 10 minutes away from ODU. We even have a new hotel on-campus at 4500 Hampton Blvd. Norfolk, VA 23508, ph: 757-423-4100, or 1-888-ODU-7488. Feel free to contact us with any further questions about lodging. Food Starting at 7:30 a.m., complimentary refreshments will be available during the registration. Coaches and judges will have coffee in the judge s lounge all day. Early morning snack and lunch will be available at the tournament, and there are restaurants less than three minutes walk from the tournament as well. Students are advised to bring about $10.00 per meal off-campus. Vending machines are prevalent throughout campus as well, and students may want to bring change. TENTATIVE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
7:30-8:30 Registration and refreshments 8:30 Welcome address to students and coaches 9:00 Extemp Draw Round I 9: 15 Round 1 Bracket A 10:15 Round 1 Bracket B 11:00 Extemp Draw Round 2 11:15 Round 2 Bracket A 1:00 Round 2 Bracket B 2:00 Extemp Draw Round 3 2:15 Round 3 Bracket A 3:15 Round 3 Bracket B 4:45 Extemp Draw and Finals Bracket A 5:45 Finals Bracket B 7:15 Awards Bracket A Events- Duo, Original Oratory, Poetry, Storytelling, and Extemp. Bracket B Events- Prose, Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp, Impromptu, and Duo Improv. DEADLINE FOR ENTRY Entry forms MUST be received by Wednesday, February 8th, 2006, at 4:00 pm. You may register by: Fax (757) 683-4700 Phone (757) 683-5439 E-mail forensicsanddebate@odu.edu - Please include the phrase "forensics invitational" in the subject. We will confirm your registration by soon after receiving, usually within 24 hours by e-mail (preferred) or phone message at your school. If you do not hear from us, we may not have received your entry. PLEASE CALL US!!! Be sure to check the following very closely before submitting your entry: Students are in the correct category. Novice students have been denoted. (With "Novice" written after their names). Students are not double entered in the same bracket. If a student or judge is suffering conditions which do not allow for extensive walking, please put a star (*) next to his or her name; be advised that the tournament is being conducted in multiple buildings and a student may need to walk a fair amount. In case of inclement weather ENTRY FORM (RETURN NO LATER THAN 4:00 pm, FEBRUARY 8th, 2006) (Fax) 757-683-4700 (Phone) 757-683-5439 (E-mail) Jnort009@odu.edu BE SURE TO RETURN ALL OF THE ENTRY FORM! School Coach or Principal: School: Address Town Zip: School Phone( ) Fax ( E-mail Home & Cell Phone of Approximate Number of students and judges who will eat on campus: Breakfast Snack & Lunch
* No student may be double entered in these categories * ONLY 4 students per category * Please put first and last names - please print legibly * Denote novices with a star (*) next to their names. Bracket A Original Oratory Extemporaneous Storytelling Poetry Duo Bracket B Dramatic Interpretation Humorous Interpretation Impromptu Prose Duo Improvisation Forensic Judges. (* by those whose walking distance should be limited)
ENTRY FEES- Fees are set at 4:00 p.m. January 29, 2008. FEES Fee School Registration Fee 30.00 Forensics Entries (Duo Improvisation count as one entry not two) 8.00 Uncovered Judging Entries (1 judge covers 6 entries) 10.00 Checks should be made payable to: Old Dominion University in memo area Write: Forensics & Debate Dropped Entries Before conference 6.00 Dropped Entries Day of conference 10.00 Dropped Judges Day of conference 30.00 All money must be paid IN FULL, including drop fees, before your students will be allowed to compete. Bring checks to registration. DO NOT mail them! NOTE: If finances limit your ability to attend the tournament, please let us know in due time and we may be able to make arrangements with your team. VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SPEECH COACHES RULES AND TIME LIMITS DRAMATIC or HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION (HI/DI) Each student will present a memorized cutting or excerpt from a published work that may not exceed ten minutes in length including an original, memorized introduction. The contestant must work alone with no costume or props. (S) He may use hand gestures and other bodily movements, but may not walk. Monologues are acceptable. Characters are created through the consistent use of distinct voices, focal points and postures. (7 10 minutes). DUO INTERPRETATION Each pair of contestants will present a cutting or excerpt from a single published work of prose, poetry, or drama, which shall not exceed ten minutes in length, including an introduction. Each student may portray only one character; however, one or both interpreters may read narration. The selection may be edited to omit minor speeches from other characters. Neither contestant may move around the performance area; however, either may swivel (pivot) from side to side or turn around to suggest entrances and exits. The interpreters must remain standing. (7-10 minutes) EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING Topics will be on current events from the last three months. Drawing for the topics will begin thirty minutes prior to the start of each round. Students should bring their own magazines, books, or newspapers to assist them in preparation. Maximum speaking time is seven minutes. One note card may be used while delivering the speech. Each student is responsible for his/her own time and must be ready to speak at the end of thirty minutes. If a contestant fails to speak when scheduled, he/she will forfeit the round. Speakers may move about the room as they speak; however, they may not use a podium. Extempers may remain in the room to hear speakers who follow them. (30-minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to speak) ORIGINAL ORATORY Each contestant will present a memorized oration of his or her own writing, not to exceed ten minutes in length. Subject matter is unlimited; it should be of a persuasive nature and should make a clear central point. No more than one hundred and fifty words may be quoted, either directly or indirectly. No notes, podium, props, visual, or audio-visual aids may be used. There is no restraint on movement. (7-10 minutes)
SERIOUS or HUMOROUS PROSE READING and POETRY READING The contestant will read a selection of his or her own choice, which may be edited so as not to be longer than ten minutes in length including a memorized, original introduction. Selections must come from published works. Although the selection may be memorized, the speaker must hold a manuscript and have visual contact with it. The contestant may not move about the room. Neither podiums nor props are permitted. (7-10 minutes) STORYTELLING The student will memorize a children s story using creative transitions at the discretion of the interpreter. No notes may be used. The contestant will create characters through the use of different voices, focal points, and body postures. Gestures are encouraged; however, movement must be restricted to movement in place. The time limit is ten minutes including the introduction. No props or costumes are permitted; however singing, humming, and other creative approaches may be used. The student should assume that the audience consists of a group of children. (7-10 minutes) IMPROMPTU The contestant will draw three topics or quotations while sitting in the room with the judge. (S) He will select one, and return the other two, then have up to three minutes to prepare a speech. The total time used for preparation and the speech may not exceed seven minutes. All contestants may sit in the room together and hear the speeches of other contestants since each will be speaking on a different topic. One 3x5 note card may be used. * In Final Round we may use an object or cartoon. IMPROVISATIONAL PAIRS Each pair of contestants will draw three scenarios while sitting in the room with the judge. They will select one, and return the other two, then have up to three minutes to prepare a scene. The total time used for preparation and the performance may not exceed seven minutes. Example scenarios include, "Bugs Bunny and Mike Tyson talk politics," and "Pokemon and Elmo talk about who s the better holiday gift." Props may be used! DIRECTIONS: From 1-64 - take route 564. If traveling on 64 east from Hampton/Richmond, route 564 will be after the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. If traveling on 64 west from Chesapeake/Suffolk, 564 will be before the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. After getting on route 564, take the first exit for Terminal Boulevard. Follow until Hampton Boulevard. Tum left on Hampton Boulevard. Cross over the bridge until 49th street. Tum right on 49th. Tum left at Elkhorn. Park in lot 27 - there will be a sign for it on your right. The building across Elkhorn from the parking lot is Webb Center (landmark: Lion Statue, in front of Webb); go to it and follow signs. If you have any questions, don t hesitate to call 683-5439 or email forensicsanddebate@odu.edu. This information online. We ll see you in February!