Honor Academy is the premier speech and debate academy because of our expert faculty, curriculum design, and track record of success.
Students at Honor Academy participate in major speech and debate tournaments throughout the year. Tournament participation makes students more confident in their speech abilities and solidifies their argumentative skills. They compete with the name Honor Academy or their full time school name as their affiliated school, depending on tournament requirements. Please review the following information and complete the form below if you are interested in participation at an upcoming tournament.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
Most tournaments offer Middle School, Novice, and Varsity divisions. During speech and debate classes, we assess each student to determine which division they will be eligible to take part in prior to the tournament date. You may sign up for a tournament before the assessment is complete to ensure an opportunity to participate, and Honor Academy will issue a refund if we decide the student should switch to a different division or skip that particular tournament. Please contact us for more information about eligibility.
Schedules
All schedules are tentative because tournaments often run behind schedule.
For one-day tournaments, all rounds are mandatory. Missing one round is considered a forfeit. After 4-5 preliminary rounds, rankings are announced based on the number of wins and speaker points.
Two or three day tournaments usually take place Sat–Sun, Sat–Mon, or Fri–Sun. These tournaments have preliminary rounds the first day and possibly the second day morning, making it 1.5 day commitment, and elimination rounds on the second or third days, making participation performance based.
Students may also have debate events on one day and speech events on a different day.
Registration Process
Every tournament has its own policies for managing registration. Some are simple, and others may require multiple documents. Tournaments may issue penalty fees for late requests. Honor Academy does not have control over tournament policies, and are required to follow them. Please review forms closely, which will be updated when the information of each tournament is announced.
ONLINE Tournaments
Students can also compete in tournaments from home using a personal device. Most online competitions use a platform called NSDA Campus, developed by the National Speech and Debate Association. Students and judges have access to the video platform by logging in to tabroom.com (unless otherwise specified).
In-Person Tournaments
For in-person tournaments, please drop off your child 1 hour prior to the first round on each tournament day. If available, refer to the schedule. Parents do not need to stay with their student unless otherwise requested. We distribute additional tournament information via email prior to the event, with information about parking, meeting sites, and local restaurants.
Judging
Tournaments will have different types of judges - skilled judges, experienced judges, and inexperienced judges. Parents can volunteer as judges. This section will be updated soon.
Please review the forms closely and fill them out.
2024 Loyola Invitational (Aug 30-Sep 1)
Invited High School Varsity PF and LD ONLY
TOC bid offered in Varsity LD ONLY
Permission from students' full time high school required
In Person in Los Angeles, CA
2024 NSDA Season Opener (Sep 7-9)
Debate & IE
Mainly Open divisions with limited novice/JV and middle school divisions.
Bids to TOC nationals offered in some open divisions for high achievers
ONLINE
This tournament will be discussed between students and coaches.
2024 Chuck Ballingall Invitational (Sep 14-15)
Novice LD
Varsity LD
Open Public Forum
Open Impromptu
Open Extemporaneous
Open Original Oratory
In Person (Damien High School in La Verne)
REGISTRATION: CLOSED
2024 Jack Howe Speech and Debate Tournament (Sep 28-Sep 30)
Debate & IE
Novice & Open divisions
Bids to TOC nationals offered in some open divisions for high achievers
Mostly on Sep 28 and 29 with a few Varsity PF elims on Sep 30 morning
In Person at CSULB
CLOSED
2024 Northwestern Univ Invitational (Oct 5-6)
PF only
Middle School, JV, Varsity divisions
ONLINE
CLOSED
2024 Cal State Fullerton MS and HS Online Invitational (Oct 12-13)
Middle School/Novice/Varsity
Debate & IE
ONLINE
CLOSED
2024 Bargain Belt (Oct 19-20)
Debate & IE
Novice & Open divisions
In Person in Claremont, CA
Registration: CLOSED
2024 Brown Univ Invitational (Nov 2-3)
PF only
Novice & Varsity divisions
ONLINE
2024 UCLA Invitational (Nov 16-17) *Register NOW*
Debate & IE
Debate in Novice and Open
IE in Novice and Open (chance of collapsing depending on the pool size)
ONLINE
CLOSED
2024 Marlborough MS and Novice Invitational #1 (Nov 16)
Middle School and Novice only
In Person in Los Angeles, CA
CLOSED
2024 John Lewis Invitational (Nov 22)
Debate & IE
Novice & Open divisions
CLOSED
2024 Marlborough MS and Novice Invitational #2 (Dec 14)
Middle School and Novice only
In Person in Los Angeles, CA
CLOSED
2024 TOC Digital Series 1 (Dec 6-8)
Debate & IE
Debate in Novice and Open
IE in Open only
High School TOC Nationals bids offered in some open divisions for high achievers
ONLINE
CLOSED
2024 La Costa Canyon Winter Classic (Dec 6-8)
In Person in Carlsbad, CA
Will be a sleep-over tournament.
High School TOC Nationals Bids for high achievers
CLOSED
2024 Damien Novice and Middle School Tournament (TBD)
TBD
In Person in La Vern, CA
TBD
2024 Regent Legacy Invitational (Dec 14-15)
Online
Separate Elementary, Middle School, High School (Novice and Varsity) divisions in both speech and debate events.
CLOSED
2024 College Prep LD (Dec 21-22)
LD Only
In Person in Oakland, CA
High School TOC Nationals Bids for high achievers in Varsity LD
CLOSED
2025 Peninsula Invitational (Jan 11-13)
Debate & IE
Novice & Varsity (debate)
Varsity (speech)
In Person at Parlos Verdes High School
Contact us by 12/30/24 if interested
2025 Wolfpack Invitational (Feb 8-10)
Debate & IE
Novice & Open divisions
In Person in Claremont, CA
Register: https://form.jotform.com/233545605035149
2025 Stanford Invitational (Feb 8-10)
Debate & IE
Middle School, Novice, JV, Varsity divisions
ONLINE
TOC, NIETOC Nationals bids in multiple varsity divisions.
Register: https://form.jotform.com/233407376418156
2025 HARVARD NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENT (Feb 15-17)
Debate & IE
Debate in Novice and Open
IE in Open only
In Person in Cambridge, MA
2025 Regent Legacy Cal LUTHERAN WINTER INVITATIONAL (Feb 15-16)
High School divisions will be in person
Middle School divisions will be online
Details will be updated by January 27, 2025
2025 Cal Invitational (Feb 17-19)
Debate & IE
JV and Varsity divisions
In Person in Berkeley
2025 USC Trojan Invitation (TBD)
TBD
2024 Marlborough MS and Novice Invitational #3 (Feb 22)
Middle School and Novice only
In Person in Los Angeles, CA
Registration: https://form.jotform.com/250206266077151
2025 TOC Digital Series 2 (Feb 21-23)
Debate & IE
Debate in Novice and Open
IE in Open only
Bids to High School TOC nationals offered in some open divisions for high achievers
ONLINE
2025 TOC Digital Series 3 (Mar 7-9)
Debate & IE
Debate in Novice and Open
IE in Open only
Bids to High School TOC nationals offered in some open divisions for high achievers
ONLINE
2025 Philhistorian Invitational (Mar 29-30)
To Be Updated
NSDA District Tournament (TBD)
Qualifying students MUST compete under their school team/club name for this tournament.
Schedules vary depending on regions.
2025 Wolfcub (Apr 12)
In Person
1-day tournament
2025 JW Patterson Tournament of Champions (April 26-28)
Qualifying high school varsity level students only
Qualifiers will need to compete with their school's permission for this tournament.
2025 CHSSA Middle School State Championship (May 8-10)
Online
Middle School Tournament of Champions Nationals (May 10-12)
Online
E Championship (TBD)
Qualifying students need to compete with their school's permission for this tournament.
NSDA Nationals (June, 2025)
Qualifying students need to compete with their school's permission for this tournament.
Qualification through NSDA District Tournament