2008 lbc invitation -...

The 2008 Liberty Bell Classic October 18-19, 2008

UNIVERSITY of PENNSYLVANIA

[email protected] • www.upenn.tabroom.com 1

March 31, 2008 Dear Coaches and Contestants,

It is with great pleasure that Penn for Youth Debate invites you to attend the 2008 Liberty Bell Classic, which, thanks to historical record-searching, we are proud to announce is the 34th annual LBC. The 2008 LBC will be held at the University of Pennsylvania on October 18-19. As the first major 2008 tournament in Philadelphia that offers TOC bids, this will be a great weekend to visit our beautiful city and find out what our university has to offer potential students. In the past several years, our tournament has seen tremendous growth and improvement and this year promises to be the best yet. We have designed our tournament to maximize its educational value for everyone involved. We look forward to seeing you at this intense, fun and valuable competition.

We are pleased to announce the following categories of competition: Lincoln-Douglas Debate (both Varsity and Junior Varsity), Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, Student Congress, Original Oratory, Oral Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Duo Interpretation, and Oratorical Declamation. There will be four preliminary rounds of individual events, while Student Congress will have three preliminary sessions. This year, there will be six preliminary rounds in Lincoln-Douglas, Policy and Public Forum Debate. Breaks will be determined based on the number of entries in each category, with finals for all events.

All pertinent information on the tournament can be found on our website at http://upenn.tabroom.com including tournament updates. Be sure to check the website regularly for updates on the LBC as they arrive. The site will contain information such as event rules, Congress bills, schedules, campus maps (including an explanation of tournament building locations), judging tips (for schools bringing parents and other judges with less experience in forensics) and more. In order to guarantee that your school can compete in this year’s LBC, we must receive your entire registration by Friday, October 10, 2008. Any entries received after this date will be accommodated on a first-come, first-serve basis and may incur an additional fee. Any changes to registrations after Wednesday, October 15 will also incur a fee.

We are happy to announce some exciting elements of the tournament this year. We plan to continue the Cheesesteak lunch that was so popular last year. Also, we will be expanding our tournament into more buildings on campus to accommodate the growing numbers of participants in each event. Finally, we will be incorporating a travel award to reward individual schools who have come from far away.

The enclosed pages contain all the necessary information. If you have any questions regarding the tournament that are not answered by this invitation or on our website, please email us at [email protected]. If the concern is urgent, you may contact Alex Anderson by phone at 702-373-1010.

Best,

Alex Anderson, Christine Buzzard, Joana Sidarov,

Evan Medina, Frank Smith & Agnes Nam

PENN FOR YOUTH DEBATE

Penn for Youth Debate is a student organization at Penn dedicated to promoting youth debate education in the greater Philadelphia area. Comprised of high school forensics alumni and those dedicated to high school forensics, PYD is an incredible group of students wishing to give back to the forensics community. PYD’s activities include providing volunteer debate coaches to Philadelphia public schools, hosting debate competitions in Philadelphia, and providing training programs in the Philadelphia area.

2008 LBC TD’S

Alex Anderson Tournament Director

Christine Buzzard

Tournament Director

Joana Sidarov Policy Director

Evan Medina

Congress Director

Frank Smith IE Director

Agnes Nam

Logistics Director




Invitation Index Topic Page Number 1. Introduction Letter .........................................................................................................................................................1

2. Invitation Index..............................................................................................................................................................2

3. 2008 LBC Tournament Staff.........................................................................................................................................3

4. Special Events Page.......................................................................................................................................................4

5. Tournament Schedule....................................................................................................................................................5

6. Lodging/Hotels ..............................................................................................................................................................6

7. Parking and Directions ..................................................................................................................................................7

8. Event Rules and Explanations ......................................................................................................................................8

9. Fees and Deadlines ........................................................................................................................................................9

10. Penn for Youth Debate FAQ.......................................................................................................................................10




2008 LBC Tournament Staff

Tournament Directors

Tournament Director- Alex Anderson graduated from Green Valley High School where he qualified to the National Forensic Tournament for three years, is a two time Nevada State Champion in debate and Extemp and placed in various outrounds throughout the Western United

States including the UC Long Beach and Arizona State University Invitationals.

Tournament Director- Christine Buzzard competed in Lincoln-Douglas Debate in high school and qualified to nationals. She has competed in college parli since. She also directed the LBC in 2007.

Policy Debate Director- Joana Sidarov formerly competed for the Bronx High School of Science. She was the top team at New York

States, qualified for the Tournament of Champions twice while in high school and won numerous individual speaker awards at tournaments including Georgetown, Harvard and Glenbrooks.

Congress Director- Evan Medina will return for his second year as Congress Director. Evan graduated from Nova High School in Florida,

and is currently on the Congress Staff at the Florida Forensic Institute. A former Florida State Champion, Evan also placed at Harvard, Emory, and the Congress Tournament of Champions in high school.

Speech Director- Frank Smith will serve as Speech Director. Frank graduated from Milton Academy in Massachusetts, and occasionally coaches at Holy Ghost Preparatory in Pennsylvania. A two-time Massachusetts State Champion, Frank qualified to NFL Nationals three

times, made outrounds at CFL’s, Harvard, Glenbrooks, and Yale, and finalled at the Penn LBC and was a recipient of the NFL Academic All-American Award.

Logistics Director- Agnes Nam was a six-time national finalist, winning 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th in Student Congress for Shrewsbury

High School. She won the Glenbrooks, Crestian, and Villiger tournaments, and placed in the top 6 at Harvard, Blue Key, Emory, Lexington, and Wake Forest. She is now a proud member of the Penn Parliamentary Debate and Mock Trial teams.

Speech Tabulation:

Chris Palmer will return to the LBC’s tabulation staff for a third year. Chris is a coach at Newton South High School in Newton, MA, and is currently serving as president of the Massachusetts Forensic League. He designed the tabroom.com tournament management software, which is being used by around 30 tournaments annually, including the Massachusetts and New York state championships, and NCFL Nationals. He

has been Speech Tab Director of the Yale Invitational for the past eight years, and the Columbia Invitational for the past six.

Jonathan Chavez will join Chris in the speech tabulation, also for the third year. Jonathan is a political and business consultant from Massachusetts. Jonathan has taught at schools and camps across the country including Milton Academy, Logan High School, and the

National Debate Forum. He has worked in a number of tab rooms of major tournaments in the nation.

Debate Tabulation:

New to the LBC tabulation staff this year are Matt Scarola and Alexander McCobin. Matt is a former LD debater and Tournament Director of the Columbia tournament, and will be a full time staff member for Perspectives Debate, Inc. during the 2008-2009 school year.

Alexander is a former LD debater, three time Tournament Director of the LBC and a founder of Perspectives Debate, Inc. and Penn for Youth Debate.

Advisors

The LBC will have Jon Cruz as a Debate Tab Advisor. Jon Cruz teaches at the Bronx High School of Science in New York, where he is

the director of forensics and the director of Lincoln-Douglas debate. He has directed tabulation rooms at a wide variety of tournaments across the country, including the Northeast Championships, Novice Nationals at Woodward Academy, the Victory Briefs Tournament, the Ridge Debates, and the Scarsdale Invitational. He is a member of both the TOC Advisory Committee and the NFL Rules & Recommendations

Committee.

Ali Huberlie will serve a Tournament Advisor. Ali Huberlie is a former LD TOC quarter-finalist who is the head of After-School programming for Perspectives Debate, Inc. She also directs the Perspectives Round Robin.




Katie Poulos will serve as a Tournament Advisor. Katie Poulos is a former LD TOC octo-finalist, Perspectives head of Afterschool programming, and TD of the 2007 Perspectives Fall Tournament and 2008 Voices of Philadelphia

tournament.




SPECIAL EVENTS Second Annual Penn LD Round Robin The 2007 LBC introduced the first University of Pennsylvania Lincoln-Douglas Round Robin, featuring 7 debaters from across the east coast in a high-powered competition. The 2008 LBC will feature the second LD Round Robin, with significant expansion in the number of students and geographical diversity of competitors. Competition will take place on Friday, October 17th. All students in the RR must compete in the LBC tournament-proper. Students will be invited to the Round Robin through a nomination/application process. To be considered, either apply or nominate a student by emailing [email protected] with the subject line “Penn RR Recommendation” and containing the following information:

1. Student Name 2. Student School 3. Student Email 4. Student Phone 5. Debate Background 6. In 500 words or less, explain why you are interested in attending the Penn Round Robin

Penn Hall of Fame The LBC will begin offering two annual awards at this year’s tournament. First, the Brotherly Love Award will be given out to the team that travels the farthest distance to the LBC as a thank you for showing such dedication to forensics and the LBC. This will be determined by multiplying the distance between the high school address and Houston Hall’s address as determined by Google with the number of competitors (teams count as two competitors). Second, the University of Pennsylvania Dedicated Service to Forensics Award will be awarded to prominent individuals who have dedicated themselves to the forensics community. This award may be given to active or retired coaches, parents who have judged at tournaments long after their children have graduated, or philanthropists who have generously given back to the forensics community in either time or money. There are many individuals in our community who have given so much to transform students’ lives. Penn for Youth Debate will recognize individuals every year with this award. To nominate an individual for this award, please email [email protected] with the subject “Dedicated Service to Forensics Award” and include the nominee’s:

1. Name 2. Email address 3. Phone number 4. An explanation of their dedication to forensics and why they deserve the award

CHEESESTEAKS! We love Philadelphia. We love bright, flashy lights. And we love greasy food. So of course we love Pat’s and Geno’s, two of the most well known Philadelphia institutions that sell delicious cheesesteaks. For the second year, we will be delivering Pat’s and Geno’s cheesesteaks to LBC participants. The LBC is an opportunity to experience the city of Philadelphia in all its glory, so if you’re not able to make it out to the city during your visit, we’ll bring it to you. Just order the cheesesteaks during your online registration and we’ll have them waiting for you at lunchtime on Saturday! (Note: each team must pay for cheesesteaks, but we will be delivering for free.)




TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE Friday, October 17, 2008 7:00-9:00 PM Registration at Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street. No late registrations will be accepted Saturday morning. If your team is unable to attend registration during these times for extenuating circumstances, we will be accepting phone registration verifications (phone numbers will be released on our website prior to registration). Saturday morning from 7:15 and 7:45 we will be accepting payment from schools that registered by phone, but did not pay in person on Friday night. Any school that does not register on Friday in person or by phone will be charged 10% of their total fee. Saturday, October 18, 2008 7:15-7:45 AM Late Registration Payments in Houston Hall- Any school who pays after 7:45 will incur a penalty fee of 10% of their registration or may be dropped entirely. Only payments for schools that registered Friday evening by phone will be accepted.

SATURDAY COMPETITION Speech Events Public Forum Lincoln Douglas Policy Congress

8:00 All: Opening Assembly 8:30 Extemp Draw, Round 1 Round 1 Round 1 9:00 Round 1 Round 1 Session 1

10:30 Extemp Draw, Round 2 Round 2 Round 2 11:00 Round 2 Round 2 12:00 All: Lunch Break As Round Times Permit 1:00 Session 2 1:30 Extemp Draw, Round 3 Round 3 Round 3 2:00 Round 3 Round 3 3:30 Extemp Draw, Round 4 4:00 Round 4 Round 4 Round 4 Round 4 5:00 Session 3 6:00 Extemp Draw, Quarter Finals 6:30 Quarter Finals 7:00 Round 5 Round 5 Round 5

SUNDAY COMPETITION Speech Events Public Forum Lincoln Douglas Policy Congress

8:00 Round 6 Round 6 Round 6 8:30 Extemp Draw, Semi Finals 9:00 Semi Finals

10:00 Quarterfinals Octofinals Quarterfinals Super Session 11:00 Semifinals Quarterfinals 12:00 Semifinals 1:00 Extemp Draw, Finals Finals Semifinals 1:30 Finals Finals 2:00 Finals 3:00 All: Awards Ceremony




LODGING/HOTELS Tournament Hotels Crowne Plaza City Line (215) 477-0200 4100 Presidential Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19131 www.hi-cityline.com $129 per night with LBC discount—Best room rate If transportation is needed, ask the hotel for information on the car rental facility that is located next door at good rates. We have blocked off a certain number of rooms for discounts, which will be released on a first come, first serve basis. To reserve rooms, call the hotel at 215-477-0200 and ask for reservations. Mention that you're with the LBC for the group rate. Be sure to book before 09/26/08 to receive the discounted rate. Penn Tower Hotel (215) 387-8333 Civic Center Boulevard at 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 $165 per night with LBC discount Located very close to Penn's campus. We have blocked off a certain number of rooms for discounts, which will be released on a first come, first serve basis. To reserve rooms, call the Penn Tower Hotel at the phone number listed and request to reserve rooms with the Liberty Bell Classic. As with all our other hotels, be sure to book as early as possible to guarantee the tournament discount. Other Hotels University City Sheraton (215) 387-8000 –general line 3549 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19104 www.philadelphiasheraton.com Located very close to Penn’s campus. Holiday Inn Express Midtown www.hiexpress.com (215) 765-9300 1305-11 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 Best Western Center City Hotel http://www.bestwesternpa.com/philadelphia-hotels/ (215) 568-8300 501 N. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130




PARKING AND DIRECTIONS

Parking As with any urban campus, parking is particularly difficult around Penn. We suggest that you park in the Penn Tower, Penn visitor parking near the Palestra on 33rd Street and another lot on the northwest corner of 34th and Chestnut. Unmetered parking is available between 40th and 44th and you should remain between Spruce and Walnut if possible. Driving Direction to Houston Hall Registration From the Northeast Take feeder roads to the New Jersey Turnpike. Exit at exit 3, bearing right after the toll onto New Jersey Route 168 North. In approximately one mile, exit onto Interstate 295 South. Follow I295- South approximately one mile to the Interstate 76 West/ Walt Whitman Bridge exit (it is a left hand exit). Once on I-76, keep to the left and cross over the Walt Whitman Bridge. After the toll, follow I-76 West to the South Street exit. Make a left off the exit ramp. Follow South Street (it turns into Spruce Street to 33rd Street. From the South Follow Interstate 95 North to the Pennsylvania Route 291/Interstate 76 Philadelphia exit (it is near Philadelphia International Airport). As you cross the Platt Bridge, follow signs to I-76 West—you will make a left urn at the traffic light at the end of the bridge. This road will feed you into I-76 West. Exit at the South Street exit. Make a left off the exit ramp. Follow South Street (it will turn into Spruce Street) to 33rd Street. From the West Follow the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) east to exit 24 (Valley Forge-Philadelphia). Exit the turnpike here. From exit 24, take I-76 east to Central Philadelphia. Exit at the South Street exit. Make a right off the exit ramp. Follow South Street (it will turn into Spruce Street) to 33rd Street. From the Northwest Follow the Pennsylvania Turnpike-Northeast Extension (Pennsylvania Route 9) south to its junction with the east-west turnpike. Follow signs for Interstate 476 and proceed on I-476 South to its interchange with Interstate 76. Take I-76 East towards Philadelphia. Exit at the South Street exit (exit 40, on the left). Make a right off the exit ramp. Follow South Street, it will turn into Spruce Street




EVENT RULES AND EXPLANATIONS Please note: Since this is an invitational tournament, some of the rules listed below may differ from those you usually encounter. Please read the rules closely and contact us if you have any questions. Any entry that does not comply with the stated rules will be ineligible to compete in outrounds. It is also important to note that competitors may not double enter if they are competing in Policy, LD, or Congress. Other events may. DEBATE Lincoln-Douglas Debate- The September/October NFL Resolution will be debated, and we will use the standard 6-3-7-3-4-6-3 time format with 5 minutes of prep time. JV Lincoln-Douglas Debate- No student may compete in JV LD if they have competed for 2 or more years in LD. LD Judges- Judges must submit a unique judging paradigm to [email protected] by Wednesday, October 15th 2008, or they will automatically be designated as JV-only judges. These paradigms will be made available on the website by the evening of Thursday, October 16th. Policy Debate- The standard format will be used with 10 minutes of prep. *Note- oral critiques and disclosures are encouraged within reasonable time frames for all debate events. SPEECH Extemporaneous Speaking- 30 minutes preparation time with a time limit of 7 minutes per speech. Topics will be drawn from current events from August 1, 2008 onward. Topic areas will be announced on our website. Students are responsible for the integrity of their sources, which may be challenged by a judge or checked by the tournament at any time; falsification of sources is grounds for disqualification. The final round will include a cross-examination period in accordance with NFL rules and standards. Original Oratory- Standard NCFL rules. Dramatic Interpretation- Standard NCFL rules. Duo Interpretation- We allow NFL-style movement and multiple characters per competitor. Manuscripts are not allowed in accordance with NCFL and NFL rules. Oral Interpretation- Rounds alternate between prose and poetry with the order determined by coinflip at the opening assembly. Oratorical Declamation- This event is available to 9th and 10th grade students only. Public Forum- The current Public Forum topic will be debated within the standard NFL time frame. Public Form will run with speech events. Students may double enter in Public Forum and other speech events, but not debate or congress. *Speakers may double enter in two different speech events, but must use a different piece for each event. We are also allowing students to double-enter between Public Forum and another speech event except for Congress. *A 30-second grace period is given in speech events. If the speaker exceeds this time, he or she may not be ranked first in the room. Further penalty is at the judge’s discretion. A participant may only be penalized for a time violation if the judge has used a precise timing device and notes the penalty on the ballot. *Speech events will follow the rules of the NCFL except where noted elsewhere in the invitation. CONGRESS Student Congress- Operating procedures will depends upon the number of entries, but a super session will be held on Sunday morning composed of the top speaks from Saturday’s sessions. All finalists will receive a bid to the 2008 Tournament of Champions. All schools must submit at least one bill for every two entries (rounded up). Bills must be submitted on our website by October 7, 2008. Competitors may view bills on our website by October 10, 2008 at http://upenn.tabroom.com. Bill packets will not be mailed. Congress competitors may not double enter.




FEES AND DEADLINES Lincoln Douglas Debate Public Forum Each L-D Debater $35 Each PF team $50 Hired L-D judge (1 per 3 or fraction) $120 Hired PF judge (1 per 3 teams) $60 Individual Events Each IE slot $15 Each Duo slot $20 Hired IE judge (1 per 4 IE, Duo or fraction) $60 Student Congress Policy Debate Each student $25 Each policy team $50 Hired Congress judge (1 per 4 or fraction) $60 Hired Policy Judge (1 per 2 teams or fraction) $120 *All judges are required to be available to judge one round beyond the last round in which their students compete. ** Any judge that fails to appear on time for a round they are required to judge will incur a penalty of $50 per round they miss in prelims and $100 per round they miss in breaks. One half of this fee will go to the judge who picks up the ballot. ***For logistical ease, we now request that all judges with cell phones provide their phone numbers so we may contact them if there is any need to do so. The deadline for registration is Friday, October 10, 2008. Any entries received after this date will be accommodated on a first-come, first-serve basis. A fee may be assessed for schools and entries accepted after this date. Any drops from the tournament after 5 pm on Wednesday, October 14, will be assessed the full entry fee. Any changes to a student’s status after Wednesday, October 15 that is not a full drop will be charged $10 per change. Each unreported drop (not reported prior by Friday at 9 am) will be charged the full entry fee as well as a $25 nuisance fee. All fees are due at registration or Saturday morning. Any school that does not register on Friday in person or by phone will be charged 10% of their total fee. Please make checks payable to “Penn for Youth Debate”. All registration will be conducted online at http://upenn.tabroom.com. Each school is responsible for registering itself. If there are any questions concerning registration, please contact [email protected]. Notice on Activities of Minors: The policy of the Liberty Bell Classic concerning consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors, illegal use of controlled substances, vandalism, and destructive, and other illegal or disorderly behavior shall be: (1) to disqualify involved contestants from further competition, (2) to communicate the offending incident to the contestants on-site guardians and/or parents, (3) to insist on the contestant’s immediate transportation home (4) to require financial reimbursement for all damages or liabilities caused directly or indirectly by the incident, (5) to notify the legal authorities. The precise remedy or remedies selected shall remain with the discretion of the Liberty Bell Classic. The Liberty Bell Classic, its directors, staff and anyone associated with it are not legally responsible and may not be held liable for the actions of any student, coach or judge involved in the tournament. Independent Entries: Are allowed if no one else from the school is attending. Just say so in online registration. Awards: Awards will be given to all competitors reaching elimination rounds. Sweepstakes trophies will be awarded to schools based on team performance with points earned by competitors who reach elimination rounds. We do not mail trophies, and encourage all schools to stay for the awards ceremony in order to receive their awards or arrange for another school to pick them. Ballots: We do not release ballot packets until awards under any circumstances. If you anticipate leaving early, bring a self- addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size and postage to mail your ballots, label it with your school name, and deliver it to the Tab Room. We will put your ballots into the envelope and send it after the tournament.




PENN FOR YOUTH DEBATE The 2008 University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic is organized and managed by Penn for Youth Debate. This page is meant to explain what the organization is and why this matters. What is Penn for Youth Debate? Penn for Youth Debate is a student organization at Penn dedicated to promoting debate in the greater Philadelphia region and encouraging former forensics competitors to give back to the activity that gave us so much. Forensics is one of the most meaningful activities that students can participate in during high school. It teaches critical thinking, persuasive speaking, along with reading and writing ability. There are many Penn students who have benefited from their involvement in forensics and wish to give that same opportunity to others. Yet there are many high schools that lack forensics teams or have limited resources available to dedicate to forensics activities. Penn for Youth Debate brings former forensics competitors together to provide opportunities to teach debate and help debate programs become immersed in the world of debate, providing an outlet for former forensics students to give back, while assisting new students enter the world of forensics. Penn for Youth Debate is the University of Pennsylvania student chapter of Perspectives Debate Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a similar mission (www.philadebate.org). What does Penn for Youth Debate do? Penn for Youth Debate has several activities. Our main project is to provide volunteer debate coaches to work in Perspectives Debate Incorporated affiliated schools to help start debate teams. Last year, Penn for Youth Debate members worked in 11 different Philadelphia public and charter schools, introducing debate to students who would otherwise never have the opportunity to participate in this incredible activity. Penn for Youth Debate also hosts a winter debate workshop in Philadelphia to introduce novice students to debate halfway through the season and prepare varsity competitors for the September/October LD topic. This is an opportunity available to every student interested in participating from Philadelphia and beyond. You can ask Penn for Youth Debate members about the camp at the LBC. Finally, Penn for Youth Debate hosts debate competitions. Beyond the LBC, Penn for Youth Debate hosts a free fall debate tournament strictly for students from Philadelphia. Why does this matter? First, because Penn for Youth Debate is run by former forensics students and those dedicated to forensics education, it is a guarantee to you that our tournament will be managed by qualified individuals. You will see many high school forensics alumni assisting the tournament in judging rounds, collecting ballots and telling participants about the University of Pennsylvania as a school. This bond between those running the LBC and the high school forensics community showed itself in last year’s tournament and will be even more apparent this year as the 2008 tournament directors and all others assisting in the tournament are very excited about the opportunity. Second, all proceeds from the LBC go directly to Penn for Youth Debate and its volunteer activities. While running the LBC is an end in itself for Penn for Youth Debate, any profits made from the tournament will assist the organization in providing debate education to students in the greater Philadelphia region.

2008 lbc invitation -...

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