THE SCHEDULE
(TENTATIVELY)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2025*
2:00pm - 8:00pm
2:00pm - 7:00pm
6:00pm - 7:00pm
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7:00pm - 8:30pm
NCDC Registration Opens and Hotel Check In
College Fair
Judge Orientation and Training
*ALL Judges required to be present for this training
Dinner - On Your Own
Welcome Reception - With Refreshments
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025*
7:00am - 8:00am
7:00am - 8:45am
9:00am - 12:30pm
12:30pm -1:15pm
1:15pm - 4:30pm
4:30pm - 5:30pm
6:00pm - 7:30pm
7:30pm - 8:30pm
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Bus Transportation to Local High School
Breakfast
Impromptu Speaking Rounds
Lunch
Legislative Debate Rounds
Bus Transportation to Rosen Centre
Dinner
Trivia Contest​
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2025*
7:00am - 8:00am
7:00am - 8:45am
9:00am - 12:15pm
12:30pm -1:30pm
1:15pm - 3:00pm
3:30pm - 4:00pm
4:00pm - 7:00pm
7:00pm - 8:00pm​
Bus Transportation to Local High School
Breakfast
Extemporaneous Debate Rounds
Lunch
Extemporaneous Debate Rounds
Bus Transportation to Evening Event
Evening Event - Dinner Included
Bus Transportation to Rosen Centre
MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025*
8:00am - 9:00am
9:00am - 11:00am
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Hotel Check Out
Breakfast
Awards Ceremony
*The above schedule is tentative and subject to change.
IMPROMPTU
SPEAKING TOPICS
Civil Rights
Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes
Fanciful Hypothetical Scenarios
EXTEMPORANEOUS
DEBATE TOPICS
Elections
Environment
Food
FAQs
If I apply, are my students covered by scholarship?
This year FCDI will be paying for sleeping rooms on a master block and providing all attendees meals rather than providing a scholarship for each student. Each team will be provided an allocation of sleeping rooms based on the number of students invited to participate in the tournament.
Will the competition happen on-site or at a local school?
All competitions will take place at a local high school. FCDI will provide bus transportation to and from the host school each day.
Are meals provided for the attendees?
FCDI will provide meals for all competitors, coaches, judges and up to 1 parent/guardian per competitor.
How many students can I bring to The Great Debate?
FCDI will determine and notify teams how many students they may bring to NCDC at the conclusion of the application period. All additional team members will be placed on a waitlist.
When will I know how many students I can bring to The Great Debate?
The application period closes on November 27, 2024; FCDI will notify teams of their allocation by November 29, 2024.
Can students bring their parents and families?
FCDI will allocate the number of attendees a team may bring, for example a team of 10 would be allocated 10 competitors, 10 parents, 1 coach and 5 judges for a total of 26 attendees. FCDI will provide sleeping accommodations and meals for up to the allocated attendees for each team.
What is the agenda for The Great Debate?
The agenda will be posted at Home | Florida Civics and Debate Initiative a when it is finalized. The tentative plan is for registration to take place on Friday, January 17, 2025, with a concurrent college fair. All competitions will take place on Saturday and Sunday, and the tournament will conclude with an awards ceremony on Monday, January 20,
2025.
Are students required to participate in all three events?
Yes, the National Civics and Debate Championship “The Great Debate” is a triathlon style competition where all students will expand their skill set through competition in all three events.
Why are spots limited this year?
The National Civics and Debate Championship has grown each year, and due to limited space, we must limit each team’s number participants to accommodate as many schools as possible. It is our hope that the competition can be expanded next year to allow more schools and students to participate, but the expansion was not feasible this year.
When can I book my hotel reservation?
Each team will RSVP with their room list and FCDI will book the rooms based on the information provided by the coach.
Will the students receive information in advance to prep for the event?
Yes, a Legislative Packet and other topics will be posted no less than 2 weeks prior to the tournament.
Can my student request to participate in a room with only a judge?
Yes, a Legislative Packet and other topics will be posted no less than 2 weeks prior to the tournament.
Can my student request to participate in a room with only a judge?
Rooms cannot be “cleared.” Judges should NOT be alone in a room with a single competitor.
Is there a travel stipend for The Great Debate?
FCDI will advance out of state teams up to $500 per attendee and reimburse Florida teams for travel expenses. The formula and form for travel reimbursement will be posted at Home | Florida Civics and Debate Initiative.
A RIGOROUS CONTEST THAT THOROUGHLY CHALLEnGES STUDENTS' DEBATE SKILLS
The National Civics and Debate Championship is a rigorous contest that thoroughly challenges students' knowledge, debate skills and endurance. While most conventional debate tournaments require students to compete in only one event, this event, the first and only of its kind, requires students to compete in different debate events on each of three tournament days.
A TRIATHLON EVENT
LEGISLATIVE
Debate
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
EXTEMPORANEOUS DEBATE
The Great Debate: The National Civics and Debate Championship
Held November 10 -12, 2023
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This event offered a unique competitive experience where students must compete in a different event each of the three days of the competition to demonstrate the breadth of their civics knowledge and the diversity of their communications skills. The tournament culminated in a special awards ceremony.
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All middle and high school students NATIONWIDE were invited to attend. There will be a middle school division and an open high school division.
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2023 WINNERS
HIGH SCHOOL
OVERALL CHAMPION
Saaya Lijo - Apopka High School, Apopka
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2ND PLACE
Christian Bailey - Fort Walton Beach High School, Fort Walton Beach
3RD PLACE
Jonathan Adler - Coral Academy of Science, Las Vegas, Nevada
4TH PLACE
Katelyn Ryan - Aberdeen Central High School, Aberdeen South Dakota
5TH PLACE
Will Waller - Samuel W Wolfson High School, Jacksonville
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
OVERALL CHAMPION
Ann Moywaywa - Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Gainesville
2ND PLACE
Natalie Sierra - iPrep Academy North, Miami
3RD PLACE
Truitt Williams - South Sumter Middle School, Webster
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4TH PLACE
Gerardo Cardoso - Wildwood Middle School, Wildwood
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5TH PLACE
Jorge Herrera - iPrep Academy North, Miami
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INSPIRING COACHES
Melissa Gordon - Lake Buena Vista High School, Orlando
Derek Antoniazzi - Lake Nona High School, Orlando
Cathy Brown - Apopka High School, Apopka
These awards will honor three of our coaches who helped develop the skills of the students competing in The Great Debate. These three coaches were nominated by their students.
THE FREEDOM CUP
Wesley Liu - Pacific Bay Christian School, Pacifica, California
The freedom cup is awarded to one student who exemplifies great citizenship.​
