September 30, 2025
Nervousness: Relax or Don’t — Either way, it’s Going to be Fine
Written by Jason Stansell The first thing to remember about giving a speech is that nerves are to be expected and are absolutely normal. In fact, all other speakers there feel just as nervous, and likely so do/does the judge(s). Everyone handles those butterflies in the stomach differently. But the nerves are still there. You…
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September 28, 2025
A Parent’s Guide to Basic Speech & Debate Jargon
Written by Jason Stansell Picture this… your child comes up to you and asks you to listen to their Speech performance or their Debate case, and within the first minute, they’ve thrown out words and terms that, in context, you don’t understand. Or, they come to you for help with ideas on their piece/case, and…
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September 25, 2025
Introduction to Speech Events at PDA
Written by Jason Stansell For new speakers and debaters, understanding the different events can be intimidating. The basic idea of Debate can be pretty self-explanatory as it means you’ll be arguing different points. However, the “Public Speaking”or “Competitive Speech” can seem far more confusing (and downright terrifying). While you likely understand the words within each…
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May 19, 2025
April 2025 Tournament Recap
Congratulations to our hundreds of students who competed this April, winning major awards across several tournaments. April Potomac Intramural ES Prepared Speech – Champion: Myra G. – Runner Up: Ella L. – Third Place: Anjana P. MS & HS Prepared Speech – Champion: Shreyasi S. – Runner Up: Sophie L. – Third Place: Sahathmika N….
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December 11, 2024
November 2024 Tournament Recap
By Kirsten Craft This November our students shifted their focus from border surveillance to military support of Taiwan. With a new topic and a busy tournament semester, they quickly got to work. From their research, they learned there are many reasons the US should and should not decrease military support for Taiwan, but most close…
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