The
National Forensic League (
NFL) is a non-partisan,
non-profitA nonprofit organization is an organization that does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals . Examples of NPOs include charities , trade unions, and public arts organizations...
educational
honor societyIn the United States, an honor society is a rank organization, the induction into which recognizes excellence among one's peers. There are numerous societies recognizing various fields and circumstances; the Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
established to encourage and motivate high school students to participate in and become proficient in the
forensic artsForensic arts are any arts used in law enforcement or legal proceedings. Within this field are such skills as composite drawing, crime scene sketching, crime scene reconstruction, image modification and image identification, courtroom drawings, demonstrative evidence, and postmortem and facial...
:
debateDebate or debating is a formal method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examine the consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examine what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is technique of...
,
public speakingPublic speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners....
, and interpretation. NFL is the nation's oldest and largest high school speech and debate honor society. Since 1925 NFL has enrolled over 1.3 million students in fulfillment of its motto, "training youth for leadership."
The organization serves as the central agent for coordination and facilitation of heightened public awareness of the value of speech communication skills, development of educational initiatives for student and teacher training, excellence in interscholastic competition, and the promotion of honor society ideals.
NFL is one of three major U.S. national organizations which direct high school competitive
speechPublic speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners....
events. (The other two are the
National Catholic Forensic LeagueThe National Catholic Forensic League is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions which correspond to Roman Catholic dioceses. Member schools include both public and parochial high schools. The NCFL recruits member schools in both the United States and Canada...
or NCFL, and the
National Christian Forensics and Communications AssociationThe National Christian Forensics and Communications Association is a speech and debate league for Christian homeschooled students in the United States. The NCFCA was established in 2001 after outgrowing its parent organization, the Home School Legal Defense Association , which had been running the...
or NCFCA). The NFL Board of Directors meets twice a year for rules revision. They vote on each rule change, which affects the entire high school forensics community.
The word "forensic" is an adjective meaning "of public debate or argument." The word is derived from the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
word
forensis, meaning "of the
forumThe Forum was the public space in the middle of a Roman city.A gathering place of great social significance, it was often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions, meetings, et cetera....
." The sense of the word "forensic" that means "pertaining to legal trials" dates from the 1600s (
Oxford English DictionaryThe Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press , is a comprehensive dictionary of the English language...
) and led to the use of the word "forensics" in reference to legal evidence.
The NFL Mission Statement
The National Forensic League believes that all students should be empowered to become effective communicators, ethical individuals, critical thinkers, and leaders in a democratic society. We exist to promote secondary school speech and debate activities and interscholastic competition as a means to develop a student’s lifelong skills and values and to increase the public’s awareness of the value of speech, debate and communication education.
The NFL Code of Honor
Members of the National Forensic League are expected to abide by the NFL Code of Honor, adopted September 23, 2007. The Code of Honor was initially proposed by Harold Keller, a member of the Board of Directors, in recognition of the Honor Society nature of the League. The Code of Honor consists of an NFL Oath and five tenets.
NFL Oath
As a member of the National Forensic League, I pledge to uphold the highest standards of integrity, humility, respect, leadership and service in the pursuit of excellence.
Integrity: An NFL member obeys the highest ethical standards and adheres to the rules of the League. NFL members recognize that integrity is central to earning the trust, respect, and support of one's peers. Integrity encompasses the highest regard for honesty, civility, justice, and fairness.
Humility: An NFL member does not regard him or herself more highly than others. Regardless of a person's level of success, he or she always looks beyond oneself to appreciate the inherent value of others.
Respect: An NFL member respects individual differences and fosters diversity. He or she promotes tolerance, inclusion, and empowerment for people from a variety of backgrounds.
Leadership: An NFL member influences others to take positive action toward productive change. NFL members commit to thoughtful and responsible leadership which promotes the other core values in the NFL Code of Honor.
Service: An NFL member exercises the talents he or she has been given to provide service to his or her peers, community, and the League. At all times an NFL member is prepared to work constructively to improve the lives of others.
The Early Years
Bruno E. JacobBruno Ernst Jacob was a professor at Ripon College in Wisconsin and founder of the National Forensic League. He served as the League's Executive Secretary from 1925 until his retirement in 1969...
, a professor at
Ripon CollegeRipon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It was founded in 1851, but its first class of students did not enroll until 1853. As of fall 2007, Ripon College's student body stood at around 1000.- History :...
, first envisioned the League after receiving a letter which inquired whether an honor society existed for high school debaters. Noting that no such society existed, Jacob drafted and circulated a proposal for what would become the nation’s oldest and largest high school debate and speech honor society. NFL welcomed its first member school on March 28, 1925.
NFL grew in both membership and organization during the next few years. In 1926, NFL chartered one hundred high schools. In 1927, the League began producing The Bulletin, a professional newsletter that served as the forerunner to today’s Rostrum magazine. Chapter manuals, jeweled insignia pins, and other organizational items emerged during this time. One of the most significant changes came in 1930, when Bruno E. Jacob proposed a national speech tournament for NFL members. The following year, the first NFL National Tournament was held at
Ripon CollegeRipon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It was founded in 1851, but its first class of students did not enroll until 1853. As of fall 2007, Ripon College's student body stood at around 1000.- History :...
with 49 schools from 17 states competing. Miami, Oklahoma won the first national championship in high school debate.
In spite of economic turmoil, NFL continued to grow during the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. National Tournament winners appeared on an
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
network program and
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
aired the championship debate. In 1938, the first
Student CongressStudent Congress is the most boring form of high school debate in the United States...
was held in conjunction with the National Tournament and Poetry Reading was formalized as a consolation event. To encourage and channel its growth, the Board of Directors voted to increase requirements for membership and degrees while abolishing most of its student fees. This practice was hoped to incentivize excellence while increasing access to League opportunities.
With the onset of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, NFL suspended its National Tournament. However, upon request from President
Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , the only U.S. President elected to more than two terms, was a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, the National Student Congress continued to meet.
Recognizing the need for community service during this time in the nation’s history, the Board of Directors approved an emergency war schedule of service points to be awarded for speeches made to school and community audiences. As
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
neared its end, the concept of service points was written into the League’s constitution to promote service among NFL members. The National Tournament resumed in 1947.
The Mid 20th Century
In the mid-20th century, NFL experienced another growth spurt. Bruno E. Jacob resigned his teaching position at Ripon College in order to devote his full attention to the NFL. He traveled approximately 20,000 miles a year, mostly by car, visiting with members of the League and offering his support. At the same time, the League was incorporated and engaged its first Assistant Secretary to increase its services to members. These administrative changes were rewarded with increased membership, as the 100,000th League membership was recorded in December 1957.
The 1960s and ‘70s were a time of transition for the NFL. After decades of service, Bruno E. Jacob retired as Executive Secretary, and President Karl E. Mundt soon followed. League leadership was restructured as NFL expanded to include 44 districts and the Board of Directors was increased by two members. New awards were also introduced, including recognition for leading schools and the NFL Hall of Fame, which recognized outstanding forensic coaches and educators.
Humorous InterpretationHumorous Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions. It consists of a piece from any published work, edited to fit within a 10 minute span. It is judged based upon how the person portrays his or her characters rather than whether the piece is...
and
Lincoln-Douglas debateLincoln–Douglas Debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
were added as main events at Nationals, expanding the number of opportunities available to students. In 1975, NFL celebrated its Golden anniversary, which included a move into its own building.
As society began to embrace technology, NFL worked to incorporate this new field into its mission and services. In the 1980s, NFL began videotaping final rounds as a means of preserving the history of the contest. As the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
gained popularity in the 1990s, NFL developed and refined its Web site to extend opportunities for students previously marginalized by geographic or fiscal constraints. In this vein, NFL turned its attention toward engaging previously underserved communities. During the 1991-92 school year, Phillips Petroleum made a major gift to NFL to promote speech education in rural and urban communities. A few years later, the National Junior Forensic League was established to serve junior high and middle schools. The Barbara Jordan Youth Debates, made possible by the Kaiser Family Foundation, were held for urban debaters. As a result of these and other NFL outreach efforts, the 900,000th member was recorded in the mid-nineties.
The Millennium
At the millennium, new award opportunities, including the Academic All-American Awards and the National Student of the Year award, have been established to recognize excellence in scholarship and character. The NFL Code of Honor was adopted in 2007 to promote the holistic development of youth: Its tenets include integrity, humility, respect, leadership, and service. Since its founding, the NFL has enrolled over 1,264,888 members in all fifty states, U. S. possessions and several foreign countries. Currently over 93,000 high school students and over 6500 high school teachers are active members. Prominent NFL alumni include Senators
Russ FeingoldRussell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He has served as a Democratic member of the U.S. Senate and the junior Senator from Wisconsin since 1993. A recipient of the John F...
, Richard Lugar and William Frist, media visionary
Ted TurnerRobert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable television network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
, Academy Award winners
Patricia NealPatricia Neal is an American actress of stage and screen.-Early life:Neal was born Patsy Louise Neal, in Packard, Whitley County, Kentucky...
and
Don Ameche-Biography:Ameche was born Dominic Felix Amici in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the son of Barbara, who was of Irish and German descent, and Felix Ameche, an immigrant from Italy whose original surname was "Amici." He had three brothers, Omberto , James , and Louis and two sisters, Elizabeth and Catherine...
, Emmy award winners
Kelsey GrammerAllen Kelsey Grammer , best known as Kelsey Grammer, is an American actor best known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the NBC sitcoms Cheers and Frasier , and providing the voice of Sideshow Bob on the Fox animated series The Simpsons...
and
Shelley LongShelley Lee Long is an American actress.-Early life:Long was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana at 7:00 A.M. on Tuesday, August 23, 1949. The daughter of Evandine, a school teacher, and Leland Long, who worked in the rubber industry before becoming a teacher...
, television host
Oprah WinfreyOprah Gail Winfrey is an American media personality, actress, television producer, literary critic and magazine publisher, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history...
, news anchors
Jane PauleyMargaret Jane Pauley is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975...
and the late
David BloomDavid Bloom was an NBC journalist until his sudden death in 2003 at the age of 39.-Early life:...
,
C-SPANC-SPAN , an abbreviation of Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop coverage of government proceedings and public affairs programming...
founder
Brian LambBrian Patrick Lamb is the founder and chief executive officer of C-SPAN, a television network dedicated to coverage of government proceedings and public affairs. Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Lamb earned a degree from Purdue University before joining the United States Navy...
,
Supreme Court JusticeAssociate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
Stephen BreyerStephen Gerald Breyer is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1994, and known for his pragmatic approach to constitutional law, Breyer is generally associated with the more liberal side of the Court.Following a clerkship with Supreme...
, Federal National Mortgage CEO Franklin Delano Raines, actors
Brad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. He has been cited as one of the world's most attractive men, a label that entices the media to report on his off-screen life...
and
Zac EfronZachary David Alexander "Zac" Efron is an American actor and singer. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s, and became known to young audiences after his roles in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, the WB series Summerland, and the 2007 film version of the Broadway...
, and musician
David CookDavid Cook may refer to:*David Cook , winner of the seventh season of American Idol**David Cook , the second solo album by David Cook*David J. Cook , lawman of the American Old West, credited with 3,000 arrests...
.
The NFL National Tournament continues to be held annually, featuring competition in Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Legislative Debate, Public Forum (Ted Turner) Debate, United States Extemporaneous Speaking, International Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Commentary, Impromptu Speaking, Prose Reading, Poetry Reading, Expository Speaking and Storytelling. Over $153,000 in college scholarships are awarded at each national tournament, making it possible for students to pursue post-secondary education.
Events
Each year, the NFL hosts the
National Speech and Debate TournamentThe National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League. It is held annually in early June, and is hosted in a different part of the United States every year, although it tends to be hosted in cities that are...
. This tournament attracts over 3000 high school students who compete for national honors in a wide variety of events. These events include:
- Policy Debate
Policy debate is a form of research-based speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States Federal Government...
(Cross Examination: CX)
- Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Lincoln–Douglas Debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
(LD)
- Public Forum Debate
Public forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , pofo, pufo, and sometimes called by its former names, controversy debates or Ted Turner debate, is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League and National Catholic Forensic League competitions.-Overview:Public forum debate can...
(PFD, Ted Turner Debate, Puf, or Pofo)
- Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
International Extemporaneous Speaking is a style of competitive speaking sponsored by the National Forensic League. It is identical in structure to U.S. Extemp, except that the topics are focused on world affairs, rather than U.S...
(FX or IX)
- Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking (also called United States Extemporaneous Speaking or National Extemporaneous Speaking, and variously contracted to Domestic Extemp, National Extemp, U.S...
(DX, USX, or NX)
- Original Oratory
Original Oratory. is a competitive event in the National Forensic League, National Catholic Forensic League, and other high school forensic competitions in which competitors deliver an original speech on a subject of their choosing, though the speech must be factual...
(OO)
- Dramatic Interpretation
Dramatic Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions...
(DI)
- Humorous Interpretation
Humorous Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions. It consists of a piece from any published work, edited to fit within a 10 minute span. It is judged based upon how the person portrays his or her characters rather than whether the piece is...
(HI)
- Duo Interpretation
Duo Interpretation, or often simply called Duo Interp, or just Duo, is an official speech event of the National Forensic League, the National Catholic Forensics League and the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association...
(DUO)
- Student Congress
Student Congress is the most boring form of high school debate in the United States...
(Congress)
Students who qualify to the National Tournament in a main event yet are eliminated in the preliminary rounds may participate in one of the following Supplemental Events:
- Prose Interpretation
Prose interpretation is a non-memorized event in which competitors choose a published piece of work that is not poetry or drama. The piece should be cut to no more than 10 minutes...
{PR or Prose}
- Poetry Interpretation {PO or Poetry}
- Extemporaneous Commentary
Extemporaneous commentary is a branch of normal extemporaneous speaking, an area of competition in high school forensics. Students participating in extemporaneous commentary are given 25 minutes to prepare a five minute speech on a topic relevant to modern politics...
- Expository Address
Expository address is an event in the National Forensic League. It is a supplemental event at the National Tournament. Expository speeches are original compositions of the contestant. The expository speech is a speech to inform, not a performance. It should describe, clarify, illustrate or define...
In addition to Supplemental Events, these Consolation Events are also held at the National Tournament:
- Impromptu Speaking
Impromptu speaking is a speech and debate consolation event that involves an eight minute speech, with up to three of these eight minutes available for use as preparation time ....
- Storytelling
All the above events are NFL-sponsored events which one can compete in at the NFL
National TournamentThe National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League. It is held annually in early June, and is hosted in a different part of the United States every year, although it tends to be hosted in cities that are...
. There is also talk of Prose and Poetry becoming full events at the National Tournament, but no additional information has been provided.
Publications
The Rostrum is the official monthly
magazineMagazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles, generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
of the National Forensic League. The magazine was originally titled the
Bulletin, which was first published in 1926. Since its creation, the
Rostrum has evolved into a forum for debate education and news, soliciting articles from coaches and debaters.
The Rostrum is a popular place for
debate campA debate camp or debate institute is a training workshop for high school and collegiate debaters. The camps exist so students may learn about the upcoming topic or "resolution". Usually these camps are held over the summer for weeks a time at different universities around the country between two...
s and brief companies to place their advertisements supporting the magazine.
The Rostrum is free to all NFL members, and also contains information on results from the national tournament, opinion pieces on the evolving debate world, and strategy tips for debaters.
Other NFL Publications include an NJFL newsletter, which is distributed to members of the National Junior Forensic League, and the
Alumni Connection magazine.
Points
Those who participate in competitive forensics earn points for their efforts. In the debate events, a win in a round is worth six points while a loss is worth three. In the speech events, there are three point brackets; original speeches, worth six points, interpretation events, worth five points, and speaking events, worth four points. Six-point events include Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, and Expository; first place in one of these rounds earns a competitor six points, second earns the competitor five, third earns four, etc. Five-point events include Prose, Poetry, Humorous Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, and Dual Interpretation. The four-point event category is reserved for events such as Impromptu Speaking.
National Forensic League Points (NFL points) are employed in the scoring system used by the National Forensic League to rank competitors' lifetime progress, and to determine how many competitors a school may register in an
NFL District TournamentNFL District Tournaments are held each year by the National Forensic League to determine the qualifiers to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in speech, debate, and Student Congress...
.
In debate events, the winner (or both members of the winning team) each earn six points, and the loser earns three. In speaking events, points vary with the speaker's place in the round. Competitors in events that involve creating original material such as:
Foreign Extemporaneous SpeakingInternational Extemporaneous Speaking is a style of competitive speaking sponsored by the National Forensic League. It is identical in structure to U.S. Extemp, except that the topics are focused on world affairs, rather than U.S...
(
FX),
Domestic Extemporaneous SpeakingDomestic Extemporaneous Speaking Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking (also called United States Extemporaneous Speaking or National Extemporaneous Speaking, and variously contracted to Domestic Extemp, National Extemp, U.S...
(
DX),
Original OratoryOriginal Oratory. is a competitive event in the National Forensic League, National Catholic Forensic League, and other high school forensic competitions in which competitors deliver an original speech on a subject of their choosing, though the speech must be factual...
(
OO),
Lincoln-Douglas DebateLincoln–Douglas Debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
(
LD),
Public Forum DebatePublic forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , pofo, pufo, and sometimes called by its former names, controversy debates or Ted Turner debate, is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League and National Catholic Forensic League competitions.-Overview:Public forum debate can...
(
PF) and
Policy DebatePolicy debate is a form of research-based speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States Federal Government...
(
CX) each earn more points than competitors in events that involve interpreting previously published material such as
ProseProse is the ordinary form of written language. The word "prose" is derived from the Latin prosa, which literally translates to "straightforward". Prose is adopted for the discussion of facts and topical reading, as it is often articulated in free form writing style...
(
PR),
PoetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
(
PO),
Humorous InterpretationHumorous Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions. It consists of a piece from any published work, edited to fit within a 10 minute span. It is judged based upon how the person portrays his or her characters rather than whether the piece is...
(
HI),
Duet ActingDuet Acting is an event in competitive high school forensics...
(
DA), and
Dramatic InterpretationDramatic Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions...
(
DI). The least expected points are categorized in "
Speaking" events. These include
ImpromptuAn impromptu is a free-form musical composition with the character of an improvisation, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano....
(
Imp), and any other optional speaking events. In years past,
Student CongressStudent Congress is the most boring form of high school debate in the United States...
(
StuCo) speeches given each received a score of up to six points. New NFL rules now allow up to eight points per speech. Commonly more than one judge scores each speech in Student Congress, so in this case the scores of the judges are averaged and rounded up to calculate the speech score.
| Rank: |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
Points Earned:
Original Speech |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Points Earned:
Interpretation |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Points Earned:
Speaking |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Members can only earn up to 750 points in each of the three areas of competition: debate, speaking events (original oratory, extemporaneous speaking and the interpretative events), and
Student CongressStudent Congress is the most boring form of high school debate in the United States...
. Points earned at
NFL District TournamentNFL District Tournaments are held each year by the National Forensic League to determine the qualifiers to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in speech, debate, and Student Congress...
s and the
NFL National TournamentThe National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League. It is held annually in early June, and is hosted in a different part of the United States every year, although it tends to be hosted in cities that are...
are not subject to the 750-point cap. The point limit was raised in 2004 from 500 points.
Members can also earn "service points", which accrue for certain activities outside of speech competition. Delivering speeches before audiences of twenty-five or more adults, for instance, earns a fixed number of service points.
As a member accumulates points, they earn NFL degrees. Each degree corresponds to the jeweling pattern of an NFL pin which the degree-holder is authorized to wear, and to a seal which will be placed on the degree-holder's membership certificate. The following are the Membership Degrees:
| Degree |
Points |
Jewels |
Seal |
| Merit |
25 |
None |
White |
| Honor |
75 |
Emerald |
Bronze |
| Excellence |
150 |
Sapphire |
Silver |
| Distinction |
250 |
Ruby |
Gold |
Special
Distinction |
500 |
Double
Ruby |
Rose |
Superior
Distinction |
750 |
Triple
Ruby |
Blue |
Outstanding
Distinction |
1000 |
Quadruple
Ruby |
Purple |
Premier
Distinction |
1500+ |
Quint
Ruby |
Black |
It should be noted that NFL pins are by no means ubiquitous; some competitors in some areas are more likely to wear them; other competitors in other areas may abstain from them, and even consider them to be highly pretentious. In some forms of speech competition, advertising one's standing with a pin may also place one at a minor tactical disadvantage.
Point Archive: Coach/Instructor
School Instructors also receive points, which are dependent upon their students' performances. The instructor receives 1/10 of a point for each point received by one of the instructor's students. The better the team, the better recognition of the instructor. Instructors follow the exact same degree as students; however, an instructor receives a diamond after accumulating point totals of 1,500, 3,000 and every 3,000 points thereafter. All instructor points are dependent upon the performance of the instructor's team, although the coach or coaches decide how to award accumulated coaching points among themselves.
Membership
According to the National Forensic League, any participating high school person who has attained 25 points becomes a member of the organization. However, this new member is required to pay a $15 lifetime fee. Even though membership is lifelong, one can only compete as a high school student (although coaches may receive points as well, as explained above). The lifetime ranking of an NFL member is determined by his or her
Point Score, explained in the Point Archive.
State leagues
While the
National Speech and Debate TournamentThe National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League. It is held annually in early June, and is hosted in a different part of the United States every year, although it tends to be hosted in cities that are...
and the qualifying
District CompetitionsNFL District Tournaments are held each year by the National Forensic League to determine the qualifiers to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in speech, debate, and Student Congress...
are hosted by the NFL, most forensics tournaments during the school year operate under the auspices of other organizations. Chief among them are the state speech leagues, such as:
- Arkansas State Communication Association http://www.uamont.edu/organizations/asca/
- California High School Speech Association http://www.cahssa.org/
- Florida Forensic League, Inc.
The Florida Forensic League, Inc., or FFL, is a speech and debate organization offered to all schools in the state of Florida. It is the governing body for local and state speech and debate competitions in Florida, with higher-level competition under the auspices of the National Forensic League and...
http://www.floridaforensics.org/
- Hawaii Speech League http://www.hawaiispeechleague.org/
- Indiana High School Forensics Associationhttp://www.ihsfa.org
- Iowa High School Forensic League (Iowa also has the Iowa High School Speech Association
The Iowa High School Speech Association consists of member high schools from four districts in Iowa, and offers three categories of competition: debate, large group, and individual events. At the end of each of the three contests, the Cooley Sweepstakes Trophy is awarded. To get to the all-state...
http://www.ihssa.org though the two bodies are independent and the IHSFL is operated directly by speech and debate coaches)
- Long Island Forensics League http://www.lifa.org/
- Kentucky High School Speech League, Inc.
- Massachusetts Forensics League http://www.massforensics.org/
- Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Associationhttp://www.themifa.org/html/index.html
- New York State Forensics League http://www.nysfl.org/
- New Jersey Forensic League http://www.njflonline.org/
- North Carolina - Tarheel Forensic League
The Tarheel Forensic League is the speech and debate league for North Carolina. It was created in 1976 and is made up of 44 schools. The league participates in Lincoln-Douglas debate, Public Forum debate, Congressional debate, and many more, using mostly the same rules as the National Forensic...
http://www.ncspeechanddebate.org/
- Ohio High School Speech League
The Ohio High School Speech League is the body that organizes high school forensic competition in the state of Ohio. The OHSSL provides all of the National Forensic League events, but several other events including Oratorical Interpretation, and Prose & Poetry. In the 2001-2002 season Impromptu...
http://www.ohssl.org/
- Pennsylvania High School Speech League
The Pennsylvania High School Speech League is a high school forensics league. The PHSSL state championship takes place yearly in March at Susquehanna University...
http://www.phssl.org/
- South Carolina Speech and Debate Association http://www.scspeechanddebate.org/
- Texas Forensic Association
The Texas Forensic Association is an organization meant to provide competition in speech, debate, and drama for all qualified high school Texas students....
http://www.txfa.org
- Tarheel Forensics League
- Utah High School Forensics Association http://www.utahforensics.org/
- Wisconsin Forensic Coaches Association http://www.wfcaforensics.org/
- Western Bay Forensic League http://www.wbfl.org (Western L.A. County)
In other states, speech is classed with other high school interscholastic competition and is overseen by the same organization as football, basketball and gymnastics such as:
- Alaska School Activities Association
The Alaska School Activities Association is the regulating body for Alaska high school interscholastic activities and is Alaska's member to the National Federation of State High School Associations.-History:...
http://www.asaa.org/ddf/
- Arizona Interscholastic Association
The Arizona Interscholastic Association is a group of Arizona private and public high schools that governs the athletic sporting events between its members.-External links:*...
http://www.aiaonline.org/activities/speech_debate_theatre.php
- Colorado High School Activity Association http://www.chsaa.org/activities/speech/speech.asp?page=speech
- Georgia High School Association
The Georgia High School Association governs athletic and club events for member high schools in Georgia. The GHSA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The association comprises 402 public and private high schools...
http://www.ghsa.net/index.php?url_channel_id=4&url_subchannel_id=37&well_id=1
- Idaho High School Activities Association
The Idaho High School Activities Association oversees high school athletics in the state of Idaho. Idaho high schools are classified in five categories based on their enrollment...
http://www.idhsaa.org/speecharts/
- Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 52
1 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of...
http://www.ihsa.org/activity/db/ http://www.ihsa.org/activity/ie/
- Kansas State High School Activities Association
The Kansas State High School Activities Association is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the state of Kansas at the high school level. It oversees both athletic and non-athletic competition, and sponsors championships in several sports and activities.The KSHSAA was...
http://www.kshsaa.org/SPEECH/speech.html
- Maine Principals' Association
The Maine Principals’ Association is the governing body for sports competitions among all public and some private high schools in the state of Maine. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations...
http://www.mpa.cc/id_speech.html
- Minnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League is a voluntary, non-profit association of public and private schools with a history of service to Minnesota's high school youth since 1916. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations.Today, nearly 500 schools are members of...
http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/index.asp
- Missouri State High School Activities Association
The Missouri State High School Activities Association is the governing body for all high school activities throughout the state of Missouri. 580 schools claim membership in MSHSAA, spread out among several classes by size...
http://www.mshsaa.org/
- Montana High School Association
The Montana High School Association is the governing body of high school athletics in the state of Montana. It was founded in 1921 and today consists of 180+ member schools....
http://www.mhsa.org/speech.htm
- Nebraska School Activities Association
The Nebraska School Activities Association is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the state of Nebraska at the high school level. The mission statement of the NSAA is:-Classification:...
http://www.nsaahome.org/debate.html
- New Mexico Activities Association http://www.nmact.org/
- North Dakota High School Activities Association
The North Dakota High School Activities Association is the governing body for North Dakota high school athletics and fine arts. In many athletics, the state's teams are divided into Class A and Class B . One exception to this is football, which is divided into four divisions: AAA, AA, A, and 9-man...
http://ndhsaa.com/finearts/debate/
- Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association , is an organization which organizes secondary school activities at the state level, such as sports, speech tournaments, and music competitions. Derald Glover is its president. The OSSAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School...
http://www.ossaa.com/partners/ossaa/non_athletic_activities/speech/
- Oregon School Activities Association
The Oregon School Activities Association is a non-profit, board-governed organization that regulates high school athletics and competitive activities via athletic conferences in the U.S. state of Oregon, providing equitable competition among its members, both public and private...
http://www.osaa.org/speech/
- South Dakota High School Activities Association
South Dakota High School Activities Association governs high school sports and other activities in the state of South Dakota. The SDHSAA was founded in 1906 and has been a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations since 1923....
http://www.sdhsaa.com/finearts/speech/speechmain.asp
- Tennessee High School Speech and Drama League
- Texas's University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization which creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
http://www.uil.utexas.edu/
- Vermont Principals' Association
The Vermont Principals' Association is an organization of over 300 schools in the U.S. state of Vermont that sponsor activities in numerous sports and activities. The VPA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules for most U.S...
http://www.vpaonline.org/pa1d.asp
- Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike many similar organizations in other states, it does not count private or religious schools among its membership...
http://www.vhsl.org/forensics.htm
- Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is the governing body of high school athletics and activities in the state of Washington.-Athletics:-Other activities:* Cheerleading* Dance/Drill* Drama* Forensics* Music...
http://www.wiaa.com/finearts/forensics/
- Wyoming High School Activities Association
The Wyoming High School Activities Association is the organization that runs and regulates all interscholastic high school activities in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Originally founded in the 1920s to regulate athletic competition, the WHSAA has become more than a regulatory agency...
http://www.whsaa.org/
State leagues operate independently. Some leagues sponsor events not offered by the NFL. These events may still qualify for NFL points, however.
See also
- National Catholic Forensic League
The National Catholic Forensic League is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions which correspond to Roman Catholic dioceses. Member schools include both public and parochial high schools. The NCFL recruits member schools in both the United States and Canada...
http://www.ncfl.org/
- National Christian Forensics and Communication Association
External links