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ArkanSas High School CIRCUIT

Tournaments

The Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is the official organization sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) to govern interscholastic speech, debate, and theatre competitions between AAA member schools in Arkansas. In addition to hosting the state title competition for high school, ACTAA sanctions all speech and debate activities in Arkansas.

Tournament Sanctioning 

Since ACTAA is entrusted with sanctioning speech & debate competition in Arkansas by AAA, ACTAA has established standards for competitions and tournaments. This standards are established to ensure consistency in student competition and that speech & debate remain a learning community for our participants. AAA rules require member schools to participate in sanctions events and competition. All speech & debate tournaments in Arkansas must be sanctioned by AAA, through ACTAA. 

To request to be a sanctioned tournament, please review the AAA Handbook and the ASC Qualifying Tournament Document. Once reviewed, complete the AAA Sanction Form and submit the signed document to ACTAA through the the Request Tournament Date Form linked below. Once the date have been reviewed and approved, it will be published on the ACTAA Tournament Calendar. 

Request Tournament Date ACTAA Form

AAA Sanction Form

AAA Sanction (start prior to 3:30 p.m.) Form

AAA Certificate of Eligibility 

AAA Handbook

ASC Qualifying Tournament Document

Tournament Hosting

Hosting a tournament is an excited and important service to the community. Without debate tournaments we do not have speech & debate! The tournament should not be understood as the final goal of a student competitors, but should be organized to be an educational event, where competitors learn and develop their critical thinking/ communication skills. Hosts should consider their facilities, lodging and volunteer capacity before announcing their tournament.  Tournaments must accommodate hosting multiple teams to ensure quality competition. Hosts are reminded that hosting tournaments is a service to the community . Although tournament fess are common, AAA rules restrict competition from being fundraisers for schools or programs. Here are a few resources about what you need to take in consideration when organizing a tournament.

ASC Qualifying Tournament Document

ASC Tabroom Tournament Shell Request Form

ASC Tabulation Manual

ACTAA Judging Agreement

NSDA Tournament Hosting Resources

Event Ballots

Judging Speech & Debate

The ACTAA seeks to equip Arkansas students be more effective advocates for the things in which they believe. Part of being an effective advocate means being able to speak to a wide variety of audiences, and your commitment to serving in that capacity, regardless of experience level, makes judges an in important part of our mission. If you are volunteering, you undoubtedly believe in the power of speech and debate. By volunteering to judge, you have given several students the opportunity to compete. For many tournaments, judges are the limiting factor. The following links will connect new judges to resources designed to equip you with information to be success and impactful in the role of adjudication. 

About Competitions Events

NSDA Judge Accreditation

Event Ballots

Judge Training Resources

ACTAA Judging Agreement

Upcoming tournaments

    • 25 Sep 2026
    • AGFC Headquarters, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205



    This competition challenges participants to act as legislators, debating current and vital Conservation and Resource Management topics. Success in this competition demands critical thinking under pressure, as students must quickly analyze complex policy issues, research proposed legislation, and construct persuasive arguments. Competitors are required to effectively engage in cross-examination and refutation, adapting to and responding to opposing views on subjects such as public land use, technology, and wildlife management.

    Competition Location:

    Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Headquarters

    2 Natural Resources Drive

    Little Rock, AR 72205

    Time 8-5     

    Gen Con 2026 Info


    https://www.agfc.com/education/generation-conservation/

    • 09 Oct 2026
    • 10 Oct 2026
    • Bentonville High School, 1801 SE J ST., BENTONVILLE, AR 72712 United States
    • 23 Oct 2026
    • 24 Oct 2026
    • Conway High School
    • 13 Nov 2026
    • 14 Nov 2026
    • Russellville High School


    • 30 Nov 2026
    • 05 Dec 2026
    • Rogers Heritage High School


    • 05 Dec 2026
    • Mount St. Mary Academy

    Please add the events:
    Theatre Only- Thespy rubrics (https://schooltheatre.org/thespys/rules-and-rubrics/)
    Monologue and Contrasting Monologue
    Duet Acting
    Ensemble Acting
    Solo Musical Performance
    Duet Musical Performance
    Ensemble Musical Performance
    Solo Musical Dance
    Duet Musical Dance
    Ensemble Musical Dance

    • 11 Dec 2026
    • 12 Dec 2026
    • Fulbright Jr. High

    Forensics Events:
    Pattern A: DI, DM, DUO, HI, *INFO, ISP, *OO
    Pattern B: DEC, IMP, DSL, *POE, POI, *PRO, STO, SM

    Debate Events: IPDA, BQ, PF, Congress

    Group Events: RT, WM

    Sweepstakes: 1st - 3rd, 1st Squad Efficiency

    • 22 Jan 2027
    • 23 Jan 2027
    • Cabot High School

    Come and join us for a fun filled weekend of competiton.

    We do have our TOC Bid Status in Speech

    High School and Junior High Sweeps Stakes

    DUO
    JH DUO
    DI
    JH DI
    HI
    JH HI
    INFO
    JH INFO
    JH OO
    OO
    EX
    JH EX
    JH ISP
    ISP
    JH IDA
    IDA
    JH ST
    ST
    POI
    JH POI
    PRO
    JH PRO
    JH POE
    POE
    JH SLI
    SLI

    IPDA
    JH IPDA
    CONGRESS
    JH CONGRESS
    PF
    JH PF
    LD
    JH LD

    • 05 Feb 2027
    • 06 Feb 2027
    • Har Ber High School, 300 Jones Rd., Springdale, Arkansas 72762 United States

    HIGH SCHOOL ONLY:

    Congressional Debate (Open)
    Varsity/Novice IPDA (HS) (IPDA HS Constitution)
    Dramatic Interpretation
    Dramatic Song Lyric Interpretation
    Duo Interpretation
    Duet Improv
    Informative Speaking
    Impromptu Speaking
    Humorous Interpretation
    Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking
    Oral Interpretation (NCFL Rules)
    Original Oratory
    Program of Oral Interp

    • 20 Feb 2027
    • Mount St. Mary Academy

    HI, DI, Duo Interp, Oratory, Informative, Impromptu, Program of Oral Interp, Prose, Poetry, Storytelling, Duet Improv, Solo and Duet Acting, Solo and Duet Musical, Dramatic Song Lyric Group Reader’s Theatre and Words & Music


    • 26 Feb 2027
    • 27 Feb 2027
    • Bentonville West High School

    Dramatic Interpretation
    Dramatic Song Lyric Interpretation
    Duet Acting
    Duet Improv
    Duet Musical
    Duo Interpretation
    Extemporaneous Speaking
    Humorous Interpretation
    Impromptu Speaking
    Informative Speaking
    Junior Declamation
    Junior Dramatic Interpretation
    Junior Dramatic Song Lyric Interpertation
    Junior Duet Improv
    Junior Duo Interpretation
    Junior Extemporaneous Speaking
    Junior Humorous Interpretation
    Junior IPDA
    Junior Impromptu
    Junior Informative Speaking
    Junior Lincoln Douglas
    Junior Original Oratory
    Junior Poetry
    Junior Program of Oral Interpretation
    Junior Prose
    Junior Public Forum
    Junior Readers Theatre
    Junior Storytelling
    Junior Words & Music
    Novice Congressional Debate
    Novice IPDA
    Novice Lincoln Douglas
    Novice Public Forum Debate
    Original Oratory
    Poetry Interpretation
    Policy Debate
    Program of Oral Interpretation
    Prose Interpretation
    Readers Theatre
    Solo Acting
    Solo Musical
    Storytelling
    Varsity Congressional Debate
    Varsity IPDA
    Varsity Lincoln Douglas
    Varsity Public Forum Debate
    Words and Music
    Big Questions
    junior sweepstakes
    high school sweepstakes

    • 03 Apr 2027
    • Rogers Heritage High School


    • 09 Apr 2027
    • 10 Apr 2027
    • TBA


    • 23 Apr 2027
    • 24 Apr 2027
    • Grimsley Junior High
    • 13 Jun 2027
    • 18 Jun 2027
    • Phoenix, AZ
    • 28 Jun 2027
    • 02 Jul 2027
    • Louisville, KY



The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit professional organization serving educators of Communication, Debate, Forensics and Theatre Arts in Arkansas.

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