Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 22:20:41 -0400
From: Jon Cruz <jocruz@vassar.edu>
To: submit@hsdebate.com
Subject: Invitation for the 2004 Vassar Invitational Forensics Tournament
Greetings!
On behalf of the Vassar Parliamentary Debate Society, it is with great
pleasure that I invite you and your team to the second annual Vassar
Invitational Forensics Tournament, which will be held from Friday, March
19, 2004 to Sunday, March 21, 2004. I was extremely gratified to find
that our debut tournament was hailed as a great success by virtually
everyone who attended.
For the 2004 tournament, competition will consist of varsity and junior
varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate divisions (J.V. will be open to all first-
and second-year debaters) as well as divisions of student congress,
extemporaneous speaking, original oratory, humorous interpretation, and
dramatic interpretation. All students who advance to outrounds will
receive awards, and top speakers will be recognized in both divisions of
debate. We will offer impromptu speaking on Sunday for students who do
not advance to quarterfinals in debate or finals in speech. Two of the
major highlights of our inaugural tournament--a realistic schedule that
allows debaters and judges to get a good night^Òs sleep as well as
complimentary meals for all debaters and judges on Saturday and
Sunday--will still be in place for this year. To us, a hospitable and
friendly atmosphere combined with efficient organization and tabbing is a
proven formula for success.
Our tournament^Òs proximity to several state championships and national
qualifiers makes it excellent preparation for your teams. Like many state
tournaments, we will be using the March-April NFL resolution for our L-D
debaters, and for the majority of debaters, this will be the only
opportunity to practice that resolution before their respective
championship tournament. For those whose state tournament or national
qualifier will have passed or for those not attending it, the Vassar
Invitational can serve as a worthy ^Ólast hurrah^Ô of the standard
season. We recognize that some schools may have a conflict with national
qualifying tournaments scheduled for the same weekend. We encourage such
teams to consider sending their younger debaters who will not be
participating in such tournaments to Vassar, so they too can have a
rewarding weekend with top competition from diverse locations.
Founded in 1861, Vassar was the first endowed college for females and
dedicated itself to giving young women the same education their brothers
were receiving at Harvard and Yale. Many of America^Òs most notable
female leaders received their higher education in Poughkeepsie, taking
their courses and organizing their activities in the same buildings we
will be utilizing for our tournament. In a notable first that may be of
some interest to young debaters, Vassar defeated a team from Wellesley at
the very first debate between women^Òs colleges in on April 26, 1902. In
1969, the college again set a precedent by becoming the first major
women^Òs college to admit male students, and today sets the standard for
co-education. Known for its academic excellence, involved faculty and
student body, liberal and inclusive atmosphere, and gorgeous campus,
Vassar remains one of America^Òs most famous and influential institutions
of higher education.
Enclosed with this letter are several forms providing more information
about our tournament. Our official web site,
www.geocities.com/vassarhsdebate, has further information on our
tournament--including hotel listings--and allows for online registration,
which will be open during the 2003-2004 school year. In an effort to
reduce paper usage, and given the overwhelmingly positive response to our
online service last year, this is the only way to register for our
tournament.
This invitation is being sent to you almost a year in advance of our
tournament. While we realize that most schools will not register until
far closer to the event^Òs actual date, we hope that this early notice
will allow you to work our tournament into your schedule for next year.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can most
easily be reached via e-mail at jocruz@vassar.edu.
Most sincerely yours,
Jon Cruz ^Ò05
Founder & Tournament Director, Vassar Invitational
-----
Friday, March 19, 2004
1:00-2:45PM Registration Rockefell
r Hall (Second Floor)
3:00-3:15 PM General
Assembly Rockefeller Hall 200
3:30-5:30 PM Debate Round 1
5:15-6:15 PM Speech Round
1 (extemp prep starts at 4:45)
3:30-6:30 PM Congress Session
1
11:00-12:00 PM Congress Session
2
7:15-9:15 PM Debate Round 2
Saturday, March 20, 2004
9:00-10:00 AM Speech Round
2 (extemp prep starts at 9:30)
10:00-12:00 AM Debate Round 3
10:00-12:00 PM Congress Session
2
12:30-1:30 PM Speech Round
3 (extemp prep starts at 12:00)
1:00-3:00 PM Debate Round 4
2:00-4:00 PM Congress Session
3
3:00-4:00 PM Speech Round
4 (extemp prep starts at 2:30)
4:30-6:30 PM Debate Round 5
6:30-8:00 PM Social
Dinner The Aula at Ely Hall
(breaks announced)
8:00-10:00 PM Debate Octofinals
Sunday, March 21, 2004
10:00-10:45 AM Debate Quarterfinals
10:00-12:00 PM Congress Supersession
10:00-10:30 PM Impromptu Session
2
11:30-12:00 PM Impromptu Session
2
11:15-12:00 PM Debate Semifinals
12:00-1:00
PM Speech Finals
1:00-1:45
PM Debate Finals
2:15-2:45 PM Awards
Ceremony Mary Anna Fox Martel Theater
============================================
Jon Cruz
Vassar College '05
Raymond House President
Chair, Board of House Presidents
Columnist for the Miscellany News
SACET Social Sciences Representative
Founder/Director, Vassar Invitational Forensics Tournament
jocruz@vassar.edu / AIM: Lapti Nek / Raymond 404 / x2213
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