While it was an unsettling moment for many, we are incredibly grateful that all are safe and that, in the midst of confusion and concern, the speech and debate community came together with compassion, calm, and care for one another.

Today, a safety concern that prompted an evacuation occurred at the National Speech & Debate Tournament in Des Moines, IA.

Coordinating a tournament of any size is a challenging task, and we are thankful to the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) for their diligence in addressing the issue and ensuring that safety measures were put in place quickly.

It must be said clearly: the fact that students, educators, and families must prepare for and respond to the threat of mass attackers is a heartbreaking reality. One that should not exist. Every student deserves to feel safe while doing what they love, and we must continue to advocate for a world where safety is not a privilege, but a guarantee. We can only hope that our students will one day use the very skills they’ve honed in speech and debate — persuasion, advocacy, critical thinking, storytelling — to build a future where such threats are no longer a daily fear, and where their children can thrive in peace.

As the students, coaches, and judges process today’s events, we want to also express our concern for those impacted by this crisis. It’s important to recognize that not everyone processes trauma in the same way; and its effects may not be immediately visible. As a community of educators and ethical professionals, we have a responsibility to support one another, to check in, and to remain attentive to signs of stress or distress in ourselves and for the others in our care and friendship. As a resource to those members present at the tournament, we have shared several trauma-informed care resources on our website, accessible on the homepage.

As we consider how to care for our student competitors, let us remember that this tournament represents the culmination of months — and in many cases, years — of dedication, talent, and resilience. Let us remain committed to celebrating the brilliance of our students, skills they've developed, and the stories they set out to share this week. As student continue to compete, let us ensure today's events do not overshadow their talent and dedication to the activity.

Thank you to everyone who supported one another today. Your strength and solidarity are what make this community truly extraordinary.

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Trauma-informed care resources for educators.

Here are some research-based trauma-informed care resources for educators. As more resources are identified, they will be added in the coming weeks.

SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA]). This guidance document introduces the concept of trauma and offers a framework for becoming a trauma-informed organization.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) (SAMHSA). This Website, funded by the Center for Mental Health Services, serves as a resource for the public, professionals, and others serving children and who are concerned about child traumatic stress.

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators (NCTSN). This publication provides school administrators, educators, school staff, and parents with basic information about working with traumatized children in the school system. 

Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event (NCTSN). This publication describes how school-age children and adolescents may react to traumatic events and offers suggestions on how parents, physicians, communities, and schools can respond and provide children with support.

Helping Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Traumatic Events (SAMHSA). This publication shares information on how systems of care and trauma-informed services can improve the lives of youth who have experienced traumatic events.

Understanding Educator Resilience and Developing a Self-Care Plan Webinar (REMS TA Center and ED’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools [OSSS] with University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work). This archived Webinar provides information on the concepts of resilience and compassion fatigue; the impact of stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue on the education environment; how to identify signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue; and concrete steps for developing a professional self-care plan.

Using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Core Competencies in Trauma-Informed Supervision (NCTSN). This publication discusses the importance of quality supervision that organizations can provide to staff members at risk for secondary traumatic stress.

Understanding Educator Resilience and Developing a Self-Care Plan Specialized Training Package (REMS TA Center). This downloadable resource features self-paced emergency management training materials on resilience strategies that can be used to increase the ability of educators and school staff to work more effectively with students impacted by stress, loss, and trauma brought on by emergency events.

The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is proud to announce the launch of a new recognition initiative—the Heart of ACTAA Award. This meaningful award was officially approved by the ACTAA Board of Directors during the Fall Conference held in September 2024.

The Heart of ACTAA Award will be presented annually, as deemed appropriate, to an individual or organization—whether a student, adult, or group—who is associated with a high school speech and debate or theatre program in Arkansas and who exemplifies the positive spirit and ideals that lie at the core of education-based arts activities.

"This award represents our commitment to not only celebrating excellence in performance and instruction, but also the compassion, resilience, and service that drive our programs," said Zackery Tucker, ACTAA President.

The award may be given in recognition of a singular act or a sustained effort. Examples of qualifying contributions include:

• Demonstrating exemplary "heart," sportsmanship, and/or citizenship in participation;

• Going above and beyond to assist others within the school or community;

• Overcoming adversity or a significant personal challenge.

In a significant extension of this recognition, the Heart of ACTAA honoree will also be nominated by ACTAA for the prestigious NFHS Heart of the Arts Award, a national-level honor bestowed by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Following the Fall Conference, ACTAA’s NFHS Liaison will work closely with the selected honoree to complete and submit the NFHS nomination packet.

The deadline to submit nominations for the Heart of ACTAA Award is July 31. Nominations are encouraged from ACTAA members and stakeholders, and the Nomination Committee will also consider the previous year’s Spirit of ACTAA honorees.

For more information about the Heart of ACTAA Award or to submit a nomination, please visit actaa.org/awards.

About ACTAA
The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is a statewide professional organization dedicated to the promotion and support of communication, speech, debate, and theatre arts education in Arkansas schools. ACTAA provides advocacy, resources, and recognition for educators and students working to advance these critical disciplines.

May 2-3, the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) hosted the 106th Arkansas Forensics and Debate State Championships at Fayetteville High School.

In addition to recognizing of Episcopal Collegiate School as the 2025 Academic State Champion, the state tournament included competition in thirty-one separate events, where students qualified for state competition through advancing to select elimination rounds in previous sanctioned invitational tournaments hosted throughout the 2024-2025 season.

The 2025 Arkansas State team championships are:

The 2025 Arkansas State individual champions are:

The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is a non-profit professional organization serving educators. Its purpose is to promote communication, debate, forensics and theatre as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form. Additionally, ACTAA is the official sanctioning organization authorized by the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) and National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS) to govern interscholastic speech and debate competition in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is pleased to announce the 2025 All-State Speech & Debate students from the 2024-2025 competition year

These students finished in the top of their field in Arkansas’ 25+ speech and debate events, earned the recognition of “All-State Speech & Debate” for the academic year, and qualified to compete at the Arkansas State Forensics & Debate Championship tournament in May 2-3.

Students can earn all-state recognition in more than one event, and are recognized with a numbered diamond to accompany the all-state title for the number of event qualifiers earned to the state tournament. (e.g., a student who qualifies for the state tournament in three events would be recognized for “Three Diamond All-State Speech & Debate.”)

At the end of the competition season, the following top six students have qualified for six or more all-state diamond designations in high school Speech & Debate in the 2024-2025.

2025 All-State Speech & Debate List

The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is thrilled to announce the relaunch of the Arkansas Speech & Debate Institute as Camp ACTAA, a free, one-week virtual summer camp led by ACTAA’s Student Advisory Board. Set to debut in Summer 2025, Camp ACTAA is a student-led mentoring and educational project designed to support, connect, and empower Arkansas speech and debate students.

Camp ACTAA is primarily geared toward middle school and novice competitors, but all students are welcome—whether you're interested in watching demo rounds, exploring new event formats, or just meeting other students from across the state.

Taught by a mix of experienced coaches and qualified current and former student competitors, Camp ACTAA offers a unique and accessible experience to help students grow regardless of their background, location, or experience level.

Why Camp ACTAA?

Many new competitors in Arkansas face barriers to access—uncertainty about how to start, limited exposure to various events like Policy, World Schools, or Declamation, and the high cost or inaccessibility of out-of-state camps. Camp ACTAA aims to:

• Even the playing field for students across all regions and school sizes

• Build a stronger, more connected community within Arkansas

• Provide a free, meaningful opportunity to learn, grow, and engage in speech and debate

The Student Advisory Board is committed to creating a low-cost, high-impact experience that fosters learning and leadership among Arkansas’s rising speech and debate stars.

Get Involved!

• Students interested in attending Camp ACTAA should fill out the Student Interest Form.

• Students interested in teaching at Camp ACTAA can apply via the Student Instructor Application.

For more information or questions, contact Camp Director and SAB Advisor, Britney McGloflin at britney.mcgloflin@fayar.net.

Let’s build the next generation of speakers, thinkers, and leaders—together. See you at Camp ACTAA!

ACTAA Leadership announces a call to report rosters for the Academic All-State (individual) and the Academic State Champion (program) recognition.

These two new recognition categories were created by the ACTAA Board of Directors at organization's Fall Conference in September to provide an opportunity for students to highlight their commitment to scholarship across all subject areas in  addition to our historical practice of rewarding competition success out-of-the-classroom.

ACTAA- member sponsors of speech & debate and theatre programs must completed an academic roster signed by the ACTAA member & appropriate principal and email the scanned form to actaa.ar@gmail.com before 5:00 p.m. on April 15 to ensure recognition at the Arkansas State Championship (ASC) tournament, May 2-3, 2025.

ACTAA Academic Roster Reporting Form

Academic All-State

Academic All-State recognition is awarded to student speech & debate competitors and theatre production members who have achieved academically in addition to co-curricular activities in communication & theatre arts. ACTAA members sponsoring the program must submit a roster of the names and compatible GPA on a 4.0 scale of students active in their program. (e.g., theatre students must have had a role in at least one production during the academic year (i.e., acting, tech, props, scene design, etc.) and speech & debate students must have completed in at least two tournaments during the academic year.) Rosters are due April 15 and must be signed by the coach and appropriate principal. The top 10% of students in speech & debate and theatre of all the students reported will be recognized in each category.

Sponsors with students that meet the requirements will be provided a certificate at registration of the ASC tournament, along with All-State Speech & Debate certificates. If no representative is present at ASC, certificates will be mailed to the school.

Academic State Champion

The school with the highest average cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale in speech & debate and theatre will be recognized at the ASC tournament as the Academic State Champions for their category (i.e., speech & debate or theatre).The second and third-highest average GPAs in speech & debate and theatre will be recognized as finalists for the award.

The Academic State Champions are presented a plaque similar to competition state champion recognition awarded by ACTAA at the ASC, May 2-3.

At its January 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors approved the creation of a private Facebook group to help facilitate community among ACTAA lifetime members. The “ACTAA Lifetime Member Community” will be managed by the  Lifetime Member Committee and ACTAA Leadership to provide an online environment for lifetime members to share life updates, coordinate in-person gatherings, and reconnect with the association's volunteer work. The Facebook group will be exclusively for lifetime members of ACTAA.

In addition to the Facebook group, the Board approved the committee to organize a social gathering of lifetime members on Tuesday, April 15, at 12:00 p.m. at the Skycrest Restaurant at Mount Magazine State Park.

Link to the Facebook group: ACTAA Lifetime Member Community.

CORRECTED: 12/15/24

The Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is pleased to announce the 2025 All-State Speech & Debate students from Fall 2024 competition.

These students finished in the top of their field in Arkansas’ 25+ speech and debate events, earned the recognition of “All-State Speech & Debate” for the academic year, and qualified to compete at the Arkansas State Forensics & Debate Championship tournament in May.

Students can earn all-state recognition in more than one event, and are recognized with a numbered diamond to accompany the all-state title for the number of event qualifiers earned to the state tournament. (e.g., a student who qualifies for the state tournament in three events would be recognized for “Three Diamond All-State Speech & Debate.”)

As of December 1, the following top nine students have already qualified for the four or more all-state diamond designations in high school Speech & Debate in the 2024-2025 competition season.

2025 All-State Speech & Debate (Fall 2024) List:

Bentonville High School (15)

Bentonville West High School (19):

Bigelow High School (10):

Cabot High School (50):

Conway High School (11):

Dardanelle High School (12):

Don Tyson School of Innovation (8):

Episcopal Collegiate School (12):

Fayetteville High School (11):

Hall-West High School of Innovation (2):

Har-Ber High School (15):

Little Rock Central High School (6):

Mills University Studies High School (2):

Morrilton High School (11):

Mount St. Mary Academy (4):

North Little Rock High School (1):

Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School (9):

Rogers Heritage High School (7):

Russellville High School (14):

Sylvan Hills High School (1):

The Academies at Jonesboro (8):

November 10-12, the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) hosted the 56th Arkansas Student Congress in Little Rock.

Arkansas Student Congress is the oldest model legislative event in the state. Established in 1968, the event provides a unique opportunity for both high school (House) and college (Senate) students to simulate the representative democratic process at a state-wide level. For over 50 years, ACTAA has hosted this tournament, which includes the opportunity for students to participate in mock party caucuses, committees, and floor debates over student-written legislation. On Sunday of the tournament, parties, caucuses, and committee meetings were held at an Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock. On Monday & Tuesday of the tournament, students debated original student legislation in committee chambers in the State Capitol Building.

The 2024 Arkansas Student Congress’ top delegates included:

Chance Bradford of Mills University Studies High School in Little Rock earned the Mary Ingalls Award in House III for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure. Bradford also received excellent rankings in committee and superior rankings in caucus, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and was named the highest-scoring delegate from the Mills delegation.

Kendall Cloar of Little Rock Central High School earned the Mary Ingalls Award in House II for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure. Cloar also received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate and was named the highest-scoring delegate from the Little Rock Central delegation.

Michael Hatfield of Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School in Little Rock earned the Mary Ingalls Award in House I for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure. Hatfield also received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and authored with fellow Parkview student Ian Roberts a Law of Student Congress–House Bill 113, “a bill to ban the advertising of prescription drugs to combat overprescribing in the United States.”

Aaron Oesterle of Har-Ber High School in Springdale was recognized as the highest-scoring delegate in House III. Oesterle also received superior rankings in parliamentary procedure and floor debate, where he was named the best overall floor delegate in House III; and authored House Bill 310, “a bill to reform school lunches and accessibility,” the second place best bill in House III.

Lillian Stockton of Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School in Little Rock was recognized as the highest-scoring delegate of congress. Stockton received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and authored with fellow Parkview student J’siah Thomas House Bill 208, “a bill to regulate homeschooling in Arkansas to protect child wellbeing,” the first place best bill in House II.

Winona Watson of Har-Ber High School earned the Melinda Milloway Valdez Award for being the highest-scoring delegate in House I. Watson was also elected clerk of House I and received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate.

Max Green of the University of Arkansas earned the Mary Melekian Richardson Award for being the highest-scoring delegate in the Senate. Green also received superior rankings in caucus, committee, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate; and authored Senate Bill 403, “a bill recommending to the United States Congress to repeal the renewable fuel standard,” the first place best bill in the Senate.

Rainey Page of Arkansas State University earned the Marguerite Pearce Metcalf Award for exceptional knowledge and appropriate use of parliamentary procedure in the Senate. Page also received an excellent ranking in committee and superior rankings in caucus, parliamentary procedure, and floor debate.

The top high school delegations included Conway High School in third place, Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School in second place, and Har-Ber High School in first place. While the top college delegations included the University of Central Arkansas in third place, Arkansas State University in second place, and the University of Arkansas in first place.

In model-party leadership, Rocco Hicks of Arkansas State University was elected Republican Party Leader, Ganesh Nair of the Academies at Jonesboro High School was elected Republican Party Secretary, Kevin Durden of the University of Arkansas was elected Democratic Party Leader, and William Hacker of the Academies at Jonesboro High School was elected Democratic Party Secretary.

In model-House leadership, Lex Gamble of Dardanelle High School was elected Speaker of House I, Winona Watson of Har-Ber High School, Clerk of House I, Matthew Collins of Episcopal Collegiate School, Speaker of House II, Emily Starkey of Har-Ber High School, Clerk of House II, Manvitha Narasimhan of Bentonville High School, Speaker of House III, and Addison Choate of Conway High School, Clerk of House III. In model-Senate leadership, Benjamin Shoptaw of the University of Arkansas was elected President Pro Tempore and Dice Ferguson of the University of Central Arkansas, Clerk,

Original student-written legislative awarded best bill by a blind attorney included: House Bill 108 authored by Willow Toney of Mills University Studies High School, “a bill to raise the felony charges of incest in Arkansas and allow victims of incest an abortion;” House Bill 208 authored by Lillian Stockton & J’siah Thomas of Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School, “a bill to regulate homeschooling in Arkansas to protect child wellbeing;” House Bill 306 authored by Jonathan Sykes of Dardanelle High School, “a bill to reform prison labor systems and abolish prison slavery;” and Senate Bill 403 authored by Max Green of the University of Arkansas, “a bill recommending to the united states congress to repeal the renewable fuel standard.”

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The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is a non-profit professional organization serving educators. Its purpose is to promote communication, debate, forensics and theatre as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form. Additionally, ACTAA is the official sanctioning organization authorized by the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) and National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS) to govern interscholastic speech and debate competition in Arkansas.

 

The Arkansas Student Congress Committee has announced the caucus, chamber, and committee assignments for the upcoming model legislative event, which is scheduled for Nov. 10-12.

Assignments can be found in the 2024 Bill Book, which also publishes original student-written dockets for debate in committee and legislative sessions. The Bill Book can be accessed at actaa.org/congress.

Arkansas Student Congress is the oldest model legislative event in the state. Established in 1968, it provides a unique opportunity for both high school (House) and college (Senate) students to simulate the representative democratic process at a state-wide level. For over 50 years, the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association has hosted this tournament, which includes the opportunity for students to participate in mock party caucuses, committees, and floor debates over student-written legislation.