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.

Jessica Skordal, speech & debate teacher at Bentonville West High School, was recently named Teacher of the Year by the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA). Skordal was officially presented the award at the ACTAA’s annual Fall Conference on Petit Jean Mountain Sep. 19-21.

Skordal is a highly respected teacher with 10 years of experience in the communication classroom. An alumni of the Bentonville Schools, she currently serves as the Director of Speech & Debate for the students of Bentonville West High School. Skordal has studied political science, education, and leadership at the University of Arkansas. She received an MA in Secondary Education & Teaching.

Beck Greenway, a colleague from Bentonville High School, praises Skordal's significant contributions to the field of communication education in Arkansas. "Her passion for providing learning opportunities for students both in and out of the classroom, her role as a trusted servant, compassionate coach, and valued mentor, and her leadership in the state-wide community make her a true asset to Arkansas," reported Greenway at the presentation ceremony.

“Jessica is passionate about providing opportunities for the students of Arkansas to be transformed through communication education,” shared ACTAA President Zackery Tucker. “When students learn the critical skills to think for themselves, speak their passion, and act to serve others, they are equipped to transform their communities. Jessica's leadership is evidence of effective ethical communication as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form.”

Skordal’s leadership abilities benefit educators across Arkansas as she regularly leads professional development and serves ACTAA as its second vice president. Despite coaching one of the more nationally competitive speech & debate programs in the state, Skordal makes time to mentor other educators in speech & debate instruction.

As ACTAA Teacher of the Year, Skordal will be nominated by the association for the National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS) Outstanding Speech, Debate, & Theatre Educator award this winter.

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.

Dr. Paul Griep, principal of Har-Ber High School, was recently named Administrator of the Year by the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA). Griep was officially presented the award at ACTAA’s annual Fall Conference on Petit Jean Mountain Sep. 19-21.

“Dr. Griep unwavering support, honesty, and integrity have been instrumental in fostering a thriving educational environment where both staff and students can excel,” shared Lauren Loehndorf, Har-Ber communication teacher, at the presentation ceremony. “His commitment to open dialogue, collaboration and listening models effective communication to our students; and his support for provided quality learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom evidences him as a champion for speech & debate.”

Under Dr. Griep’s leadership and support of co-curricular learning, programs like Har-Ber Speech & Debate have grown to be one of the more of the more nationally competitive speech & debate programs in the state.

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.

Eight high school student leaders from across the state have been selected to serve on the Arkansas Speech & Debate Student Advisory Board for the 2024-2025 academic year. The eight juniors and seniors were chosen for their outstanding leadership skills, achievements in academics and activities, and commitment to positively impacting their communities. The group will attend several meetings throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, being provided the opportunity to work with adult leadership of the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) to grow leadership skills, bring youth perspectives to speech & debate, and support inter-program camaraderie and community within the Arkansas speech & debate high school circuit.

“Promoting student involvement and leadership training within our learning community is one of the organization’s most important initiatives,” shared Zackery Tucker, ACTAA President. “As ACTAA continues to support educators to invest and train Arkansas’ next generation of leaders through speech & debate, I am excited to gain the insight and perspectives of the students we ultimately serve on how speech & debate can be more than just competition but a valued experience in every school in the state.”

2024-2025 Student Advisory Board:

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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, debate and theatre competition in Arkansas.

ACTAA Leadership has called the annual general business meeting of the association for Saturday, Sep. 21 at 9:15 a.m. to take place in the Show Barn at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on Petit Jean Mountain as part of the annual Fall Conference, Sep 19-21.

The association's general business meeting is an annual opportunity for the membership will hear reports from officers & committees, vote on Proposed Rule & Governing Changes, and elect new members of the Nominations Committee. 

Below is linked the agenda for the meeting. 

General Business Meeting Agenda

The Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) has announced that the 2025 Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship Tournament will be held May 2-3 at Fayetteville High School.

The Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship Tournament is the official Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) sanctioned state title competition for high school speech & debate activities in Arkansas. Each year, student competitors earn a place in the state tournament by advancing into certain final rounds of competition at one or more of the sanctioned speech & debate tournaments hosted throughout the state in a season that runs from September to April. Approximately 250 of the state’s top student competitors from 20-plus high schools are expected to qualify to compete in the tournament to earn a state champion title in one of the 21 individual or team speech & debate events.

Details about the Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship Tournament will be made available at actaa.org/state.

About ACTAA.

Founded in 1919 as the Arkansas Little Theatre Association, ACTAA has a long history of promoting the rigorous study and ethical practice of professional communication, debate, and theatre arts as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form. As a professional association of educators since 1934, ACTAA has served as the official organization sanctioned by the AAA to govern interscholastic speech, debate, and theatre competitions between AAA member schools in Arkansas. Through supporting educators in the classroom and coordinating interscholastic competition, ACTAA works to provide the students of Arkansas opportunities to grow critical thinking skills, interpersonal effectiveness, leadership, collaborative work, problem-solving, self-efficacy, etc., in experiential learning through debate, forensics, acting, and public speaking.

Arkansas high schools and colleges are invited to send a student delegation to the 56th Arkansas Student Congress. This year’s Student Congress will be held at Episcopal Collegiate School (1701 Cantrell Road) and the Arkansas State Capitol Building (500 Woodlane Street) Sunday, November 10th to Tuesday, November 12th, 2024. Entry forms and bills must be submitted by Wednesday, September 25, 2024.

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 Sundays of the tournament, parties, caucuses, and committee meetings are held at a chosen location in Little Rock. Monday & Tuesday of the tournament, students debate original student legislation on the House & Senate floor in the State Capitol Building.

More information about the competition and registration can be found at actaa.org/congress.

UPDATED 08/28/2024

Ahead of the Fall Conference, Sep. 19-21, at Petit Jean Mountain, Executive Director Martene Campbell shares three proposed changes to the association's governing documents and competition rules for its activities. 

Each year, members are able submit changes to ACTAA's government documents and competition rules for consideration for adoption at the organization's annual business meeting by the membership. 

Proposed amendments for consideration at the General Membership Business Meeting on Saturday, September 21:

For reference, below are links to the current versions of each document being proposed to be amended:

15 Arkansas students advanced elimination rounds at the National Speech & Debate Tournament hosted in Des Moines, Iowa, June 16–21, 2024.

Rachael McCall from Cabot Junior High North won first place in the Original Spoken Word Poetry in the middle school, becoming the first student from Arkansas to earn a national championship title at a National Speech & Debate Association national tournament (middle or high school) in state history

More than 6,700 students from 1,500 schools competed in the tournament, which is the largest speech & debate competition in the nation.

In addition to McCall, the following students advanced to elimination rounds at the tournament: