ANNUAL REPORT
2019-2020
401 Railroad Place, West Des Moines, IA 50265-4730 MISSION The National Speech & Debate Association connects, supports, and inspires a diverse community committed to empowering students through speech and debate.
VISION We envision a world in which every school provides speech and debate programs to foster each student’s communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative skills.
CORE VALUES Equity • Integrity • Respect • Leadership • Service
Learn more at www.speechanddebate.org
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR No one can better demonstrate the benefits of speech and debate than our students. This year, the annual report is exclusively online to allow you to see and hear the impact you are having firsthand from our students and alumni. As you read, please click the video icons throughout to be taken to powerful performances and compelling speeches that encapsulate the 2019-2020 year. Thank you for creating speech and debate opportunities that build communities for tens of thousands of students, coaches, and alumni. With gratitude,
J. Scott Wunn
NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT | 2019-2020
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2020 HIGH SCHOOL CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS
The 2020 National Tournament was the first of its kind in the 95 years of our organization’s history. In the midst of a global pandemic, the tournament moved online and teams across the country adapted to a new challenge and exceeded all expectations.
The historic 2020 online National Tournament is a statement to the community that youth voices are essential, even during the toughest of times. In times of pain and strife, sometimes the best thing we can do is hear the messages of our youth.
2020 NATIONAL TOURNAMENT STATISTICS
6,659
923
300
COMPETITORS
ZOOM ROOMS
VOLUNTEERS
3,051
5,000
TROPHIES EARNED
SOLVED HELPLINE TICKETS
125,492 NATS20 VIDEO PLAYLIST
LIVESTREAM VIEWERS
View the complete 2020 National Tournament Awards Ceremony along with other video highlights, including the Opening Ceremony from the 2020 Senior Open Showcase. NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT | 2019-2020
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There is so much power and magic in storytelling. It can include people, give you a voice, and evoke so many emotions. Speech and debate can give people like me the tools to be able to talk about discrepancies in the world and things that matter to us. The only way we can do that is by speaking.
— Jaylon Muchison | Belleville West High School, IL
— Daniel Hodges
2020 NSDA NATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR and
Sioux Falls Lincoln High School, SD - Class of 2005
2020 HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION NATIONAL CHAMPION
The William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year award annually recognizes one individual out of more than 140,000 student members who best embodies the organization’s Code of Honor: integrity, humility, respect, leadership, and service. Nominees must also demonstrate strong academic credentials and a commitment to the speech and debate community. The 2020 NSDA National Student of the Year award is presented by Richard Bitner in honor of Sharon Porter.
Watch Jaylon's We Will Adapt video.
2019-2020 OPERATING RESULTS REVENUE
EXPENSES
$3,610,882
$3,610,882 FUNDRAISING
MEMBERSHIP FEES
USA DEBATE
MEMBER SERVICES
FUNDRAISING
USA DEBATE DEFERRED REVENUE*
SALES
32%
MEMBERSHIP FEES
11%
GRANTS/DONATIONS FOR
16%
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
5% 1.5% 1.5% 16%
GRANTS/DONATIONS FOR
17%
SALES
35%
FUNDRAISING
MEMBER SERVICES
NATIONALS
ADVERTISING
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
CONFERENCE
NATIONALS
MEMBER SERVICES ADVERTISING
GRANTS/DONATIONS FOR
USA DEBATE
SALES
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
64%
MEMBER SERVICES
4%
FUNDRAISING
20%
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
3%
USA DEBATE
7%
SALES
2%
CONFERENCE
DEFERRED REVENUE*
*Deferred revenue includes funding received in previous fiscal years restricted for FY20 use. NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT | 2019-2020
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Watch Josh's remarks.
Frankly, it's the National Speech & Debate Association that prepared me for the career that I now have.
— Josh Gad Actor, Comedian, and Singer | NSDA Alum of University School, FL
2020 NSDA ALUMNI LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Best known for voicing Olaf in Frozen and playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, Gad won the NSDA national championship in Original Oratory in 1998, and both Humorous Interpretation and Original Oratory in 1999.
— Glenn Singleton President and Founder of Pacific Educational Group Creator of Courageous Conversation™ and Beyond Diversity™
2020 NSDA COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR
Let’s evolve. It’s been way too long in this country that we have practiced skills of denial and delusion around race. Race matters. Race matters every day, all the time, from the very first moment when we breathe air into the society, we are breathing racialized air. And this air will not change by us acting like it does not exist. This air will not change by us fighting one another, denying the reality of racism in our society. And so if I can urge us to do one thing, that is discover how race plays out in each and every one of our lives. And in doing so we will enter into that new reality. We
can’t eradicate racism without dealing with race.
Watch Glenn's speech.
2020 NATIONAL TOURNAMENT SPONSORS P L AT I N U M L E V E L
S I LV E R L E V E L
Arthur N. Rupe f oun dati on A N R F
Creative Solutions for Societal Issues
R U BY L E V E L
EMERALD LEVEL
A. C. ELEY FUND CARMENDALE FERNANDES FUND THE JEPS FOUNDATION VICTOR JIH ADAM AND ASHLEY JOHNSON
SAPPHIRE LEVEL
RICHARD BITNER
JAMES M. COPELAND
HAROLD C. KELLER FUND MCCARTHEY FAMILY FOUNDATION HARLAND B. MITCHELL FUND LANNY D. AND B. J. NAEGELIN FUND DONUS AND LOVILA ROBERTS SANDRA SILVERS FUND
TOM AND VICKI ROLLINS
RICHARD B. SODIKOW FUND BOB AND SALLI STOCKTON WILLIAM WOODS TATE, JR., FUND TINA WANG FUND JOE AND PAM WYCOFF
NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT | 2019-2020
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Past and present speech and debate coaches from across the country have created a message by performing a collection of literature for their students—students who are struggling to perform and speak their own messages right now. These coaches want to remind all of their students that we will make it through this pandemic, that they aren't alone right now, and that they need to keep using their voices to make the world a better place.
Actor, presenter, director, and producer
Watch the recording of You Are Not Alone: An Interpretive Program by Your Coaches.
2020 has brought unprecedented changes and challenges to our members. In an effort to reach out, a group of NSDA coaches compiled an interpretive program to raise the spirits of their students. NSDA Board Member Byron R. Arthur said it best: "So we thought, 'What can we do to help?' ...We did the only thing that we knew how to do—communicate. I was humbled that C. Ryan Joyce asked me to join in with some of the most talented creative and inspiring people that this activity has known. And so, we put together a program which is entitled 'You Are Not Alone'. It was simply our way of saying, 'We understand. We acknowledge. We are here for you. We care. And things will get better.'"
— Michael Urie
TRIBUTE TO COACHES "Mr. Simmons really invests in the person and not the competitor, which I think is really important in speech and debate. He's always there for us, and he really takes the time to learn about us and get to know us."
— Alexandra Kallaher, Northwest Career and Technical Academy, NV
The NSDA's greatest assets are our member coaches who devote themselves to carrying out our mission to connect, support, and inspire a diverse community committed to empowering students through speech and debate. This year's National Tournament broadcast included a recording of students offering their thanks to their coaches. See Alexandra's video and others by following the video link below.
NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT | 2019-2020
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Never before in the history of civilization has the ability to communicate effectively been more important than it is today. Never before have so many diverse voices clamored for public attention and competed for our acceptance.
— Mollie — Daniel MartinHodges Broussard 2020 SiouxNSDA Falls Lincoln HALL High OF FAME School, "LEGENDS" SD - Class of INDUCTEE 2005
In addition to the four inductees elected by their peers, a fifth "Legends" inductee is chosen annually to join the ranks of the National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame. This individual can be an older or deceased coach or non-coach who is worthy of consideration. Watch the NSDA Hall of Fame 2020 Inductees video.
To view photos and biographies of each NSDA Hall of Fame member inducted since 1978, visit: www.speechanddebate.org /hall-of-fame.
2019–2020 INDIVIDUAL DONORS QUARTERFINALIST ($1,000 – $2,499)
AUGUST 1, 2019 – JULY 31, 2020
OCTAFINALIST ($500 – $999)
David and Katherine Abel Anonymous
Yvonne and Kirby Chin
Kristen Soltis Anderson Hunter and Michael Arton Ted W. Belch
James Cox
Richard Bitner
Mark Ferguson
Robert Ickes
Dale DeLetis
Jill Irvine and Ron Halterman
FINALIST ($5,000 AND UP)
In Honor of Debbie Simon
In Memory of Dr. Alfred “Tuna” Snider
Bob Bilyeu
In Memory of Richard B. Sodikow
Peter L. Coffey and Kristine H. Cleary
Susan Anderson
Sarah Knobloch
Beth and Pat Ingram Adam J. Jacobi and J. Scott Baker, Ph.D.
Faisal and Hina Habib
The Kettles Law Firm
Dr. Robert S. Littlefield
Adam and Ashley Johnson
David Lopez
J. E. Masters
Tom and Vicki Rollins Joe and Pam Wycoff SEMIFINALIST
($2,500 – $4,999)
Michael and Linda Langford In Honor of Jim Robbins and In Memory Joy Robbins
Jill Sitnick In Memory of Carl Grecco
Bob and Salli Stockton
In Memory of B. J. and Lanny Naegelin
Alexandra and Matthew Murray Quynh Nguyen and Mark Michaels Donus and Lovila Roberts Michael J. Shapiro Deborah Simon In Honor of Dale DeLetis and In Memory of Carmendale Fernandes
J. Scott and Megan Wunn
David Baker
David and Judy Huston
Shelly and Greg Lanier
In Memory of Carmendale Fernandes
Raymond and Pam McComas In Honor of Natalie McComas Gallecier
Mike and Jackie Oakes
Vicki Pape
Mel Olson
Dr. Randy Patterson In Memory of Reba Brown Miller
In Honor of James M. Copeland
Bret Culpepper
F. Patrick Hughes
JEPS Foundation
Anonymous Jarrius Adams
Mary Gormley
In Honor of Joni Anker
COMPETITOR ($100 – $249)
Jennifer Burton David and Barbara Dansky
Facebook Fundraisers
The Lanier Law Firm, P.C.
DOUBLE OCTAFINALIST ($250 – $499)
Bellwether Education Partners, Inc.
Poetic License, Inc.
In Memory of Ken Strange
Dr. Kenny and Nancy Barfield Ms. Margo Batha Stefan Bauschard Gay Brasher Judith Brisman Gregg T. Campbell Virginia Tyler Campbell Glenn R. Cavanaugh Alden B. Chace In Memory of Carmendale Fernandes
Don and Ann Crabtree
Amy and Ray Seidelman
Celeste and Jim Egger
Susan Sprung and Christopher Keyser
Toni Espey
Cindi and Aaron Timmons Ms. Anne White
Susan and Eric Sutherland
Charlton G. C. Friedberg Trust
Melisa L. Wilson
David Wendt
Betsy Hanmer
David Zarefsky
Mark Zhou and Hong Jiang
Steve and Lynn Hanon
Mr. Joshua D. Swartsel In Memory of Harold Keller
Jacqueline Evrard-Vescio
NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT | 2019-2020
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2019–2020 INDIVIDUAL DONORS (COMPETITOR CONTINUED)
Aaron Hardy Jan Heiteen Bill and Charlotte Hicks David Hingstman Jennifer Jerome Jennifer and Lee Konfrst In Honor of Ellie Konfrst, Des Moines Roosevelt Class of 2018
James Poterba In Memory of Edwin Kelly
Zachary Prax Yvonne Schaeffer
DONOR ($0 – $99)
Susan Kriegel
James W. Rye III
Michael Amadeo
Ronald Krikac
Liora and Ehud Schmidt
Marisa Anderson
Clare Lascelles Ken and Michelle Law
Nubia Serrano
Joni Anker In Honor of Robert Ickes
In Memory of Carmendale Fernandes
Steven and Anna Schappaugh
Byron Arthur
Mr. Walter Lemanski
Timothy and Christine Sheaff
Bonnie Bonnette
Derek Liles
Jamey Siefert
Georgia Brady
Greg and Alma Malis
Doris and Roger Brannan
Scott and Beth Maltzie
Scott Cox
Randall McCutcheon
In Memory of B. J. and Lanny Naegelin
Robert and Sandra Krueger
Michael E. Starks
David Lillehaug
Laura Stein
In Memory of Carl Grecco
James E. Menchinger In Memory of Margaret Miller
Rev. and Mrs. David C. Marx
Ron Steinhorst
Anthony Figliola
Timothy McAuliffe
Daniel and Charlotte Tyree
Mr. Collin Galster
Ryan L. Nelson
Chase and Lauren McCool
Andrea Garcia
Margaret Owen Thorpe
Edward McGuire
Nicole and Darrel Wanzer-Serrano
James Gentile
William Ponder
Art McMillion
Lisa Weber
Jessica Hughes
Annie Reisener
Steve Meadows
Natalie Weber
Robert and Gail Ihrig
Grace Rogers
Gregory F. Wells
Robert J. Kelly
Betty Whitlock and Kathy Owens
Peter and Vered Klein
In Honor of Dr. Randy Patterson
Susan Napier and Alex Berger Grant Nelson Chris Palmer Cpt. Joseph L. and Jan Pizzo
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Warren Poschman
(CONTINUED)
In Memory of Doris Compere
Jason Kline
Jonathan Wolshuck
William and Valerie Koeber
Marie Yang and Oliver Huang
Emily Kriegel
NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT |
2019-2020
Paul Sevigny Caroline and Jon Skidmore Micki W. Smith Krishna Somayajula Ashley Sovereign Danielle Strait Ashley Strasser Michael and Lynn Sullivan Stephanie and Scott VanderBruggen Ronald and Brett Welch Rachel Wimpee Carol and Dave Zanto
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