Thank You

By

On September 1, 2025

In Site News

Good morning,

This would be the time for new extemp questions to be posted. However, as the 2025-2026 season approaches I have made the tough decision to step away.

Even though I enjoy writing questions, I find that my enthusiasm for this activity is not at the level that is needed to sustain a constant churn of content. Extemp has changed a lot since 2000. There are no more file boxes, Internet access is allowed, and the activity now has to grapple with artificial intelligence. While change is constant in life, I also believe that activities can change into something that no longer resembles what you once loved about it. Couple this with some significant life changes over the last few years, as well as a waning desire to follow depressing news cycles, and I think it is best to step away.

Since 2006 Extemp Central has done some good for the speech and debate community. We provided free resources in a space where that was rare. None of this would have been possible without Corey Alderdice, who ran SpeechGeek and brought Extemp Central out of a GeoCities.com backwater and into a space where more people could access and use it. Without his generous financial support and website skills Extemp Central would not have lasted as long as it did. I also appreciate the work of past extempers and coaches who contributed ideas, wrote strategy pieces and topic briefs, sat for interviews, and/or provided reviews of final rounds. As I look back, this website was a bridge between the early 2000s of extemp.net, individualevents.org, and forensicsonline.net to newer resources like Extemper’s Bible and Equality in Forensics. I encourage our readers to check out these sites and support their work.

I will still be participating in the speech and debate world in varying capacities. However, maintaining this site will no longer be part of my weekly routine. I wish all extempers and their teams a great 2025-2026 season.

Logan Scisco

US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of August 25-31, 2025

By

On August 25, 2025

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. Is U.S. economic data accurately telling the story of the state of the nation’s economy?
  2. Was it wise for the U.S. federal government to take a 10% stake in Intel?
  3. Will California voters approve killing the state’s redistricting commission?
  4. Is an AI bubble forming in the U.S. economy?
  5. What should be the role, if any, of public schools in handling student mental health needs?
  6. Should the U.S. designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization?
  7. Is the U.S. preparing a military offensive against Venezuela?
  8. Should SNAP recipients be able to buy high sugar drinks and foods?
  9. How concerned should the Democratic Party be about declining voter registration numbers?
  10. Should the U.S. recognize Somaliland?
Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 25-31, 2025

By

On August 25, 2025

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. Why has socialism lost a foothold in Bolivia?
  2. Is France’s far-right going through an identity crisis?
  3. Why is stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo so hard to come by?
  4. Would the creation of a Palestinian state reward Hamas?
  5. Is China winning Trump’s global trade war?
  6. Should the International Criminal Court be given more power?
  7. Is the time ripe for Lebanon’s government to disarm Hezbollah?
  8. Which country stands to profit the most from a post-American international order?
  9. Is the ISIS threat returning to Europe?
  10. What pivots does the Canadian Conservative Party need to take?
US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of August 18-24, 2025

By

On August 18, 2025

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. Was the U.S.-Russia Alaska summit Munich all over again?
  2. Will President Trump’s federalization of D.C. police extend beyond the nation’s capital?
  3. How should state regulators handle the rising energy consumption by AI data centers?
  4. Does the U.S. have a cost of living crisis?
  5. What are the chances of Sherrod Brown recapturing a Senate seat in Ohio next year?
  6. Is the current Democratic Party really in chaos?
  7. Should there be consumer safety warnings on AI language models that are available to the public?
  8. Is the Supreme Court poised to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges?
  9. What reforms need to be made to Social Security to keep it alive?
  10. If Democrats retake the House in 2026, will they attempt to impeach President Trump for a third time?
Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 18-24, 2025

By

On August 18, 2025

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. Does the West have Ukraine fatigue?
  2. Should South Africa scrape its Black Economic Empowerment program?
  3. How can the West break China’s grip on rare-earth elements?
  4. What is needed to make Israel re-embrace the peace process with the Palestinians?
  5. Is the international community doing enough to help the plight of women in Afghanistan?
  6. Can André Jonas Vladimir Paraison succeed where Normil Rameau failed?
  7. Has the ultrafast fashion industry gotten out of control?
  8. How will the reduction in USAID funding affect the ability of the World Food Programme to service conflict zones?
  9. To what extent may Russia become involved in political unrest in Serbia?
  10. Is Peru’s recently enacted amnesty bad policy?
Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 11-17, 2025

By

On August 11, 2025

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. How should Gaza be administered at the end of the Israeli-Hamas War?
  2. Should the EU be a part of the U.S.-Russia summit on the Russo-Ukrainian War?
  3. Is DeepSeek still relevant in the AI world?
  4. Will Paul Biya win Cameroon’s presidential election?
  5. Would it be unwise for nuclear powers to incorporate AI into their nuclear defense strategies?
  6. Will a reduction in food aid to Northern Nigeria be a boon for Boko Haram?
  7. What impact would the end of the Russo-Ukrainian War have on natural gas markets?
  8. How can Lee Jae Myung improve South Korea’s ties to North Korea?
  9. Was the taming of Argentinian inflation worth the cost?
  10. Is Asim Munir positioning himself to be Pakistan’s next leader?
US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of August 11-17, 2025

By

On August 11, 2025

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. Is the Trump administration selling out Ukraine in its plans for resolving the Russo-Ukrainian War?
  2. Will there be an AI bust that eventually affects the U.S. economy?
  3. Should American politicians be talking more about a universal basic income?
  4. Would a broad-based student loan forgiveness be ethical?
  5. Will President Trump eventually pardon Ghislaine Maxwell?
  6. How would unilateral military action against drug cartels in Latin America affect the U.S.’s standings in the region?
  7. If one assumes that taxes on the wealthy need to increase in the U.S. economy, how high should they go?
  8. Is it more likely that New Jersey or Virginia elects a Republican governor this November?
  9. Why is Las Vegas seeing fewer tourists?
  10. Are Democrats adopting the right strategy in response to Texas’ redistricting efforts?
US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of August 4-10, 2025

By

On August 4, 2025

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. Will the firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer call all future economic data released by the federal government into question?
  2. Which Democratic presidential candidate is winning the “invisible primary”?
  3. Did Kamala Harris make a wise choice in deciding not to run for the California governorship?
  4. What government efforts are needed to make the U.S. housing market more affordable?
  5. Should more state governments consider the abolition of property taxes?
  6. If President Trump got his way and the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates, would that make U.S. inflation worse?
  7. How could President Trump earn the Nobel Peace Prize?
  8. Is private equity a force of good or evil in the U.S. economy?
  9. How will planned Medicaid cuts affect healthcare access in the United States?
  10. Which candidate is best positioned to win New York City’s mayoral election?
Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 4-10, 2025

By

On August 4, 2025

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

  1. How can the Syrian government take the winds out of Druze resistance?
  2. Do AI’s environmental costs make it unsustainable?
  3. How will the anticipated recognition of a Palestinian state by Great Britain and France impact the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
  4. Is Taiwan’s political polarization weakening its national security?
  5. How is drone technology changing the future of warfare?
  6. What type of great power should India be?
  7. Is Israel headed for an early election?
  8. What is the best way for African governments to stop poaching?
  9. Has Bukele become El Salvador’s new dictator?
  10. Should Pedro Sanchez step down?
National Points Race

2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race: Final Standings Are Up!

By

On June 29, 2025

In National Points Race

The final standings for the 2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race are have been posted!  These reflects the results of the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament.  Check them out by clicking here or the “Natl Points Race” tab above.  Near the bottom of that page is a Google sheet that shows the complete rankings of the more than 200 extempers that earned points in this year’s competition.

As noted on our Facebook and Twitter social media, Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) became the winner of this year’s race by virtue of winning United States Extemp and its final round at the NSDA National Tournament.  He is the first Texas extemper to win the title in its ten-year history.

Four of the top five finishers in this year’s race were non-seniors, setting up an exciting race for the eleventh National Points Race title next year.

Note that new content will roll out for Extemp Central starting on Monday, August 4.  August will mostly feature weekly questions, along with a breakdown of next year’s National Points Race structure.  The first news quizzes will be posted on Wednesday, September 3 and continue through May.

We will be curating our state champions list this summer.  If you have champions from your state, please e-mail them to logan.scisco@beechwood.kyschools.us so that I can update those lists.  It would save me some time and effort, so I would appreciate the help!

2025 NSDA National Tournament: Babu Repeats as IX National Champion; Zhang Clinches National Points Race with USX Championship

By

On June 27, 2025

In Nationals Results

This year the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) celebrated its 100-year anniversary, hosting the tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.  Hundreds of extempers gathered to battle for this year’s national championships in International and United States Extemp with many in the National Points Race advancing deep into the competition.

In International Extemp, #5 Anthony Babu of Concord-Carlisle High School (MA) successfully defended his national championship, becoming just the second extemper to win back-to-back IX national titles.  Babu won the tournament by 14 ranks, assisted by also winning the final round.  Ryan Xu of Plano West Senior High School (TX) finished second.

Xu was part of a strong Texas contingent in IX as the state had four finalists.  #3 Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School was third, #6 Anushka Gupta of Westwood High School finished second in the final round and placed fourth, and Pranav Kothur of Tompkins High School was sixth.

Thomas Guo of Bellarmine College Preparatory finished fifth.

The National Points Race came down to the final round in United States Extemp.  Needing a strong finish, #1 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) once again lived up to his ranking.winning a sixth National Points Race event and taking the USX national title by 15 ranks.  Like Babu, Zhang won the final round national title as well, winning the round by ten ranks.

To win the title, Zhang had to defend off a series of California challengers in a good year for the state.  Sovia Villagra of Gabrielino High School was second; #2 Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School, who finished second in the final round, was third; #16 Andrew Zheng of the Acalanes High School was fourth; and Samuel Ma of Bellarmine College Preparatory was sixth.

Annie Chen of BASIS Chandler (AZ) was fifth.

It was interesting that none of the finalists in IX or USX except for Babu were in last year’s final rounds.  #13 Tea Shouldice of Half Hollow Hills High School East (NY) elected not to attend this year’s tournament and defend her USX national championship.  In USX, Ella Witalec of the Laurel School (OH) was a finalist last year and finished twelfth this year.  She was the only returning finalist aside from Babu to make a deep run in the tournament.

NCFL National Champion #14 Nicholas Zylstra of Eastview High School (MN) made it twelve rounds in USX, finishing fourteenth.  None of the NCFL extemp finalists made an NSDA final round this year although Zylstra, #12 Anwen Williams of Lawrence Free State High School (KS), #11 Aparna Iyer of Ridge High School (NJ), and Claire Han of Munster High School (IN) reached semi-finals in their respective categories.

All of the non-seniors in USX and IX that reached the final or semi-final round earn an automatic qualification in that category to next year’s national tournament.  Like last year, about two-thirds of those in finals and semi-finals were not seniors, continuing a trend at the national tournament where senior competitors are not attending the national tournament or advancing deep in the competition.  Automatic qualifiers to next year’s nationals are highlighted in blue below.

Extemp Central congratulates all of the finishers. A final update for this year’s National Points Race will be posted in a few days.

Here are the results of the 2025 National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

Read More

2025 NSDA Nationals: Final Round Participants

By

On June 19, 2025

In NSDA News

According to our sources, here are the finalists for International Extemp and United States Extemp at this year’s National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament.

Texas dominated IX this year with four finalists.  California dominated USX this year with four finalists.

#5 Anthony Babu of Concord-Carlisle High School (MA) will be attempting to defend his IX national championship tomorrow.

Those who wish to watch tomorrow’s final rounds can do so at this link.  USX will take place at 1:30 p.m. CST and IX will happen at 3:00 p.m. CST.  (Note:  These are the altered times because of the NSDA reconfiguring the schedule after yesterday’s events in Des Moines).

If an extemper is ranked in the National Points Race, their ranking is indicated by their name.  The winner of the National Points Race will likely be decided in United States Extemp as #1 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) and #2 Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA) reached the final round.

Congratulations to those who have reached the final round!

International Extemp

#5 Anthony Babu (Concord-Carlisle High School, Massachusetts)
#3 Waleed Haider (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
#6 Anushka Gupta (Westwood High School, Texas)
Thomas Guo (Bellarmine College Preparatory, California)
Ryan Xu (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
Pranav Kothur (Tompkins High School, Texas)

United States Extemp

Annie Chen (BASIS Chandler, Arizona)
#2 Daphne Kalir-Starr (The College Preparatory School, California)
Samuel Ma (Bellarmine College Preparatory, California)
Sovia Villagra (Gabrielino High School, California)
#1 Robert Zhang (Elkins High School, Texas)
#16 Andrew Zheng (Acalanes High School, California)

National Points Race

2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race: New Standings Reflect All the TOC Tournaments!

By

On June 14, 2025

In National Points Race

New standings for the 2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race are have been posted!  These reflects the results of the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) Grand National Tournament.  Check them out by clicking here or the “Natl Points Race” tab above.

Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) re-established himself as the National Points Race leader due to a semi-finalist showing at NCFL.

The final National Points Race tournament will take place next week at the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.  Like last year, the tournament will decide the National Points Race champion.  Due to 12 of the top 25 extempers participating in International Extemp, that category will receive a 50 point bonus and a 10 point final round bonus, meaning that the winner of the category can earn up to 300 points.  In contrast, U.S. Extemp’s champion can only earn up to 250 points.

2025 National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament: Tiebreaker Needed For Zylstra to Prevail over Williams

By

On June 12, 2025

In Nationals Results

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional home of the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL)’s Grand National Tournament and this year the event took place in Chicago.  More than 150 extempers made the trip.

When the dust settled on Sunday night, Nicholas Zylstra of Eastview High School (MN) won one of the closest national championships in recent memory, besting National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (TOC) winner Anwen Williams of Lawrence Free State High School (KS) in a final round tiebraker.

NCFL Nationals is tabulated by awarding an extemper a first, second, or third place rank based on how they finished in their octafinal, then quarter-final, and then semi-final round.  In the final round, each judge’s rank counts toward the cumulative score.  At the end of the competition Zylstra and Williams had a seventeen composite.  However, Zylstra was one rank ahead of Williams in a final round where no extemper earned more than one first place rank, becoming the fifth Minnesota extemper to win the NCFL national championship since 1997.  It is Eastview’s second NCFL extemp win since 1997 as Akshar Rambachan captured the title in 2008.

#23 Aparna Iyer of Ridge High School (NJ) was the only ranked extemper to make the final round, finishing two ranks back of Zylstra and Williams in third place.  If Iyer had won it would have given Ridge High School back-to-back champions as Amy Cao won last year’s tournament.

Of all schools present, Ridge High School had the best showing in extemp, having a finalist, two semi-finalists, one quarter-finalist, and one octa-finalist.

Ivy Litton of Rowan County Senior High School (KY) became the state’s first extemp national finalist in a decade, finishing fourth.  Litton was followed by Grace Klausner of the Convent of the Sacred Heart – New York City (NY) and Claire Han of Munster High School (IN).

Han was a semi-finalist at last year’s tournament.  She and Klausner tied for fifth place and tied in the final round so a judges’ preference tiebreak had to be utilized.

Vasu Lakshmanan of Shrewsbury High School (MA), who finished fifth in last year’s tournament, was unable to get back to the final round but reached semi-finals.

National Points Race leader Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA) did not attend the tournament.  However, #2 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) did and reached semi-finals, which will be enough for him to regain the lead before the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament.

Finishes among the top 25 at this year’s NCFL include quarter-finalist placings for #5 Anthony Babu of Concord-Carlisle High School (MA), #9 Al Zaidi of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy (FL), #12 Tea Shouldice of Half Hollow Hills East High School (NY), and #18 Kajal Parmar of Cary Academy (NC).  #10 Sahana Srikanth of Mason High School (OH) was eliminated in octa-finals.

Here are the results of the 2025 National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

Read More

Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of June 9-15, 2025

By

On June 9, 2025

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

Note: These are our last questions for the 2025-2026 season. New questions will be posted in early August.

  1. What should be the top priority of this year’s NATO summit?
  2. Are monarchies holding back the Arab World?
  3. Does the global economy need more supply chain resilience?
  4. Has international humanitarian law collapsed?
  5. Will Evo Morales create problems for Bolivia’s presidential poll later this year?
  6. What role, if any, should the EU play in Southeast Asian security?
  7. Is Greta Thunberg still relevant?
  8. Who will win South Korea’s snap presidential election?
  9. How will entry into the eurozone affect Bulgaria’s economy?
  10. Can Russia continue to afford involvement in West and Central African security?

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