Month: February 2015 Page 1 of 3

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of February 23-March 1, 2015

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On February 27, 2015

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of February 23-March 1, 2015.

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R&D from Prepd: Egypt’s Battle With Islamic Militants

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On February 26, 2015

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D provides resources on Egypt’s fight against Islamic militants.  The Egyptian government has spent the early part of 2015 conducting military strikes on militants on the Sinai peninsula.  Militants there have attacked Egyptian military personnel since a coup ousted the Muslim Brotherhood in July 2013.  The Egyptian military has also directed strikes against members of the Islamic State in Libya last week after the group released a video showing the beheading of Egyptian Christians.

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of February 23-March 1, 2015

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On February 25, 2015

In Quiz

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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.  Good luck!quiz-01

To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.

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R&D from Prepd: Wage Growth in the U.S. Economy

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On February 25, 2015

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D covers wage growth in the U.S. economy.  Although the U.S. economy is improving, wage growth for Americans has lagged behind, with hourly wages rising 0.5% last month.  Economists are optimistic that significant wage growth could take place in 2015, as businesses such as Wal-Mart have recently decided to raise the pay of its workers to $10 an hour.  If wage growth takes off, it could compel the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in order to temper inflation in the economy.  Creating better wage growth is also a rallying call for those who seek to reduce income inequality in the United States.

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2015 Illinois High School Association State Speech Final: There’s No Tie This Year as Abiona Defeats Patel by One Rank to Claim Sandburg’s First Championship

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On February 24, 2015

In State Results

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This year’s Illinois High School Association State Speech Final was primed as a showdown between Parth Patel of Huntley High School and Vinesh Kannan of the Illinois Math and Science Academy. Last year both extempers, along with Saumya Jain of Neuqua Valley High School, shared the state championship after an unbreakable three-way tie. However, the anticipated story did not go as planned as Kannan finished one rank out of the final round and Moyo Abiona of Carl Sandburg High School defeated Patel by one rank to win Sandburg’s first-ever extemporaneous speaking state championship.

Abiona had an interesting road to the final, being one of the last extempers to make the break into the round with a cumulative score of twelve. Once there, though, Abiona took control of the tournament, winning three of the five available first place ranks. Although Patel had a better cumulative score across all five judges, Illinois drops the lowest rank from a competitor’s final round total. This enabled Abiona to shed a fifth place rank and win with a 1-1-1-2 composite versus Patel’s 1-1-2-2.

Aside from Patel, the final round also featured another return finalist, Bethany Dain of Belleville West High School. Dain took fifth place at the tournament, which was an improvement over her sixth place finish last year.

Steven Chun of Hinsdale Central High School, who finished third, was the only extemper in the final round to have pre-qualified for this year’s Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. By virtue of TOC rules, which allow for the automatic qualification of 2015 state finalists (as long as their tournaments are held prior to April 2), Illinois qualified five new extempers to this year’s TOC. Those acquiring a qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.

Here are the results of the 2015 Illinois High School Association State Speech Final (Click here for tab sheet):

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American Education Reform (2015)

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On February 24, 2015

In Topic Brief, U.S. Extemp

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Domestic extempers can attest to the fact that questions about education reform never go away.  From merit pay to vouchers to standardized testing, extempers must be able to handle topics pertaining to the American education system if they wish to successfully navigate domestic social rounds.  Anxieties about American education have persisted since the nation’s founding, with President Thomas Jefferson warning that “If a nation expects to remain free and ignorant in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and what never shall be.”  Americans have desired a strong education system to maintain the nation’s position as a political and economic superpower, enhance socioeconomic mobility and the “American dream,” and to solve social ills such as racial and gender inequalities.  However, despite the federal government pouring more money into American schools since the 1960s, American students still lag behind their international counterparts in math, science, and reading.  While political actors on both sides of the aisle agree that something must be done, they disagree over how to solve it and these divisions are being played out in Congress, states, and municipalities throughout the country.

This topic brief will cover three important topics pertaining to education reform in the United States:  a reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), school voucher programs, and other education alternatives such as charter schools and homeschooling.

Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.

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R&D: American Education Reform (2015)

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On February 24, 2015

In R&D

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on American education reform (2015).

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of February 23-March 1, 2015

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On February 23, 2015

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Should the UN name alleged war criminals in the Syrian civil war?
2. Is a global regulatory effort needed to alleviate commercial surrogacy abuses?
3. Has Europe castrophically misread Russia?
4. How should India react to the proposed Sri Lanka-Pakistani nuclear accord?
5. Is the growth of organic farming good for the world?
6. How can child soldiers be removed from the South Sudanese civil war?
7. Did the EU cave into Greece in the latest round of debt talks?
8. Will the Iraqi government’s push to retake Mosul hinder its quest for national unity?
9. What role should China play in Afghan peace negotiations?
10. Can Egypt effectively fight Islamic militants on two fronts?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of February 23-March 1, 2015

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On February 23, 2015

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Is the GOP presidential field stronger than 2012?
2. Will the Fifth Circuit undo President Obama’s executive actions on immigration?
3. Has President Obama properly defined America’s fight against terrorism?
4. Will 2015 be a year of better wage growth in the U.S. economy?
5. Does the Chicago mayoral election show growing fault lines within the Democratic Party?
6. Would the sale of U.S. Foods to Sysco hurt consumers?
7. Why is President Obama enjoying improved approval ratings?
8. Is net neutrality a solution in search of a problem?
9. Can school voucher programs significantly improve the American education system?
10. Will Bruce Rauner’s win his fight against public unions?

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of February 16-22, 2015

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On February 20, 2015

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of February 16-22, 2015.

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2015 Harvard National High School Forensic Invitational: Graham Achieves a Convincing Victory, Regains #1 Ranking

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On February 19, 2015

In National Circuit Results

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harvardMore than 200 extempers attended this year’s Harvard National High School Forensic Invitational, making it the largest national circuit tournament of the 2014-2015 season. However, weather conditions led to the tournament having a truncated schedule and deciding to break to quarter-finals after four rounds. This resulted in a break of just over ten percent of the field and some of the better national circuit competitors coming just shy of the break.

Despite the difficuties, elimination rounds did feature some strong competition, with six of the top fifteen extempers in the National Points Race participating. Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) won his second National Points Race tournament of the year, defeating Shawn Kant of Ridge High School (NJ) by seven ranks in the final round. Graham will earn 150 points for his victory, as Harvard is a second tier tournament, and this will move him back into first place in the National Points Race.  He is also the first Florida extemper to win Harvard since at least 2002.

Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy (NC) finished the tournament in third place, which gives him his sixth National Points final round placing of the season. That is more than any other extemper this season.

Patrick Wilson‘s attempt at giving Booker T. Washington High School (OK) its second Harvard winner in as many years came up short, as he ended the tournament in fourth place.

Two extempers – Abhinav Karale of the Delbarton School (NJ) and Rupasri Shankar of Plano Senior High School (TX) – finalized their 2015 Extemp TOC at-large bids at Harvard.

All of the finalists also earned an automatic qualification to the 2015 University of Kentucky TOC.

Here are the results of the 2015 Harvard National High School Forensic Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

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R&D from Prepd: Sino-Indian Relations

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On February 19, 2015

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D covers Sino-Indian relations.  Although both countries are BRICS members and are agitating for more influence in international institutions, India and China are also geopolitical rivals in Asia.  India, the world’s largest democracy, has close ties with the United States, while China’s communist government has an uneasy relationship with the U.S. due to its role in North Korea and its conflict with Taiwan.  India’s revised GDP figures show that its economy is now growing faster than China, and some economists say that India will have a faster growth rate in the long-term because its population is younger than China’s.

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2015 California Invitational: Hu Wins Second Consecutive National Points Race Tournament; Defending Champion Yu Takes Fifth

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On February 18, 2015

In National Circuit Results

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berkeleyEthan Hu of Leland High School (CA) has used the last two weeks of California tournaments to establish himself as one of the top extempers in the country. After doing the best of any extemper in both extemp categories at Stanford, Hu went on to win last week’s California Invitational, defeating more than 100 extempers, and securing his second National Points Race tournament victory of the season. Hu will receive seventy points for his victory since the California Invitational is a fourth tier tournament. Ankur Mahesh of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) finished six ranks behind Hu and was the runner-up.

The final round featured some significant names on the national circuit, as Glenbrooks winner Jack Glaser of George Washington High School (CO) finished third and NSDA United States extemp finalist Brian Yu of Monte Vista High School (CA) finished fifth. Yu was trying to become the third extemper to win consecutive California Invitational titles in the last six years.

The California Invitational was the last chance for those extempers carrying one qualifying leg into the tournament to complete their at-large qualification to the 2015 Extemp TOC and six extempers – Kendra Blandon of Cypress Bay High School (FL), Cassandra Dinh of Schurr High School (CA), Arjun Narayan of The Harker School (CA), Connor Sendel of Cherry Creek High School (CO), Bryan Wang of Miramonte High School (CA), Brian Xu of San Marino High School (CA), and Matthew Zheng of Mira Loma High School (CA) – managed to do so.

All of the finalists also earned an automatic qualification to the 2015 University of Kentucky TOC.

Here are the results of the 2015 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

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2015 University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic: Guiliano Gives Holy Ghost Its First Winner Since 2004; Holy Ghost Takes Top Two

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On February 18, 2015

In National Circuit Results

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The University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic hosted one of its larger fields in recent years, due in part to the weather difficulties that plagued the Harvard National High School Forensic Invitational. Nick Guiliano of Holy Ghost Preparatory (PA) won this year’s tournament, defeating teammate Collin Quigley by a cumulative total of eight ranks. Guiliano is the first extemper from Holy Ghost to win UPenn since 2004, when Michael Hoffman took the title. He is also the third consecutive Pennsylvania extemper to win the tournament.

The final round featured two extempers that were not from Pennsylvania. Zan Ahmed of Syosset High School (NY) finished third, while Alex Wang of William G. Enloe High School (NC) finished sixth.

All of the extempers that made the final round earned a qualifying leg to the 2015 Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. Guiliano was the only extemper to finalize their at-large qualification. While other extempers earned their first qualifying leg, the TOC qualifying season is over, so they fall short of completing their at-large bid.

All of the finalists also earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky TOC in April.

Here are the results of the 2015 University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of February 16-22, 2015

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On February 18, 2015

In Quiz

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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.  Good luck!quiz-01

To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.

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