- Would a Trump presidency lead to a quick end of the Russo-Ukrainian War?
- Is there a future for Boeing’s Starliner?
- Will Taylor Swift’s endorsement carry significant weight in this year’s presidential election?
- What is next for Big Lots after its bankruptcy filing?
- Would Kamala Harris’ plan ease America’s housing shortage?
- Should Democrats feel confident about turning Florida’s blue this year?
- Would the closure of the Department of Education be bad for the future of American education?
- Is it a mistake for Trump to refuse a debate rematch?
- Would allowing employees to vote in CEO elections improve corporate governance in the United States?
- Why is American confidence in the media so low?
Month: September 2024
- Is the West doing enough to prevent an ISIS resurgence?
- Who should be the next leader of the British Conservative Party?
- How can the Ukrainian government overcome declining domestic support for its war with Russia?
- What does Edmundo Gonzalez’s flight mean for the chances of a Venezuelan political transition?
- How can European economies increase their productivity?
- Is the Nigerian government doing enough to end fuel shortages?
- What is the most important international institution in today’s world?
- Is there anything Justin Trudeau can do to keep Canada’s Conservatives from returning to power?
- Are right-wing forces winning Europe’s immigration debate?
- Has the South Pacific become the new “Great Game” among the world’s major powers?
The 2024-2025 national circuit season started virtually last weekend with the National Speech and Debate Season Opener hosted by the University of Kentucky. 56 extempers were part of this year’s tournament, substantially more than the last few editions since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event’s online nature allowed extempers from across the country to participate in the first National Points Race event of the year. And three extempers from the final top 25 made the final round. Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX), who finished eighth in the standings last season, won the tournament, defeating Sahana Srikanth of Mason High School (OH) by two ranks. Srikanth took two of the three available first place ranks in the final round but was undone by a sixth place rank from the other judge. That resulted in a composite score of eight, which Zhang overcame with second place ranks from all three judges.
Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX), the winner of a National Points Race event last season and the sixth place finisher in the National Points Race, notched a third place finish. Haider finished four ranks behind Zhang’s winning score.
Kajal Parmar of Cary Academy (NC) was the other extemper from last year’s top 25 in the final round. Parmer finished twenty-first in last year’s National Points Race and ended the Season Opener one rank outside of the top three.
Andrew Zheng of Acalanes High School (CA) took the other available first place rank in the final round but the other two judges did not concur with that ranking so he finished fifth, one place behind Parmar and four ranks ahead of sixth place finisher Eashan Kosaraju of Solon High School (OH).
Other prominent finishers at the tournament included a quarter-finalist placing for defending NSDA International Extemp National Champion Anthony Babu of Concord-Carlisle High School (MA) and Ellie Sohn of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA). Sohn finished last year’s National Points Race in nineteenth place.
The Speech and Debate Season Opener was a fifth tier event so only the extempers who reached the final round will earn points. The first National Points Race standings will be released after the New York City Invitational in October.
Here are the results of the 2024 National Speech and Debate Season Opener Hosted by the University of Kentucky (Click here for tab sheet):
This news quiz is dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
- Does the recent slaying of hostages by Hamas in Gaza prove that Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy is not working?
- Can the use of strict international sanctions end the Sudanese Civil War?
- Should South Korea go nuclear?
- Is Libya’s unity government living on borrowed time?
- Should more countries follow Brazil’s example with X?
- How can Japan best deter Chinese aggression?
- Why are Asian economies battling stubbornly high unemployment figures?
- How will BRICS expansion impact the global economy?
- Should the UN be replaced?
- Will Barnier be able to defeat a no confidence motion?
- Should the Harris campaign ignore the economy?
- Does Florida’s Amendment 3 go too far?
- Should the U.S. treat Venezuela like Cuba?
- Which presidential candidate has the best child credit tax policy?
- What is the best way to prevent future school shootings?
- Does the FBI need to be overhauled?
- Should states put more money into legal aid services?
- Would a Trump defeat be good for the future of the Republican Party?
- Is standardized testing still the best way to evaluate American schools?
- Should 9/11 become a federal holiday?
Here is the first Extemp Central news quiz of the 2024-2025 season. News quizzes will be posted each week until the end of May. Good luck!
- Do Americans have a constitutional right to an AR-15?
- Which of Wisconsin, Michigan, or Pennsylvania is most likely to vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election?
- Should the U.S. implement a “right to disconnect” law?
- Does early voting for American elections start to soon?
- Should Josh D’Amore become the Disney’s new CEO?
- Does Florida’s school library law violate the First Amendment?
- Would Donald Trump’s plans for “mass deportation” survive legal challenge?
- Should social media companies enjoy legal immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996?
- If Kamala Harris wins the presidential election should she keep Jerome Powell as the head of the Federal Reserve?
- Will Republicans lose a Senate seat in this year’s elections?
- How would a Kamala Harris presidency impact Chinese geopolitical objectives?
- Was Hezbollah’s rocket barrage against Israel the extent of Iran’s retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh?
- Is Canada making a wise choice applying a 100% surtax to Chinese electric vehicles?
- Why are far-left and far-right parties enjoying success in German politics?
- Has Macron stolen the NFP’s election win?
- Has organized crime become a bigger threat to European nations than terrorism?
- Are fears of an Iranian nuclear weapon exaggerated?
- What does an Egyptian-Somali military alliance mean for Ethiopia?
- Is it possible for the Mexican government to win its drug war?
- If Bangladesh’s new government establishes closer relations with Pakistan, what does it mean for India’s national security?