August 7, 2024 (newsweek.com) – The 2024 policy debate topic selection meeting (to inform the 2025-26 season), which is open to anyone to attend, brought together 61 delegates from 22 states and debate organizations including the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL), the National Speech and Debate Association, the National Catholic Forensic League and the National Debate Coaches Association.
“The more people we have involved, the better the entire process is going to be,” NFHS Director of Performing Arts and Sports James Weaver told Newsweek. “We’re getting a lot of returning people and as we’re diversifying the authorship pool, we’re seeing more and more people continue to stay in the process, which was the goal.”
Weaver said hosting the conference in different cities every year helps increase the diversity of attendees.
“As we move it around the country, we’re able to see that part of the country reflected in the process,” he said.
This process begins long before the three-day conference in August. Topic authors spend months crafting their proposals that are submitted by July 1 to the NFHS.