ROSTRUMA PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL FORENSIC LEAGUE VOLUME 86 n ISSUE 7 n M A R C H 2 0 1 2 See you in Indy this Summer! — Special Edition — Top Policy Lab with Dr. Galloway, who was voted Third Best Collegiate Policy Debate Judge of the Decade Legendary July 4th celebration! You don’t want to miss it! The Samford University Debate Team proudly presents The 38th Annual Samford University Summer Debate Institute Sunday, June 24–Saturday, July 7, 2012 Why choose Samford Debate Institute? Prices • Learn from a national-caliber staff at a reasonable Samford is committed to maintaining low prices during price. tough economic times. We have not raised our prices, • Beginning debaters are a priority. and limited financial aid is available. • The program emphasizes 21st-century debating skills. Residents • At least 15 critiqued practice debates in two weeks $1,350 (including $50 deposit) are guaranteed. • Samford has a track record of success. Program Commuters with meals graduates have been in deep elimination rounds of $1,000 (including $50 deposit) every major high school tournament. • Instruction is offered for all skill levels in policy, Commuters without meals Lincoln-Douglas and public forum debate. $850 (including $50 deposit) • Learn from mature, responsible adult staff. 800 Lakeshore Drive Birmingham, AL 35229 For more information, contact Dr. Ryan Galloway at 205-726-2695, [email protected] or go to www.samford.edu/debate. Produced by Samford Office of Marketing and Communication. Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution that complies with applicable law prohibiting discrimination in its educational and employment policies and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or national or ethnic origin. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS NATIONAL INSTITUTE IN FORENSICS UTNIF Speech and Debate Camps 2012 2012 PROGRAMS AND DATES CX 6 week Survivors June 22 - August 3 CX Session 1 (Skills and Topic Intensive) June 22 - July 12 CX Session 2 (Skills and Topic Intensive) July 14 - August 3 CX Sophomore Select June 22 - July 12 CX Novice July 14 - July 22 CX UIL 1 Week July 14 - July 20 Lincoln-Douglas July 15 - July 29 Lincoln-Douglas with Extension July 15 - August 3 Public Forum Novice/Intermediate June 23 - July 30 Public Forum Experienced July 1 - July 8 Individual Events June 23 - July 6 Individual Events with Extension June 23 - July 10 FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF WHY UTNIF IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST RESPECTED SPEECH AND DEBATE WORKSHOPS IN THE NATION. JOIN US IN AUSTIN IN 2012! UTNIF (512) 471-5518 Dept of Communication Studies [email protected] 1 University Station A1105 www.utdebatecamp.com Austin, TX 78705 www.utspeech.net! MARCH 2012 n ROSTRUM 1 Pressure is a Privilege by Christopher Cozart It’s a few minutes before the big event. Your obstacles that seemed insurmountable, they’ll heart is pounding emphatically, and you start to always be remembered in history as remarkable sweat as nervousness and pressure begin to take men who’ve helped shaped the destiny of hold of you, with no intention of leaving. You try mankind. desperately to remember your lines, your part in How did they deal with pressure? More the play, or the presentation that you’re about importantly, how do you learn to deal with to give to your boss. Finally, the moment arrives. pressure? Unfortunately, this is not a question This is your chance to shine and show everyone that has a direct and concrete answer. Everyone what your capabilities are and what you can do. is unique. Everyone has different life experiences, Suddenly, your nervousness and pressure goes qualities, and characteristics about them that away, and confidence washes over you as you make having one answer completely useless. progress through your performance. You breathe The truth is, the answer lies within you. It’s a sigh of relief as you finish, and the audience is your job to find the answer. The only way to clapping and giving you praise for the excellent find the answer is to know yourself. Engage in performance. self-reflection. How do you deal with pressure in Does this sound familiar? It should, to be other areas of your life? Have you taken the time honest. Anyone who has ever had to give a to realize that you probably deal with pressure presentation, act in a play, or host any meeting on a daily basis subconsciously? Probably one of or event has felt pressure. It’s human nature. We the few tips I can give you is that you need to be all want to be the best. We all want to be great prepared but be able to adapt. Preparation for a at what we do, and we all want to be praised for presentation, event, play, or any competition is our accomplishments. Because we desire this so critical and builds confidence. However, it doesn’t much, we put pressure on ourselves. get rid of the pressure of the big event or wanting In order to deserve praise, you have to be able to be successful. Also, you shouldn’t be prepared to overcome pressure. In order to overcome it, you to the point that you can’t adapt or change have to embrace it. Stop trying to run from it. It’s a something in the middle of your presentation battle that you will never win at any point in your or event. Anything can happen at any time; you life. Those who learn to embrace it and work with need to be able to have a plan B and even a plan C it become the best presenters, actors, athletes, when things happen that shouldn’t normally. doctors, etc. For example, President Obama has I’ll leave you with the title of this article— fantastic presentation skills and knows how to “Pressure is a Privilege.” Everyone has faced it. deal with incredible levels of pressure. Some of Some have succumbed to it. Some work with it. the world’s most influential human beings— Very few embrace it and become the best that Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Malcolm X, Nelson they can be. n Mandela, and Albert Einstein— faced levels of pressure that most of us will never have the privilege of facing in our lifetimes. Because they were willing to face the pressure and overcome Christopher Cozart is a Compensation Analyst at Lincoln Financial Group. 2 ROSTRUM n MARCH 2012 Board of Directors William Woods Tate, Jr., President From the Editor Montgomery Bell Academy 4001 Harding Road Nashville, TN 37205 (615) 269-3959 [email protected] Dear NFL, Don Crabtree, Vice President Park Hill High School This issue of Rostrum previews the 2012 LFG / NFL National Speech & Debate 1909 6th Avenue Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana. Preparations for the tournament have been St. Joseph, MO 64505 (816) 261-2661 underway for more than two years. It’s hard to believe that nationals are only a few [email protected] months away! Kandi King 6058 Gaelic Information in this issue will help you prepare for a smooth and successful National San Antonio, TX 78240 (210) 641-6761 Tournament. I encourage you to read it carefully and refer to it often. For the most [email protected] up-to-date details, visit us online at www.NFLonline.org/NationalTournament. Pam Cady Wycoff Apple Valley High School If you have questions that are not answered here or online, you should contact my 14450 Hayes Road office at (920) 748-6206, or email [email protected]. Apple Valley, MN 55124-6796 (952) 431-8200 [email protected] I look forward to seeing you in Indianapolis! Tommie Lindsey, Jr. Sincerely, James Logan High School 1800 H Street Union City, CA 94587 (510) 471-2520, Ext. 4408 [email protected] J. Scott Wunn Pamela K. McComas Executive Director Topeka High School 800 W. 10th National Forensic League Topeka, KS 66612-1687 (785) 295-3226 [email protected] Timothy E. Sheaff Dowling Catholic High School 1400 Buffalo Road West Des Moines, IA 50265 (515) 222-1035 ROSTRUM [email protected] A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL FORENSIC LEAGUE Bro. 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The Montgomery Academy 3240 Vaughn Road Rostrum provides a forum for the forensic community. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily the opinions Montgomery, AL 36106 of the NFL, its officers, or its members. The NFL does not guarantee advertised products and services unless sold directly by the NFL. (334) 272-8210 [email protected] MARCH 2012 n ROSTRUM 3 TOPICS March 2012 Public Forum Debate 2012 awarD Resolved: The United States stuDent of the Year should suspend all District assistance to Pakistan.