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Judging Tips handouts
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SPEECH
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LD and PF DEBATE

EXTEMP DEBATE (XDB) BALLOT

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BROADCASTING

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

the student reads radio news and commercials in the style of a radio DJ or radio newscaster; each round is a different format or material

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

KY state champion 2020
FINAL ROUND / Parker Smith (Dunbar HS)

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DECLAMATION

JUNIOR DIVISION AND GRADES 9-10

a memorized speech presented at some time in history by someone other than the student

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

student enacts a serious scene playing all the characters

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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DUO ACTING

JUNIOR DIVISION ONLY

two students play two characters in an acting scene

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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DUO INTERPRETATION

SENIOR DIVISION ONLY

two students present a scene as two or more characters

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

a documented speech written in a half hour as an answer to a question about a current event

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

a student enacts a humorous scene playing all the characters

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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IMPROMPTU SPEAKING

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

a speech presented on-the-spot with little preparation about a topic (prelim rounds: quotation; final round: object)

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH - QUOTATION (BELOW)

CLICK HERE FOR A FINAL ROUND SAMPLE SPEECH (OBJECT)

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IMPROVISATIONAL DUO

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

an acting scene presented by two students after little preparation from a given topic

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

KY STATE CHAMPIONS 2020 FROM MURRAY HS ANTONY & JENKINS

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INFORMATIVE SPEAKING

SENIOR DIVISION ONLY

a 10-minute speech with optional visual aids that informs the audience about a topic

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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ORATORY

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

a memorized speech written by the student to persuade the audience to take a stand on a controversial issue or your take on an abstract idea (e.g. self-esteem, being yourself)

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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POETRY

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

oral reading/acting of poetry collections or single poems

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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PROGRAM ORAL INTERPRETATION (POI)

SENIOR DIVISION ONLY

oral reading/acting of a collection of scripts from multiple genres organized around a central theme/argument

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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PROSE

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

oral reading/acting of prose literature (novels or stories)

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

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STORYTELLING

JUNIOR DIVISION AND SENIOR DIVISION

the student enacts a story,

often for children or a tall tale

JUDGING TIPS

SAMPLE SPEECH

© 2026 by Kentucky High School Speech League, Inc.

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