Hugh Downs School Invitational
More than 1600 high school students from around the country will compete in Arizona State University's Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Invitational speech and debate tournament Jan. 7–9, 2022, in Tempe, the largest tournament in Arizona.
Representing more than 125 schools in 19 states, the students are members of the National Speech & Debate Association, formerly the National Forensic League.
“Forensics is the art or study of argumentation and formal debate,” said Adam Symonds, director of forensics at ASU. “We also use the term for crime scene investigations or CSI. Both refer to unearthing evidence upon which to base an argument. Forensics on our team and at our tournament also includes competition in individual public speaking.”
“Debates are a great way for high school students to get involved in class,” Symonds added. “Students have to research topics, prepare for the debate with their team and think on their feet as they practice public speaking.”
ASU has a rich tradition of success in intercollegiate speech and debate dating back to 1885 when it was known as the Territorial Normal School at Tempe. The school’s forensics team has won hundreds of awards and has consistently finished among the top 20 teams in the nation every year in both speech and debate.
The bulk of the competition will take place Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 7 and 8. Final rounds will be held on Sunday, Jan. 9, with anywhere from 16 to 30 finalists. A complete schedule of events during the tournament is available here.