Oaks Speech & Debate Club

Membership Requirements
1) All Oaks families are required to pay the Oaks membership fee and to affiliate with the NCFCA for the current season. (Note: These are separate fees.)
2) Students must be age 12-18 on or before January 1, 2024, to participate in club and compete at tournaments. Younger siblings under 12 may participate in the Juniors program (if available) at club and at tournaments.
3) At least one parent must be present at Oaks meetings with their student(s). Parents will provide critiques and give feedback on speeches and debate rounds at club and will be required to judge at NCFCA tournaments.
4) Students ages 12 and up must commit to compete in at least 1 online or in-person NCFCA tournament during the qualifying competition season (January-April). Tournaments are typically 3-4 days in length.
5) If a tournament is held in Huntsville, all Oaks families must participate in the planning process (e.g., recruiting community judges, seeking hospitality donations, etc.) and will be asked to staff and/or judge at the tournament.
6) New debaters are expected to attend a summer camp in the style of debate in which they plan to compete, hosted by Oaks, NCFCA, or another club affiliated with NCFCA. Students are encouraged but not required to also attend camp for speech.
7) All students participating in speech are required to prepare and practice at least 1 speech in the fall or create notebooks/cards/files for a limited prep event. Debaters are expected to regularly attend club meetings prepared to debate either side of the resolution.
8) A business casual dress code must be observed by both parents and students while at club. For boys, we recommend khakis or dress pants with a dress shirt or polo shirt. For the girls, skirts to mid-knee or dress pants with a blouse would be appropriate. Please note: no t-shirts, jeans, shorts, tank tops, or foam flip flops.
9) All members should conduct themselves in a manner reflecting Christ's love, respecting club members and leaders in words and actions.
10) All members must affirm NCFCA's 1) Statement of Faith, i.e., Nicene Creed, 2) Statement on Marriage, Gender, & Sexuality, and 3) Statement on Scriptural Inerrancy (see below) and affirm that they are part of a Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox faith tradition.

Financial Considerations

  • The 2023-24 membership fee for Oaks is $100-$250, depending on the number of students in your family. This fee is due in full at the time of joining and is non-refundable.

  • New debaters need to register for a summer camp or online intensive in the style of debate in which they plan to compete, hosted by NCFCA (~$50) or an affiliated club (price varies).

  • All families must affiliate with NCFCA ($135-$160 per year). Your NCFCA affiliation includes access to NCFCA's Resource Library and discounts for Office Depot and Staples on qualifying items and services.  Affiliate here.

  • Tournaments have a typical entry fee of $20 per competitor, plus $20 per speech and $35 for debate. Transportation, lodging, and food are not included in these costs.

  • Competitors will be required to wear business professional attire at tournaments.

  • All judges (including parents) will need a tablet or laptop to complete ballots at tournaments. Each student competing online will need a supported device.

Positional Statements

For more than two thousand years, the Christian church has held almost exclusively accepted viewpoints on the veracity and inerrancy of Scripture and on issues related to marriage and biblical sexuality. Acknowledgment of what constitutes a “Christian worldview” based on these beliefs has gone largely without dispute until the last decade. Current societal norms, both inside and outside the church, have challenged the clarity with which NCFCA once operated and required us to resolutely affirm what Scripture has to say about these issues.
All members must affirm the 3 statements below:

Statement of Faith

The Nicene Creed summarizes our faith. Click the above link to read it in a larger font.

Scriptural Inerrancy

We believe that the Bible in its entirety “is breathed out by God” (2 Tim 3:16), is inerrant in its original autographs (Proverbs 30:5; 2 Peter 1:20-21), and is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”. (2 Timothy 3:17)

Ready to Join?

Pay the appropriate membership fee for the number of competitors you are registering and complete the registration form. By joining Oaks, you are committing to adhere to all membership requirements listed above and all 3 positional statements in full. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us before joining. No refunds will be issued for dropping.

Competitors must be ages 12-18 as of January 1, 2024.

The Oaks SDC Juniors program (free) is for younger siblings of registered competitors. Juniors-only families will be considered if space is available for a small fee. (NOTE: The Juniors program for 2023-2024 is currently tentative. If that program is a deciding factor, or if you may be interested in leading the juniors program, please reach out to us at info@OaksSDC.org.)
Join with 1 Competitor

$100.00

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$175.00

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    $225.00

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      $250.00

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        Click here to complete the registration form