SPEECH
The Speech Team is an afterschool program that gives students an opportunity to compete in a variety of events that are designed to engage them in communication, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
We are looking forward to the third year of the CCMS Speech & Debate Team! We have a full year planned in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, along with ten speech and interpretive (acting) events.
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Weekly attendance at practice is mandatory, so students need to be able to dedicate themselves to this activity and have a clear schedule every Thursday. There will also be homework--writing, memorizing, and researching that will be required at times between practices. We meet from 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm.
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Participation in at least 4 tournaments a year is mandatory. Our tournament schedule is below.
Tournaments take place on weekends and allow the students an opportunity to present their work and compete with other middle school students. Online tournaments will be hosted at CCMS, where students will compete together as a team. -
All students are a part of an honors society associated with their participation in speech and debate through the National Speech & Debate Association. This membership follows them through high school and includes honors cords at 8th and 12th grade graduations.
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Speech programs are not common at middle schools in our area, outside of private schools and a few charter schools, and this team will ensure that our students are afforded every opportunity to grow and have fun in this dynamic academic sport. CCHS does have a high school team that students can advance to when they complete 8th grade.
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Review the Student & Parent / Guardian Expectations Form Here. (This form is required to be turned in by new and returning students.
CCMS Campus Map
Current news: tba
Interested in joining the CCMS Speech Team 2026 - 2027?
CONTACT
Gina Polesetsky, Speech Coach speech@pantherpartners.com
COST
$350/semester + $20/per speech & IE event/per tournament & $30/per debate event
Scholarships will be available for students who want to participate, but are unable to pay fees
Apply for scholarships using THIS FORM
WHERE
CCMS Room 218
New Student Audition Process:
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Interested students and parents fill out this form to be kept in the loop on next year's team
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Thursday, August 27th - 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm - Google Meet - Info Meeting to Discuss Team Experience & Expectations & Receive Audition Materials - (Mandatory for student & at least one parent)
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Thursday, September 10th at 6:30 pm - Submit Online - Submit Audition Materials Online
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Thursday, September 17th at 6:30 pm - Team Invitations Will Be Sent by Email
Required Orientation In-Person Meeting for Both Returning & New Students:
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Monday, September 21st - 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm - In-Person - CCMS MPR - Orientation (Mandatory for student & at least one parent)
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Practice Schedule
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Winter End-of-Term Party: December 10th 2026, 2:45 pm - 5:45 pm
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Spring End-of-Term Party & Awards: May 10th 2027, 2 pm - 6 pm
Tentative Tournament Schedule
Online tournaments will be hosted at CCMS. Debate Tournaments are only for students competing in LD. Speech Tournaments cover all other events.
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September 4 - 7, 2026 (F/Sa/Su/M): Loyola Invitational at Loyola High School In-person, Los Angeles, CA (LD only - might not have a Novice/MS division)
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October 2, 2026 (F): SCJFL Speech Online Tournament at CCMS (DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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October 3, 2026 (Sa): SCJFL Debate Tournament In-Person at CCMS (LD)
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October 17 - 18, 2026 (Sa/Su): UCLA Invitational Online Tournament - CCMS (LD, OO, INFO, IMP, EXTEMP, & DI only)
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November 6, 2026 (F): SCJFL Speech Tournament In-Person at Jefferson Middle School, San Gabriel, CA (DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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November 7, 2026 (Sa): SCJFL Debate Online Tournament at CCMS (LD)
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December 4, 2026 (F): SCJFL Speech Tournament In-Person at Jefferson Middle School, San Gabriel, CA (DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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December 5, 2026 (Sa): SCJFL Debate Tournament In-Person at CCMS (LD)
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February 5, 2027 (F): SCJFL Speech Online Tournament at CCMS (DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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February 6, 2027 (Sa): SCJFL Debate Online Tournament at CCMS (LD)
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Early to Mid-February 2027 (Sa/Su/M): Stanford Invitational Online Tournament - CCMS (LD, OO, INFO, IMP, EXTEMP, & DI only)
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March 5, 2027 (F): SCJFL Speech Tournament In-Person at Jefferson Middle School, San Gabriel, CA (DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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March 6, 2027 (Sa): SCJFL Debate Tournament In-Person at CCMS (LD)
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May 1, 2027 (Sa): SoCal Champs Speech & Debate Tournament In-Person at East Los Angeles College (LD, DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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May 15 - 16, 2027 (Sa/Su): CMSF State Championship Online Speech & Debate Tournament at CCMS (LD, DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, SPAR, STO)
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June 13 - 18, 2027 (Su - F): NSDA Nationals - In-Person - Phoenix, AZ (LD, DEC, DI, DUO, EXTEMP, HI, IMP, INFO, OO, POE, PRO, STO, POI)
LD - Lincoln Douglas Debate
Limited Prep Events:
IMP - Impromptu Speaking
EXTEMP - Extemporaneous Speaking
SPAR - Spontaneous Argumentation Debate
Bonus Events:
AP - Assigned Platform
COLD - Cold Reading
SPAR - Spontaneous Argumentation Debate
OO - Persuasive Speech
INFO - Informative Speech
PRO - Prose
POE - Poetry
DI - Dramatic Interpretation
HI - Humorous Interpretation
DUO - Duo Interpretation
STO - Storytelling
POI - Program Oral Interpretation
Gallery
Coaching Team
Frances Jereb, Asst. Coach
Frances Jereb (she/her) is the Asst. Coach for Impromptu, Extemporaneous, Informative, and Original Oratory. She is a Communication student at UC Santa Barbara with broad speech and debate experience in the California Community College Circuit, receiving the Top Speaker Award at the 2024 CCCFA State Championship...
Kevin King, Asst. Coach
Kevin King (he/him) is the Asst. Coach for Informative, Original Oratory, and Interpretive Events. He has extensive experience in coaching high school students in school and summer camp settings, including at the prestigious University of Texas, Austin National Institute of Forensics...
Elodie Tinajero, Asst. Coach
Elodie Tinajero, Jr. (she/they) is the Asst. Coach for Informative, Original Oratory, and Interpretive Events. Elodie is a writer and speech and debate coach located in Peoria, IL. She has eleven years of competitive experience in speech and debate, as well as nine years of coaching experience...
Kyle Ahern, Asst. Coach
Kyle Ahern (he/him) is an assistant coach for speech events. He has served as a lab leader at both the Institute for Speech and Debate and the University of Texas at Austin Institute of Forensics. In addition to his camp experience, Kyle coached the University of Texas at Austin’s AFA-NST 2025 national championship team.