<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">Happy
October, all!</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">I’d
like to take a moment and congratulate schools who hosted tournaments in
September- WELL DONE. Hosting a tournament can seem like a never-ending cycle
of putting fires out while at the same time making sure everyone is happy and then
making sure the tournament is running as smoothly as possible. Schools from all
over the south have attended Georgia tournaments this year, making for an
exciting time. Thank you to Mount Vernon School, Houston County High School, RW
Johnson HS, Valdosta HS and Chattahoochee HS for hosting in September.
Additionally, I know many schools have held intra-squad events, and I hope
those went well. Lots of Speech and Debate happening in Georgia! Below are some
topics that may be of interest to you.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">TAB ROOM ERRORS</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">A
couple of tabbing errors have been brought to my attention. I know that all
efforts are made to avoid such errors and no one likes when they happen. The
GFCA position is that the decision of the tournament director in such
situations stands. Our colleagues are handling the situations in a timely,
professional and thoughtful manner. Thanks to all for understanding.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">NEW DEBATE TOPICS</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">New
topics are out for Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Public Forum Debate were
announced by the NSDA yesterday. The topics and the respective months in which
they will be used are as follows:</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">Lincoln-Douglas
Debate – <b>2017 November/December Topic</b></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">Resolved:
Wealthy nations have an obligation to provide development assistance to other
nations.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.8pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)">Public
Forum Debate – <b>2017 November Topic</b>
Area: Gun Rights</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">Resolved:
The United States should require universal background checks for all gun sales
and transfer of ownership.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">POLICY DEBATE 2018-19 GFCA
VOTING OPENS TOMORROW.</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">The
Policy Debate- Round 1 vote for the 2018-2019 topic is due to the National Federation
of High Schools by October 20. I will send out a vote via a Google Form
tomorrow and leave voting open until 5pm on Monday, October 9. I’m opening the
vote a bit early as I believe many school districts have Fall Break next week
and I don’t want anyone to miss voting for that reason. I have attached the
topic analyses as provided by NFHS as I did in the last email. </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">Also,
while voting on the Policy Debate topic is open to everyone, please be considerate
and mindful that if your program does not have a Policy Debate program and/or you
are not planning on having one next year, please consider abstaining from this vote.
I believe this to be a fair expectation for voting so that programs invested in
the event are heard loud and clear. Let me know if you have any questions
and/or concerns. </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">NOMINATE AN OUTSTANDING
COLLEAGUE</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in">Finally,
the NFHS has asked the GFCA in its governing role of high school forensics in
the state of Georgia to nominate a coach for the Outstanding Speech/Debate/Theater
Educator Award. From NFHS: </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><i><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)">“Each state may
nominate one person each year for the NFHS Speech/Debate/Theatre State level
award. That nominee will also be considered by the selection committee for one
of the eight section awards and potentially the NFHS Speech/Debate/Theatre
Citation Award. One Citation recipient for speech/debate/theatre is selected
each year… Nominees must be involved in secondary education or high school
forensics. Focus should be on significant and/or long-term contributions to
interscholastic speech, theatre or debate activities within each state or
section; however, professional contributions within the past five years are of
the utmost importance.”</span></i></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><i><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)"> </span></i></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)">I have attached the nomination form
that includes the process of nomination.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)">STATE TOURNAMENTS</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)">More information coming soon about
location and schedule of the State Tournaments.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#212121" face="Georgia, serif"><span style="font-size:16px">As always, reach out with any questions you may have. Have a great October, and see you on the Georgia circuit.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#212121" face="Georgia, serif"><span style="font-size:16px"><br></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#212121" face="Georgia, serif"><span style="font-size:16px">Mario Herrera</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#212121" face="Georgia, serif"><span style="font-size:16px">Chair</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#212121" face="Georgia, serif"><span style="font-size:16px">Georgia Forensic Coaches Association</span></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(94,81,78)"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>

<p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div>