Greetings Speech and Debate coaches, judges and participants!
It is my pleasure, on behalf of the International Bilingual School at Tainan Science Park (IBST), to invite you to the 11th annual Nanke Invitational Forensics Tournament (NIFTy). NIFTy is an annual event held by IBST. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, NIFTy was not held for other schools in the past two years. This year, NIFTy is back with 5 speech events and policy/LD debate this year.
Before we get into more details, let's take a look back at NIFTy events of the previous years.
2019 NIFTy
https://youtu.be/wfGBmaf0UTQ
2018 NIFTy
https://youtu.be/qrQKjCrqIJY
2017 NIFTy
https://youtu.be/XT6e06r9F4o
We here at IBST are excited to make this year's NIFTy tournament bigger and better than ever! As always, that starts and ends with the commitment and participation from all of you! It is because of all of your hard work and dedication that NIFTy continues to be one of the premier speech and debate tournaments on the island.
We hope you will join us on Friday March 3rd and Saturday March 4th for a weekend of great debate, speech, food, and fun!
This year’s tournament will include multiple individual and partner speech events, as well as Policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate. Schools may submit teams of students competing from middle school and above.
Each participant must pay a tournament fee of $750 NT, which will cover the cost of Dinner Friday night, Lunch on Saturday, as well as all trophies, medals, and judges’ appreciation. While teams can be submitted by email as soon as possible, fee payment can be made in cash after arriving at IBST on Friday, March 4th.
In addition, schools must provide one judge for two debate teams or one judge for every team of 5 speech competitors (See Section C for Judge requirements). Otherwise, schools must provide an additional fee of 1000NT per missing judge. Judges are not required to be proficient or experienced in speech and debate. Rather, we ask for enthusiastic individuals wanting to have some fun and help make the tournament a success!
Speech competitors will be limited to competing in one interpretation and/or one speech event. Interpretation includes: Solo Interpretation and Duo Interpretation. Speech events include Impromptu Speaking, Editorial Commentary and Story-Telling.
Debate: If the participant is competing in Policy Debate then the participant can only compete in this event. If the participant is competing in LD Debate then they are additionally allowed to compete in Impromptu Speaking, Editorial Commentary or Story-Telling.
Tentative schedule:
B. Team Entry
To register teams or individual students for speech and debate, please email your roster to Sandy Hsieh shan830th@ms.nnkieh.tn.
The registration deadline is February 20th. By February 20th, all participants must have registered for their chosen events.
C. Judge Requirements
Debate:
Judges must be an adult.
1 team - one judge
2 teams+ - one judge per 2 teams
3 teams- 2 judges
4 teams- 2 judges
5 teams- 3 judges
etc.
Every odd number requires an additional judge.
[odd number teams round up (ex. 3 teams 2 judges, 5 teams 3 judges...)]
If schools don't have enough judges, judge fee 1000 NT per judge (same number of judges apply as mentioned above i.e. 3 teams 2000NT, 5 teams 3000 NT)
Speech:
Each school must supply an adult qualified to judge for the tournament. Schools bringing more than 5 contestants must supply 2 judges. Any school bringing more than 10 participants, must supply 3 judges, etc. A school not bringing the necessary judges may find some or all of their participants disqualified (due to a judging shortfall). Judges need not have judged events previously.
D. Registration Fee and Payment
Each student must pay a fee of $750NT in order to complete. This fee will cover the cost of dinner Friday night, lunch on Saturday, as well as all tournament expenses.
More information can be found at https://ibstnifty.github.io
Team fees may be paid upon registration on Friday, March 4th.
E. Food and Accommodation
We will provide a list (email attachment) of nearby accommodations which can accommodate all participants within a quick drive of IBST. For questions regarding booking accommodation, please contact Sandy Hsieh shan830th@ms.nnkieh.tn.
NIFTy will provide, as part of the registration fee, dinner for all judges and contestants on Friday night, as well as lunch on Saturday. Within walking distance of the school, there is a 7-11 as well as several tea shops at the nearby Life Hub.
F. Getting to Nanke
Schools can arrive at Nanke in several ways. If they choose to take a bus, the Science Park and school offer ample parking. Schools can also take the HSR rail to Tainan (Shalun Station) and transfer to the local train headed toward Nanke (the train terminates at Nanke). Schools can also take the fast train or a bus to Tainan. A local train north goes to Nanke. From the Nanke train station, you can take the Science Park free shuttle bus (on Friday only), a taxi, or simply walk the 15 minutes to IBST.
G. Awards
ALL participants will receive participation certificates. In addition, the tournament will award trophies and medals to forensics winners and top debaters.
For more information regarding the tournament schedule, debate format, or on specifics for the different speech events, please see the attachments below. Any other questions can be directed to Sandy Hsieh shan830th@ms.nnkieh.tn.
We thank you again for your continued time and support, and look forward to seeing you all in March!
1. 2023 NIFTy Invitation Email(NEW)
2. 2023 NIFTy Team Entry
3. 2023 NIFTy Speech Event Descriptions
4. 2023 NIFTy Debate Event Descriptions
5. 2023 NIFTy Hotel Info
