Summary
Important notes for preparing for the State Speech Festival, April 11-12, 2025.
- Guests (friends/family) are permitted, but see guidelines below
- Checks may be mailed or payment made online via credit card; these do NOT need to be “in-hand” by the festival.
Day-Of Protocols #
Assignments/Itineraries #
Contestants can access itineraries here; rooms are preceded with their building name. Please see maps below.
Double-Entries #
All double-entries were assigned to the same room/adjudicator to minimize movement. For students in Extemp and Radio, they will draw first, prep, and then report to their Extemp/Radio performance room, where their teammates should have already reported by the beginning of the round. Adjudicators will be given a ballot listing all the categories they will evaluate, so they will know they are using different rubrics.
Merchandise #
Schools should pick up pre-ordered merchandise in the headquarters building.
Guest Policy #
Guests (such as family/friends of contestants) are welcome; however, coaches must inform students it is their responsibility to tell family/friends when and where they are performing. We are at the mercy of available classroom sizes and cannot guarantee enough space for guests to watch. To protect students’ privacy, festival staff will not share such information with individuals other than head coaches of record. Additionally, guests may not record (photo, film, audio) in any contest rooms.
Schedule #
State Speech Schedule #
| Round → | Fri 3:30pm | Fri. 5:30pm | Fri. 7:30pm | Sat. 9:30am | Sat. 11:30am |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrive; pick up T-shirts, etc. students may gather at [BUILDING/ROOM] | 2:15pm | 4:15pm | 6:15pm | 8:15am | 10:15am |
| Adjudicator meeting and packet pick-up; location: [BUILDING/ROOM] | 2:30pm | 4:30pm | 6:30pm | 8:30am | 10:30am |
| Extemp/Radio contestants report to: [BUILDING/ROOM] | 2:45pm | 4:45pm | 6:45pm | 8:45am | 10:45am |
| Students may start reporting to rooms (enter once adjudicator is present) | 3:15pm | 5:15pm | 7:15pm | 9:15am | 11:15am |
| Round begins | 3:30pm | 5:30pm | 7:30pm | 9:30am | 11:30am |
| Workshops (for those not presenting) | 3:40pm | 5:40pm | 7:40pm | 9:40am | 11:40am |
| Claim medals (see instructions below); location: [BUILDING/ROOM] | After round | After round | After round | After round | After round |
| Merchandise table/photo backdrop closes | 9:00 pm | 1:00 pm |
Addresses, Maps, Parking #
Watch this space for GPS addresses to use for specific UW-Madison buildings and parking lots and special routes for buses, as well as directional maps for vehicles and parking as well as pedestrian maps for participants.
Debate #
Watch this space for specific information relative to debate.
Adjudicator Information #
Paper Materials #
– If assigned to X building, report outside X room
– If assigned to Y building, report outside Y room.
Follow these instructions:
1. Find your ballot (arranged alphabetically by last name).
2. Note any different categories listed to the right of entries in parentheses (usually highlighted).
3. Count number of evaluation sheets for each categorythat equals each count of entries by category on your ballot.
4. Take a copy of State Speech Adjudicator Guidelines 2025.
5. End of round: return individual evaluation sheets to each entry; bring white ballot back here.
Adjudicator/Rules Concerns #
Adjudicators, coaches, or contestants with questions or concerns about adherence to rules may bring those concerns to BUILDING/ROOM. Concerns pertaining to adjudicators must be filed online, following the festival (see button).
Claiming Awards (Medals) #
After the round, the coach or one adult brings evaluation sheets for verification (in case they haven’t been tabulated yet) and to collect awards next to BUILDING/ROOM. For students whose adjudicators evaluated them electronically, those scores will immediately appear in your State Speech Festival Registration area on SpeechWire (click “View scores” icon) and electronic evaluations will be released to schools by time slot, once all adjudicators from that time slot have completed their rounds.
| Points | Award | Medal |
|---|---|---|
| 5-19 | Achievement (Copper) |
 |
| 20-22 | Finalist (Bronze) |
 |
| 23-24 | All State (Silver) |
 |
| 25 | Critic’s Choice (Gold) |
 |
Advancing to the State Festival is an achievement and earning awards beyond that represents rigorous standards. Coaches of four-year gold medalists should immediately claim the special medallion! Schools not retrieving awards at the festival for their team will be assessed a $25 handling fee, unless they have entries already participating in the virtual division.
Electronic Draw Instructions #
Social Media #
Whether you operate your own social media for your team or your school/school district does, please tag @wispeechdrama when you promote your team qualifying to State, as well as traveling to and participating at State! We will have a new WISDAA backdrop at the festival, and even some fun “photo booth” props, so come ready to promote all the great things your kids are doing! Hashtag for the event: #wisdaaspeech
Registration Confirmation #
Schools have until Monday, March 31, 2025, to re-register/confirm on SpeechWire for the WISDAA State Speech Festival. All schools must log in, add adjudicators (or acknowledge the $200/uncovered adjudicator) and complete the Confirm Entries step. Schools also may pre-order merchandise directly within SpeechWire; however, placing such an order does obligate the school to that financial commitment. To begin, click the button to Access SpeechWire and log in, or if logged in, click the Registration icon.
Merchandise #
Schools are encouraged to pre-order through SpeechWire (you can generate a separate merchandise invoice right from the order page); individuals may purchase directly on our website, but no T-shirts will be shipped before the State Festival. No merchandise will be released at the festival without payment (or a school purchase order). There will be a limited inventory on-hand at the festival, so pre-order by 12 Noon on Monday, March 31 for the convenience of having an order ready when you get to State.
Virtual Option #
Schools must provide adjudicators equivalent to number of virtual entries or pay $200 for each uncovered adjudicator; this may not be combined with in-person adjudicators.
Important Dates #
- Monday, March 31 (12 Noon): T-Shirt Pre-Orders Due
- Tuesday, April 1: Extemp/Impromptu/Radio materials posted on SpeechWire (virtual)
- Thursday, April 3: Final invoice and confirmation of entries
- Tuesday, April 8: Contestant itineraries with rooms
- Tuesday, April 8: Information sent to adjudicators (in-person)
- In-person: Paper adjudicator ballot pickup/e-ballots released 1 hour prior to round
- Monday, April 14: Reminder of videos due Tuesday, April 15
- Tuesday, April 15: Information for adjudicators (virtual)
- Thursday, April 17: Adjudication assignments
- Tuesday, April 22: Virtual evaluations/results released
- Friday, April 25 (5pm): Adjudicator appeals due
- Tuesday, April 29: Announcement of school/team awards
- Wednesday, April 30: Adjudicator appeal outcomes sent
