We invite community members from all walks of life to listen to inspiring and entertaining presentations and debates. Community judges provide valuable feedback for students who are challenged to develop their critical thinking and public speaking skills.
If you are at least 18 and not currently enrolled in high school, you are qualified! We will provide the training to ensure that you will be an effective judge.
Volunteer the Way You Want.
We host approximately 55 tournaments of various types across the country each season for eligible competitors. You can choose between online and in-person judging opportunities. Community judges sign up to judge a minimum of one speech or debate round, which is a three-hour commitment.
We will be glad to validate your community service hours upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
AM I QUALIFIED TO JUDGE?
In order to offer competitors varied feedback and encourage them to be universal in their impact, NCFCA values a diverse judge pool. In addition to our parent judges, we actively recruit people from all walks of life who may or may not have judging experience. We intentionally extend judging invitations to judges with worldviews which are both similar to and different from those of NCFCA competitors.
WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO JUDGE?
A judge must be at least 18 years old, must not be currently enrolled in high school, and must not have been eligible to compete in any NCFCA event during the current season. Please direct any questions regarding a judge’s eligibility based on age, graduation, or competition eligibility status to the National Judge Coordinator at NationalJudgeCoordinator@NCFCA.org.
Relationship Judges must be unrelated to the competitors they are assigned to judge.
Re-Judging A judge should not judge a specific speaker more than one time in the same prepared speech or on the same side of a debate round in any given tournament. The same judge may judge a speaker in a different event or more than one time in limited preparation speeches.
WHERE CAN I PREVIEW PREVIOUS SPEECH AND DEBATE ROUNDS?
"The students participating in the NCFCA competitions on our campus are a breath of fresh air; bringing encouragement and hope as future leaders. Equally encouraging are the parents and staff of NCFCA; modeling a high level of engagement and professionalism to the students they serve as well as our campus community. We are blessed each time we join together to create unique opportunities for these students."
Bryon D. Krueger
VP for Finance and Operations at the University of Northwestern
"It was inspiring to be part of this event. It gives me hope to see so many thoughtful and articulate young men and women exploring deep ideas and societal issues with a Biblical and Theistic foundation. God was glorified by this competition."
Volunteer Community Judge
"Keep on keeping on! This is one of the most productive youth programs with which I've ever been associated."
Volunteer Community Judge
"I volunteer with several nationally-known organizations and have never encountered a volunteer event this organized and this impactful."
Volunteer Community Judge
"I love being a community judge and look forward to every competition."
