Sterling College will once again bring the art of competitive speech and debate to the Kansas State Fair through two annual Kansas State Fair Showcases: Debate on Tuesday, September 9 and the Forensics Showcase, scheduled for Thursday, September 11. Both events will be in the Encampment Building on the fairgrounds in Hutchinson. 

The Debate Showcase will feature three teams debating themselves from both Affirmative and Negative sides. They will be debating this year’s national debate topic which deals with intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks. This year’s three schools presenting the debates will be: Topeka High School, McPherson High School, and Halstead High School. The three rounds of debate are slated for 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.  

The Forensics Showcase invites medalists from the 2025 Kansas State Forensics Championships to perform their award-winning pieces before a public audience. Performances will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m., highlighting top high school talent from across the state. Now in its tenth year, the event is hosted by the Sterling College Debate and Forensics team, under the leadership of Director of Forensics Ken Troyer, and supported by Sterling’s Enrollment Services and Arts departments.

“This is a truly unique opportunity to see the variety of quality performances from across Kansas,” explained Troyer. “Each year the Showcase has featured strong performances from both small 1A high schools like Wheatland and Riverside as well as large 5-6A schools like Salina South and Maize South.”. 

Performers may participate in one or both performance sessions and may present up to three pieces, provided they medaled in those events at the state championships. Students who medaled in improvised events are also encouraged to participate and may coordinate with the Sterling College Arts Director to structure their performance.

Registration for performers is free, and State Fair admission tickets will be provided at no cost to all registered performers and their coaches. The registration deadline is Monday, September 8, 2025, and students or coaches should contact arts@sterling.edu or call (620) 204-0708 to sign up.

The event is also open to families, educators, and school groups who wish to attend and watch. Education Day discounted tickets are available through the Kansas State Fair website for $3 per student, with one complimentary adult ticket provided for every four student tickets. The registration deadline for group tickets is Friday, September 5, 2025.

“Sterling College has a long tradition in excellence in forensics and debate with national champions going back to 1936 and consistently being ranked nationally among the top teams in the country.” said Dennis Dutton, executive director for the arts. “I am also pleased to tell people that Sterling gives scholarships for debate and forensics that are equal to scholarships for football and basketball. We are proud of the students in these programs who represent us well.”

Each session will feature a unique lineup of performers, with a variety of events represented in each. Past audiences have included speech and debate teams, fine arts departments, families, and prospective students, offering a dynamic environment of encouragement and inspiration.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.