The Illinois High School Association board announced new state final venues for IHSA debate and journalism in 2019, according to a press release posted on the association’s website.
The announcement came at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting the association’s office in Bloomington on Wednesday.
The IHSA Debate State Finals return will return to Illinois State University (ISU) in 2019 when the event is contested on campus March 15-16. ISU previously hosted debate from 2002 to 2006. The event was held at the University of Illinois at Springfield from 2014 to 2018.
“We are excited to bring the IHSA State Debate Finals back to ISU,” said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Susie Knoblauch. “The ISU Forensics Union has a rich history and tradition. Under the leadership of the Director of Forensics, Meg Koch, along with the nationally recognized Redbird Speech and Debate teams, ISU can provide the support and resources necessary to continue to make the IHSA State Debate Finals a premiere event.”
ISU’s School of Communications and campus newspaper staff from The Vidette will have a hand in hosting the IHSA Journalism State Finals in 2019. The event will be held at Heartland Community College in Normal on April 26, with ISU staff facilitating and managing the tournament. Eastern Illinois University hosted the state finals since its inception in 2006.
“We are appreciative of our neighbors at Heartland and ISU continuing to support IHSA activities and the IHSA mission in general,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We value our affiliation with both great institutions and look forward to continuing to support each other in the Bloomington-Normal community.”
Both one-year contracts are for hosting during the current school year. Journalism is expected to move from Heartland to ISU in 2020.
