In the NJFL, a Novice Debater is a 9th or 10th grade student in his or her first year of competitive debate.
A Junior Varsity Debater is one who is
* a 10th or 11th grader in his or her second year of debate; or
* an 11th grader in his or her first year of debate.
All other debaters must debate in the Varsity Division. No JV debater may compete more than one year at the State Tournament in the JV Division.
A student may always compete in a Division above his or her base qualification level. Thus a 9th grader may compete in the Varsity Division. For State Tournament purposes, qualification in a Division means that the student has a State Tournament bid in that Division, not in another Division for which the student is eligible. This requirement applies even if a tournamnent does not offer the student's base division. Thus, a 9th grader who both competes and breaks at the Bronx HS of Science NYC Invitational (which has only one division of Lincoln-Douglas Debate--Varsity) has a bid for States at the Varsity Level.
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