Focus on the Family Campus

Be Aware

Focus on the Family has graciously provided us with competition areas from three of its administrative buildings. Please show your deepest respect for Focus on the Family's hospitality by following these two guidelines.

This Is a Workplace: Focus on the Family is a working ministry with over 600 paid staff busy at work during most of the competitive time. All NITOC competitors and family members are expected to be respectful of Focus staff and to avoid interfering with their ongoing work throughout the course of the tournament.

Whit's End Visitation MUST Be Supervised: Focus on the Family has a wonderful play area, but it is NOT a place to leave children. All children must be accompanied by an adult whenever at Whit's End.

Our facilities staff will be enforcing these strictly.

Your Visit

Student Lounge: Students will be instructed to keep their belongings on the back lawn of the campus. Only in the case of inclement weather will students be allowed to store their belongings in the Chapelteria. Club Canopies are STRONGLY encouraged. See below for more information.

Limitations: Extensive cooking items are not permitted on the grounds (i.e. barbecue grills, camping stoves, electric woks, frying pans, microwaves). No extension cords will be allowed on the back lawn. Small coolers are allowed.

Parking: All parking is free. There is designated parking marked for community judges.

RV Parking: Focus has an RV parking lot for daytime use but no overnight parking is permitted. Please make other nighttime arrangements for RVs and campers.

Dining: Meals will be provided for purchase through registration (see Dining). There are variations to the menu, but special dietary needs will not be made available.

Judging and Tabulation: The judge and administrative areas will be in the International Building along the breezeway of the campus. Students will be able to walk freely through the breezeway.

Vendor Booths: Several vendors will be available throughout the week. They will be on the Mainstreet of the Administration Building and along the Breezeway adjoining the International and Administrative Building.

Information Station: This Station will be open daily with local information on shopping, tourist attractions, dining, maps of the facility and general support.

The Three Competition Buildings

Three of the four Focus on the Family buildings will be utilized for most of the competitions. The Welcome Center will only be used for final rounds on Saturday.

Administration Building: You will enter in the front of this building when arriving, a main tourist area on the first floor of the "Admin" Building. This is where most of Focus on the Family's staff work. About 1/3 of the competitions will take place in the conference rooms of this building. Vendors will line Mainstreet, and the Chapelteria will be reserved for dining and if inclement weather forces students inside.

International Building: The Breezeway connects the Admin and International Buildings without having to go outside. Another 1/3 of competitions will take place on both floors of the International building. Judge Orientation, Ballot Distribution and Ballot Check, and Timer Station all take place on the first floor of International.

Operations Building: The "Ops" Building is a large building no longer in regular use by Focus on the Family, but reopened for our competitive purposes. Some Debates, Extemp and Expos will be located in the Ops Building. This building is located on the West side of the campus following a walkway through the parking lot.

All buildings are handicap accessible, well lit and air conditioned.

Welcome Center & Tourist Information

Guided tours of the Focus on the Family Administration Building are available to visitors Monday through Friday at 9:00am and 2:00pm. Broadcast tapings are also available to view.

Families can enjoy a 170-seat theater featuring films like Welcome Home, The Last Chance Detectives and other theater presentations. Attractions include a kids' play area with a three-story slide, Whit's End Soda Shoppe, birthday party room, G. Harvey Art Gallery, Solid Grounds coffee bar, and a Christian bookstore. All children in the Welcome Center must be accompanied by adults throughout the tournament. This includes competitors.

See Focus on the Family's Website for more information on the Welcome Center and Focus on the Family Broadcast.