▁at ▁the ▁back ▁with ▁a ▁front ▁colon na de ▁designed ▁to ▁afford ▁a ▁shelter ed ▁prom en ade .” ▁The ▁Sto a ▁was ▁a ▁common ▁fi xture ▁of ▁many ▁towns ▁in ▁An cient ▁Greece ▁and ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁where ▁people ▁could ▁debate ▁and ▁discuss ▁their ▁ideas . ▁ ▁Over view ▁ ▁Sto a ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁better ▁serve ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁growing ▁hom esch ool ▁speech ▁and ▁debate ▁community . ▁Its ▁website ▁explains ▁that ▁its ▁objective ▁is ▁“ to ▁train ▁Christian ▁home ▁sch oo led ▁youth ▁in ▁speech ▁and ▁debate ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁better ▁communicate ▁a ▁Bib lic al ▁world view .” ▁ ▁Sto a ▁USA ▁is ▁a ▁non - pro fit ▁organization ▁run ▁entirely ▁by ▁volunte ers . ▁It ▁is ▁govern ed ▁by ▁a ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁who ▁over see ▁its ▁day ▁to ▁day ▁operations ▁and ▁propose ▁rule ▁am end ments ▁which ▁affect ▁compet itors ▁nation wide . ▁M embers ▁vote ▁on ▁important ▁issues , ▁such ▁as ▁debate ▁resolution s ▁and ▁significant ▁rule ▁changes . ▁Jud ges ▁are ▁usually ▁parents , ▁coach es , ▁al umn i , ▁or ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁community . ▁ ▁Sto a ▁san ctions ▁only ▁one ▁tournament ▁each ▁year , ▁the ▁National ▁Inv it ational ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Champions ▁( N IT OC ) ▁( refer enced ▁below ). ▁Sto a ▁exists ▁to ▁support ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁organizations ▁in ▁running ▁tournament s , ▁but ▁recogn izes ▁the ▁aut onomy ▁of ▁those ▁at ▁the ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁level ▁to