Oratorical Contest
High school students, grades 9-12 of public high schools, private schools, parochial schools and home-schooled, are invited to compete in the 2011 contest. The usual procedure is for contestants to compete in a local (Legion Post) contest, if there is one, the winner competing in that area’s District Contest, and that winner advancing to the Department (State) Finals. If, by chance, you have no competition in either the Post or District level, you will represent that District in the Department contest. The Department winner will represent Maine in the National Contest in Indianapolis in April 2011, with the National organization funding round-trip tickets, two nights at the hotel, and daily allowances for both the contestant, and a chaperone over 21 years of age.
The primary purpose of the Contest is to instill in our students a better knowledge and appreciation of the United States Constitution. Side developments enhanced are leadership qualities, thinking and speaking clearly, and preparation for acceptance of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship. A secondary purpose is to assist students in paying the high cost of a college education.
Students who compete in these contests have the opportunity of receiving money awards toward their future school endeavors. Local (Legion Post) awards are to be determined by the individual Posts, and the District awards by the various Districts. On the Department (State) level the 1st place winner receives $1,000.00; 2nd place $500.00; 3rd place $300.00; 4th place $200.00; 5th and 6th place $150.00 each.
Students who compete in the National Contest will receive a $1500.00 scholarship for competing (and completing) in the first round (quarter-finals) of the National Contest. Each first- round winner who participates in the second- round (semi-finals) of the Contest, but does not win, will receive another $1500.00 scholarship. The Final Three (winners of their Semi-finals) compete for the 1st place prize of $18,000.00; 2nd place prize of $16,000.00; or 3rd place prize of $14,000.00.
There are two portions of this contest: Prepared Oration, and Assigned Topic Discourse. The subject in the Prepared Oration must be about some phase of the Constitution of the United States, emphasizing the duties and obligations of a citizen to the United States government. This portion shall not be less than eight (8) minutes or more than ten (10) minutes in length. The Assigned Topic Discourse will be one of the four listed in the Rules and Regulations, selected from the Articles and Sections of the Constitution, and presented in no less than three (3) or more than five (5) minutes. Contestants may use one of the four Assigned Topics as the basis of his/her Prepared Oration. There are point penalties for being over or under the time limitations.
Post contest dates and times are designated by the individual Posts but must be held before its District Contest in January.
The Department (State) Contest will be held at 9:30 on Saturday morning, February 26th, 2011, in the Thomas College Auditorium, Waterville, Maine.
The American Legion is anxious for parents and teachers to urge their children and students to be a contestant and be on the inside, be part of life and their government, not on the outside looking in and wishing to be part of life. This is their opportunity. For more information about the Oratorical Contest in Maine, please contact your local Post, or the American Legion Department Headquarters, or e-mail Department Chairman Bill Barr at bbarr27@roadrunner.com.
