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The American Legion of Iowa"For God and Country" - "We Can. We Will." |
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The purpose of The American Legion’s National High School Oratorical Contest is to develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States on the part of high school students. Other objectives of the contest include the development of leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently, and the preparation for acceptance of the duties and responsibilities, the rights and privileges of American citizenship. EligibilityEligible participants in The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest shall be citizens of or lawful permanent residents of the United States. All contestants must be bona fide students herein described as any student under the age of twenty (20) years on the date of the National Contest who is presently enrolled in a high school or junior high school (public, parochial, military, private or state accredited home school) in which the curriculum of said high school is considered to be of high school level, commencing with grade nine (9) and terminating with grade twelve (12). Students must be enrolled in high school or junior high school during the time of participation at any level of The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest. Contestants must either be legally domiciled within or attend an educational institution within the Department (State) that they enter competition. Contestants can enter competition through only one Department. The three finalists of the National Contest will be ineligible for further participation at any level. Local ContestThe American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest begins with contests at the Post level in the fall. For more information in participating, contact your local American Legion Post or call Department Headquarters at 800-365-8387. Scholarships AwardedPost, County and District Levels - Varies by location Area Contest: $50 awarded by The American Legion of Iowa Department (State) Contest - The American Legion of Iowa awards scholarships to the three finalists and The American Legion of Iowa Foundation awards a matching scholarship.
Each State winner who participates in the first round of the National Contest will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Each first round winner who advances and participates in the second round, but does not advance to the Final Round, will receive an additional $1,500 scholarship. Final Round of the National Contest:
About the ContestPrepared Oration:The Prepared Oration must be on some aspect of the Constitution of the United States with emphasis on the duties and obligations of a citizen to our government. The same subject and oration used in the Department Contest must be used in the National Contest. The prepared oration must be 8 to 10 minutes in length. Contestants may have in their possession a copy of their Prepared Oration in the First Holding Room. They may consult the copy of their Prepared Oration, until they exit the holding room in order to begin the contest, at which time the copy of the Prepared Oration will be surrendered to the contest official who is monitoring the First Holding Room. In the Prepared Oration, as well as in the Assigned Topic Discourse,
quotations must be indicated as such. Where quotations are more than ten words
in length, the author’s name must be given in the manuscript and cited orally. A contestant must give both their Prepared Oration and the Assigned Topic Discourse in order to receive the scholarship moneys they are entitled to. Assigned Topics for 2007-2008Article 1 Section 3 Clause 6The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.Article 1 Section 6 Clause 1The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.Article 2 Section 4 The President, Vice President
and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be
removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of,
Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Regulations A drawing shall be held by the official in charge of the contest to determine the order in which the contestants will appear. The Contest Chairman shall announce the title of the contestant’s prepared oration immediately after introducing him/her as Contestant No. 1, Contestant No. 2, etc. The chairman will request the audience to refrain from applause until the Judges have made their decision. A raised platform is not compulsory; however, it is strongly recommended. The use of notes, amplification, lectern or speaker’s stand by contestants or prompting in any manner is NOT permitted. Props are NOT permitted. The use of any type of electronic/digital data gathering, receiving and/or transmitting equipment in any form by contestants or members of the audience is prohibited. The time allotted for each contestant to deliver their Prepared Oration shall not be less than eight (8) or more than ten (10) minutes and for the Assigned Topic, not less than three (3) or more than five (5) minutes. An official timer shall be named by the Contest Chairman whose duty it shall be to keep an accurate time record of each contestant, and he shall be located on the main floor in full view of the contestants. The timekeeper shall begin timing each contestant at the start of the Prepared Oration. The timer should be equipped with a stopwatch and time cards for the Prepared Oration carrying the figures 8, 9 and 10. When eight minutes have been used, the time warning card with the figure 8 thereon shall be placed in full view of the speaker, following with 9 and 10 as the speaker progresses. The same procedure shall be used with cards bearing 3, 4 and 5 during the Assigned Topic Discourse. The Contest Chairman shall announce the time consumed by each contestant for the Prepared Oration and the Assigned Topic immediately after each contestant speaks for the benefit of the Judges. Contestants are required to remain in a private room where the discourse of the other speakers cannot be heard until it is their turn to speak (contestants will be under the supervision of an individual appointed by the Contest Chairman). As the contestants conclude their Prepared Orations, they must return to a soundproof waiting room. As each speaker concludes his or her Assigned Topic Discourse, they shall not be allowed to associate with contestants who have not fulfilled the Assigned Topic requirement. Approximately five minutes prior to the time of the delivery of the Assigned Topic Discourse, Contestant No. 1 will be informed of the topic drawn for the Assigned Topic and shall be permitted to retire to privacy under the direction of an individual appointed by the Contest Chairman, whose duty it shall be to see that no contestant is permitted to consult any text matter or notes having any connection with the subject matter upon which he/she is to speak, other than the actual words of the topic provided on the card drawn. Each succeeding contestant will be called upon in the order in which he/she previously appeared. He/She shall also, in turn, be informed of the topic of the Assigned Topic Discourse and shall then be escorted to privacy in the manner as provided for Contestant No. 1. Judges The judges are a very integral part of the Oratorical Contest. Their qualifications are considered carefully as the decision of the judges is final and must be reached without bias. Impartial judging in all contests is the key to fairness and success of the program which results in the selection of a National Champion. All Department Finals and the National Contest must utilize five judges. No publicity shall be given to the names of the judges in advance of the contest. During the contest, the judges will be seated in different locations in the auditorium and each judge shall render his or her final decision without consultation with other judges or any other person. Judges will be advised that a lack of emphasis in the Prepared Oration and the Assigned Topic Discourse on the attendant duties and obligations of a citizen must result in their downgrading the contestant involved. Judges are permitted to downgrade a contestant up to a maximum of ten (10) points for failure to speak on the Constitution. The Contest Chairman will announce any violation of time for each contestant. A penalty of one point for each minute, or fraction thereof, shall be assessed against the contestant’s total score. The judges, timekeepers, tabulators and the Contest Chairman, following the last Assigned Topic Discourse, may proceed to a private room for final review and tabulation. DownloadsOratorical Rules Brochure (PDF) Oratorical Chairman Guide (PDF) Oratorical Judge Tally Sheets (PDF)
For more information, contact your local American Legion Post or Department Headquarters at 800-365-8387 or programs@ialegion.org | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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