| THE AMERICAN LEGION,
Department of Missouri, during this
school year, again sponsors an Oratorical
Contest for high school students in Missouri.
The purpose of the contest is to develop knowledge and
appreciation of the United States Constitution, the ability to
think and speak clearly and critically, and the acceptance of
the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American
citizenship. The contest meets guidelines of the Missouri
State High School Activities Association, and appears in the Advisory List of
Contests and Activities, of the
National Association of Secondary School Principals.
AWARDS
The Department of Missouri awards the
following medals and scholarships at State Finals:
Department
| 1st Place |
Gold Medal |
$2,000.00 |
| 2nd Place |
Silver Medal |
$1,800.00 |
| 3rd Place |
Silver Medal |
$1,600.00 |
| 4th Place |
Silver Medal |
$1,400.00 |
Zone
|
1st Place |
Gold Medal |
| 2nd Place |
Silver Medal |
| Others |
Bronze Medal |
District
|
1st Place |
Silver Medal |
| 2nd Place |
Bronze Medal |
| County award |
Brooch |
If a high school contest is held, the
sponsoring Post should award the
winner a bronze medal, available from Department Headquarters, P.O. Box 179,
Jefferson City 65102 at $12.50 each.
Contestants in the National Finals receive
scholarships of $18,000, $16,000, and
$14,000 for the top three places.
State winners who participate in
first-round National contests receive
$1,500 scholarships.
Second-round National participants (who do
not make the finals) receive additional $1,500 scholarships.
Some colleges (including Lindenwood
University) give additional scholarships based on participation in the
Oratorical Contest.
SCHEDULE OF CONTESTS
| High School |
Before November 30, 2009 |
| County |
between December 7 and 21, 2009 |
| District |
Before January 26, 2009 |
| Zone |
Before February 8, 2010 |
| State Finals |
On February 20, 2010 |
2009 - 2010 NATIONAL CONTESTS
National contests are April 9 - 11,
2010, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Missouri sends one contestant to the first of
the three National rounds.
PREPARED ORATION
Each contestant shall deliver a prepared
oration, which must be an original
effort. Plagiarism may cause disqualification.
The oration must address some aspect of the Constitution
of the United States, which emphasizes the attendant duties
and obligations of a citizen to our government. A student
shall use the same subject for the oration throughout all
contests. Possible subjects include:
- An American Citizens Rights and
Responsibilities Under The
Constitution
- Our Constitution - Worth Having, Worth
Defending
- The Constitution in a Changing World
- The Constitution in Our Everyday Life
- The Bill of Rights - Reciprocal Rights
and Duties
- The Constitution - Guardian of the
People’s Rights
The oration in all contests, except the
State Finals, must last between five
and six minutes. The oration in the State
Finals must last between eight and ten minutes. The same
oration must be used by the state winner in the national
contest. The title of the oration is announced by the contest
Chair before each oration.
Quotations must be clearly indicated.
If quotations exceed ten words, the
author’s name shall be given both orally and
in the manuscript. All speeches are delivered in English (except for short
phrases from other languages).
Singing is not permitted (although songs may be quoted).
ASSIGNED TOPIC DISCOURSE
Contestants in the district, zone, and state
contests give an Assigned Topic
Discourse, in addition to a Prepared
Oration. The discourse lasts between three and five minutes. The oration
quotation rule must be observed. The
discourse tests the speaker’s knowledge of the subject,
the extent of research, and the ability to relate the topic to
the basic principles of the Constitution. All contestants speak
on the same topic, drawn during the contest from the four
listed in the section "Assigned Topics - 2010" below.
DELIVERY TIME
|
Prepared
Oration |
Assigned
Topic |
|
Not Less Than |
Not More Than
|
Not Less Than
|
Not More Than
|
| School, County |
5 min.
|
6 min.
|
-
|
-
|
| District & Zone |
5 min.
|
6 min.
|
3 min.
|
5 min.
|
| State Finals |
8 min.
|
10 min.
|
3 min.
|
5 min.
|
If a contestant uses less
than the minimum or more than the
maximum time, a penalty of one point for each minute (or
fraction thereof) is deducted from the contestant’s total score.
ASSIGNED TOPICS -
2010 Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of
the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment 3
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the
consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by
law.
Amendment 4
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and
no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the
persons or things to be seized.
Art 3, Sec 3
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against
them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person
shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the
same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. Clause 2: The Congress shall
have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason
shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the
Person attainted.
ORGANIZATION
The contest is supervised by
the Oratorical Commission of nine
members appointed by the Department Commander.
The final authority on all aspects of the contest is the
Commission.
The state is divided into
four zones:
Zone 1 - Legion Districts 1, 2,8 and 9
Zone 2 - Legion Districts 3, 4,5 and 7
Zone 3 - Legion Districts 6, 15,16 and 17
Zone 4 - Legion Districts 10, 11,12,13
and 14
Each District Commander
appoints County Chairs and
a District Chair. The Commission appoints the
four Zone Chairs. Each Chair cooperates with the local
schools and Legion Posts to promote the program; to
supervise generally the contests in the area; and, in addition,
to preside at the particular contest he or she chairs.
ELIGIBILITY
All contestants shall be
citizens or lawful permanent residents
of the United States, bona fide students under age
20, and presently enrolled in grades 9 through 12, in a Missouri high school or
junior high school (public, parochial, military or private). Home schooled
students are eligible if their course of instruction satisfies state law.
Contestants must either be legally domiciled in, or attend school within,
Missouri. Contestants may enter the contest in only one state.
The three finalists in the National Finals cannot compete again at any level.
SPONSORSHIP
Contests are sponsored and
financed by The American Legion
Department of Missouri, Inc., and the Legion Posts
throughout the State. Posts sponsor and assist the contestants from their local
high schools. If no Post is near a high school, or if a contestant is not
sponsored by a Post, then the Commission, upon request, will assist the
contestant. Posts of each county unite to sponsor the county champion at the
district contest. Posts in each district sponsor the district winner at the zone
contest, while Posts of the zone sponsor the zone champion at the State Finals
in Jefferson City.
Contests are open to the
public, with no admission charge.
Schools and the public, generally, are invited to cooperate
with the Legion in promoting this patriotic enterprise.
Constructive criticisms and suggestions are considered by the
Commission at its annual meeting.
CRITERIA FOR SPEECHES
Before the contest, each
Judge should study the scoring of the
Prepared Oration and Assigned Topic, as indicated by this
scorecard:
Name of judge
_________________________________
Date ________________
Number of Contestant
1 2 3 4 5 6
A. Content
1. Originality, freshness, directness,
applies knowledge. Relevancy to subject. Information flow to audience.
Staying on topic. Originality of assigned topic discourse.
2. Skill in selecting examples,
description, analogies, specific data. Examples applicable, relevant. Adequate
information
on examples. Proper credit to quotations
or borrowed subject matter.
3. Logic (correct inference). Support to
illustrations. Properly drawn conclusions. Consistencies in application.
4. Comprehensiveness of knowledge, knows
the subject matter. Plagiarism? Unity of thought. Topic significance.
Overall impression compared to
component parts. Discussion value of assigned topic discourse.
Informational and educational to audience.
B. Speaking Skills
1. Voice and Diction. Detract from
content? Pitch. Proper inflection. Understandability. Proper voice
volume Understandability. Proper voice volume for physical conditions.
Articulation. Enunciation. Pronunciation.
2. Style: language use, word arrangement,
word selection. Succinct sentences. Ease of interpretation. Grammar.
Extraneous clauses or phrases? Smooth,
continuous transition of sentences, paragraphs. Speech structure: Introduction,
main body, summary, conclusion.
3. Body action: poise, gestures.
Ease while speaking. Eye contact. Alert posture. Not too dramatic.
|
Prepared Oration Assigned Topic
Prepared Oration
Assigned Topic
Prepared Oration Assigned Topic
Prepared Oration
Assigned Topic
Prepared Oration
Assigned Topic
Prepared Oration
Assigned Topic
Prepared Oration
Assigned Topic
Total Points |
12 pts.
4 pts.
12 pts.
4 pts.
12 pts.
4 pts.
16 pts.
6 pts.
6 pts.
4 pts.
6 pts.
4 pts.
6 pts.
4 pts.
_____ |
Penalties:
- 1 point for each minute (or fraction
thereof) over or under allotted time
- 1-10 points for failure to speak on
the Constitution
Rank each Contestant 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6.
METHODS OF JUDGING
Zone and state contests have five judges.
Lower contests may have three or five judges. Judges should be trained or
experienced in public speaking, and (preferably) previously judged speech
contests. Judges should not have judged a prior contest including the
contestant, or be employed by a school represented by a contestant. Arrangements
for judges are made by the Chair of each contest, who should brief the judges
before the contest. During the contest, judges are seated in different
locations. Each judge individually ranks the contestants without consulting
anyone else. Judges must use and follow the scorecard in the section "Criteria
for Speeches" above. If the prepared oration or assigned topic ignores the
attendant duties and obligations of a citizen, the contestant may be penalized
up to 10 points. Judges also downgrade contestants if parts of the assigned
topic discourse appear memorized. The Judges, Timekeepers, Tabulators, and
Chair, following the last speech, may proceed to a private room for final review
and tabulation. Tabulators check each scorecard and then tally the rankings. The
contestant receiving lowest total rankings (not total points) is the winner.
(For example, if contestant #1 receives two firsts, two seconds, and a third on
the judges’ score cards, the total score is 9. If contestant #2 receives two
firsts, two seconds, and a fourth, the total score is 10. Though contestant #2
receives two firsts, the total score of 10 places second.) In contests with five
judges, if two contestants have the same rankings total, the tie is broken by
the rankings of the five judges for the two contestants. One contestant wins by
three judges’ Record of Choice – comparing only the rankings of the two top
contestants. Total points do not break a tie between two contestants. If three
(or more) contestants receive the same rankings total, the tie is broken by the
highest total points from all judges. Total points are used only when three (or
more) contestants tie on total rankings. In the rare case of a tie on points as
well as on rankings, the judges will meet, compare scores and arrive at
consensus rankings, which are final.
CERTIFICATION OF CONTESTANTS
High schools may select, by
any reasonable method, a contestant to represent the school. High school
contests are preferred in order to increase participation. Each contestant, to
advance, must be certified the winner of each prior contest beginning with the
high school. Certification must be made in writing to both the COMMISSION
Chair and the CHAIR of the next contest. If a contest has only one contestant,
that student advances to the next higher level. If a winner is disqualified,
withdraws, or cannot compete, then the runner-up may advance. If a substitute
contestant would delay the contest, the contest shall proceed among available
contestants. Certification forms, supplied by the Commission, assure proper,
uniform certification of contestants. Other written certifications are
acceptable if equivalent information is provided.
Electronic certification is available on this
site.
OTHER CONTEST RULES
-
Publicity – The names
of contestants may be released to the media for publicity purposes. Interviews
or photographs of contestants are prohibited before the contest. No publicity
shall be given to the judges before the contest, who are introduced only after
announcement of their decision.
-
Broadcasts –
Television and radio recording is permitted if the normal speaking voice of the
contestant is not interfered with or amplified within the auditorium, the
lighting and other conditions are the same for all contestants, and provided the
Legion is not obligated financially. Satisfactory arrangements for recording
must be made in advance with the Chair of the contest and with the person in
charge of the building. Recording shall not change the contest schedule, nor
distract the contestants.
Any other electronic/digital data gathering, receiving and/or transmitting
equipment shall not be used by contestants or audience members during the
contest.
-
Copies of Prepared Oration
– Contestants in the district, zone, and state contests shall give the Chair two
typed copies of their prepared oration, which clearly show the title.
Contestants may possess and consult a copy of their oration until exiting the
holding room to speak, when they must leave the copy in the holding room.
-
Dress – Contestants
shall not wear uniforms, or awards and medals from previous competition.
Business attire is recommended for all contestants.
Notes and Rostrums – Contestants may not
use notes, speaker’s stands, or amplification systems while speaking.
Prompting is not allowed, nor props of any kind.
-
Applause – The Chair
at each contest shall try to prevent applause until all contestants speak, so
that speakers are judged on merit.
Order of Speaking – Contestants speak in
the order determined by a drawing conducted with the Chair, who will refer to
the speakers only as Number 1, Number 2, etc.
-
Announcement of Winner
– The Chair does not introduce the contestants by name until after the judges
have finished all scoring. The Chair shall announce only the first place winner
and alternate, or only those contestants receiving actual awards.
-
Time Keeper – The
Chair names an official timer to keep an accurate time record of each
contestant. The timer shall sit on the main floor in full view of the
contestants. The timer has a stop watch and time cards with the figures 3, 4, 5
and 6. Timing starts when the contestant starts speaking. When 5 minutes pass in
the Prepared Oration, the card with the figure “5” is placed in full view of the
speaker, followed by the “6” card at the end of 6 minutes. During the Assigned
Topic, the timer uses cards with the figures 3, 4 and 5. (Timecards with the
figures 8, 9 and 10 are used for the Oration in the State Finals.) The Chair
announces the time immediately after each speech, for the benefit of the judges.
The Chair also announces penalty points then, if any.
-
Escorts – Immediately
before the prepared orations, all contestants enter a separate room with an
Escort appointed by the Chair, so the other orations cannot be heard. Contestant
#1 then returns to the platform for delivery of the oration, following which he
or she retires to the separate room. Each student in turn
speaks and returns to the separate room, then all contestants return together to
the platform
-
Assigned Topic –
Immediately before the last prepared oration, the Chair places in separate
envelopes the actual words of the four Assigned Topics, and asks someone in the
audience to draw one. The Article or Amendment drawn is the topic for all
contestants, but is not then announced. The Chair reads the topic to the judges
and audience after the last oration.
-
Assigned Topic Preparation
– Approximately five minutes before delivery of the assigned topic, contestant
#1 is first shown the topic and taken to a private room, with an escort who
ensures that the contestant does not consult anything except the actual words of
the topic. Each contestant is called in order of previous appearance. Each, also
in turn, is shown the topic and escorted to the private room for five minutes,
just like contestant #1.
-
Tabulators – The Chair
appoints at least three Tabulators to compile and check the judges’ scorecards
before handing them to the Chair. The Chair and the Tabulators shall not divulge
the judges’ scorecards to anyone at the site of the contest. Persons interested
in the scoring, for professional purposes, may request, from the commission
Chair, copies of the scores of a contestant (with judges’ names omitted).
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PAGE: List of Winners
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