STOCKHOLM — American Legion Post No. 136 Stockholm will host their annual Oratorical Contest on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. The top two winners get a monetary reward and qualify to compete in the state competition.
The competition is open to high school students, grades 9-12 of public high schools, private schools, parochial schools and home-schooled. 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.
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 minutes or more than 10 minutes in length.
The Assigned Topic Discourse will be one of the four selected from the Articles and Sections of the Constitution, and presented in no less than three or more than five minutes. Contestants may use one of the four assigned topics as the basis of his/her prepared oration.
“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,” said Commander Herman Fisher.
The Department (State) Contest will be Feb. 16, 2013 at Waterville. The first-place state winner receives $1,000; second-place $500; and third-place $300. The Department winner will represent Maine in the National Contest in Indianapolis in April 2012, 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.
Students who compete in the National Contest will compete for the first-place prize of an $18,000 scholarship.
For information, contact Commander Fisher at 896-3161, or Auxiliary President Kathy Robinson at 896-7909.
