(Left to right) Oratorical District Chairman Kevin Niles, co-winners Danielle Wilson and Ramsay Goyal, and Post Chairman David Card.
Oratorical Winners Announced
If you have a high school student who may need money for college, consider having them enter the annual “Oratorical Scholarship Program, a Constitutional Speech Contest” in 2020.
The first round was completed at American Legion Post 283 on La Cruz on Sunday.
Co-winners were Danielle Wilson and Ramsay Goyal. For their efforts, they each won $400 and the opportunity to vie for $500 on the District level ($150 just for participating). The person/s advancing to the Area contest can earn $600 by winning there (and each participant receives $300).
At the State level, first place is $1,200 (participants receive $700) and at the National level, first place is $18,000 (participants receive $1,500).
Wilson, who attends Brentwood School, wrote and presented an eight-minute speech titled “Rediscovering the Constitutional Virtue of Compromise.” Goyal, who attends Loyola, delivered an eight-minute speech on “The Value of an Informed Citizenry.”
They each had to then deliver a three-minute speech on the 13th Amendment. The five judges, some of whom had never been to the contest before, were impressed with the students’ knowledge and their presentations.
In writing the speech, participants are given free reign in addressing some aspect of the constitution with emphasis on the duties and obligations of a citizen to our government.
To learn what the process involves or if you think your high school student might be interested, the District level contest will be held at Post 283 on February 10. Admission is free. Call (310) 454-0527 for the time.