Prepared 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. Contestants must not include their name or place of residence in any part of their speeches. This helps ensure that judging remains fair and unbiased. 

Contestants may have 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 to begin the contest. At this time, the copy of the Prepared Oration will be surrendered to the contest official 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.

It is acceptable to utilize or incorporate short phrases of a foreign language into the Prepared Oration and/or Assigned Topic to develop the argument, establish a point, etc. It is to be understood that the vast majority of the Prepared Oration and/or Assigned Topic must still be delivered in the English language.

A contestant must give both their Prepared Oration and the Assigned Topic Discourse to receive the scholarship funds to which they are entitled.