Disney-Bell Post 66 will be sponsoring the local
level of the National High School Oratorical Contest on January 31, 2004.
Initial registration and a briefing on the rules will be held in early
December at the Post. Interested students can pre-register by phoning Post
66 at (301) 464-9814 or Brian Frye, the Post Oratorical Committee
Chairman, at (301) 860-1717.
Each year thousands of high school students gain a
deeper understanding of the U.S. Constitution and share that knowledge
with a vast audience through the American Legion High School Oratorical
Contest. Hundreds of students win scholarship awards at the Post level for
speeches that explore the substance and meaning of the Constitution. 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, rights and
privileges of American citizenship.
The contest consists of a prepared oration between
8-10 ten minutes in length and a short oration on an assigned topic
between 3-5 minutes in length. State and local contests run annually
January through March, culminating at the national level in April. In
Maryland, local Posts participating in the contest conduct the initial
program and send their respective winners to the county level and then on
to the state finals. The Maryland champion then competes at the regional
and possibly national level. The three national finalists compete for
scholarships ranging from $14,000 to a top award of $18,000 going to the
winning oratorical.
The local contest in Bowie offers $500, $300, and
$200 for the top three competitors. The American Legion encourages parents
and school administrators to support this annual competition which
instills Americanism in our high school students across the country.
A few Volunteers to be time keepers and escorts
are needed and should see Brian Frye for details.
