friar1610
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2002
- Messages
- 1,641
Last Saturday I was a judge for the American Legion Oratorical Contest in our small Vermont town. This is a program that has been going for years. HS kids have to do two things:
- Give an 8 - 10 minute prepared presentation on an aspect of the Constitution (of their own choosing). They have to speak without notes or prompting. Although the topic is of their own choosing, they're required to work in "rights and responsibilities" of citizenship.
- Give a 3 -5 minute "assigned topic" talk, also without notes. There are 5 dfferent topics, also related to the Constitution, which are known well in advance. The topic for the competition is picked out of a hat. (So, they have to have prepared for all 5 and be ready to go with one.)
I was absolutely humbled by the poise, speaking ability and knowledge of these HS kids, several of whom will go on to a state and, if successful, a national competition.
It's easy to look at kids with the baggy shorts, backwards baseball hats, earrings, etc. and tend to write them off. But I was certainly impressed with those I saw last Saturday.
- Give an 8 - 10 minute prepared presentation on an aspect of the Constitution (of their own choosing). They have to speak without notes or prompting. Although the topic is of their own choosing, they're required to work in "rights and responsibilities" of citizenship.
- Give a 3 -5 minute "assigned topic" talk, also without notes. There are 5 dfferent topics, also related to the Constitution, which are known well in advance. The topic for the competition is picked out of a hat. (So, they have to have prepared for all 5 and be ready to go with one.)
I was absolutely humbled by the poise, speaking ability and knowledge of these HS kids, several of whom will go on to a state and, if successful, a national competition.
It's easy to look at kids with the baggy shorts, backwards baseball hats, earrings, etc. and tend to write them off. But I was certainly impressed with those I saw last Saturday.