Clear, 51° F
In the last article that was presented, the Americanism pillar for The American Legion was addressed. One of the main programs that this pillar uses is The American Legion Oratorical Contest. The …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
The Powell Tribune has expanded its online content. To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free web account by clicking here.
If you already have a web account, but need to reset it, you can do so by clicking here.
If you would like to purchase a subscription click here.
Please log in to continue |
|
In the last article that was presented, the Americanism pillar for The American Legion was addressed. One of the main programs that this pillar uses is The American Legion Oratorical Contest. The oratorical contest is a high school speech contest that allows the youth of our nation to explore and understand the United States Constitution while developing confidence, leadership and communication skills. Since 1938, the program has prepared young people for citizenship through critical thinking and public speaking.
More than a scholarship competition, the contest is an inspiring experience that restores faith in the future of our democracy. Contestants gain a deeper appreciation for the Constitution and the responsibilities of American citizenship, while building integrity, advocacy skills and respect for civic engagement. For many participants, it’s about discovering their voice, strengthening their character, and carrying forward the legacy of American democracy.
There are two oration components that the contestants will present during the contest, including a prepared oration of eight to 10 minutes on any topic of their choosing for the Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution. There will be an assigned topic to test the speaker’s knowledge of the subject selected from an article or section of the United States Constitution. This year’s contest assigned topics are Amendment IV, Article III Section 3, Article IV Section 4, and Article VI Clause 3. All of these can be found in the United States Constitution.
The American Legion in Powell has been very involved with the oratorical program and has had the first place state of Wyoming winner in 2020 to 2023, with Emma Johnson placing third at the national competition in 2023. This was the highest place for the state of Wyoming since the beginning of the competition.
This contest awards scholarships for all levels of competition. A student can participate in all years of its high school career. This allows them to accumulate scholarship earnings.
The American Legion of Powell will be having their oratorical contest on Dec. 11, 2025 at 6 p.m. If you have a high school student or are a high school student who is interested, please contact Jayson Nicholson at jayson.nicholson@gmail.com, or Danielle Rempfer at rempferdg@gmail.com.
(Russell Stafford is the past Post 26 commander and the commander of The American Legion Department of Wyoming.)
