Eighty Fourth edition of
THE AMERICAN LEGION
High School Oratorical Scholarship Program
“A Constitutional Speech Contest”
The American Legion Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution among high school students. Since 1938, the program has presented participants with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s laws, the ability to think and speak clearly, and an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship.
Young orators earn some of the most generous college scholarships available to high school students. Over $203,500 in scholarships can be awarded each year. The overall national contest winner gets a $25,000 scholarship. Second place takes home $22,500, and third gets $20,000. Each department (state) winner who is certified into and participates in the national contest’s first round receives a $2,000 scholarship. Those who advance past the first round receive an additional $2,000 scholarship. The American Legion’s National Organization awards the scholarships, which can be used at any college or university in the United States.
The New Jersey Contest will award a $4,000 scholarship for the first place winner, $2,500 for second place, $2,000 for third place and $1,000 each for fourth and fifth place.
The New Jersey winner will advance to the National Finals Contest, a weekend’s competition of Quarter-final, Semi-final and National final contests that are at Hillsdale College in Michigan.
NATIONAL FINALS – May 17 through May 19, 2024
Quarter Finals and Semi-Finals Saturday May 18, 2024 – Final Round Sunday May 19, 2024
Hillsdale College
33 East College Street
Hillsdale Michigan 49242
317-437-7341
Eligible participants must be citizens of or lawful permanent residents of the United States. All contestants must be bona fide students herein described as any student under the age of 20 years on the date of the national contest who is presently enrolled in a high school or junior high school (public, parochial, military, private or home school). The curriculum of the school must be considered to be of high school level, commencing with grade 9 and terminating with grade 12. Students must be enrolled in high school or junior high school during the time of participation at any level of The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest. Contestants must either be legally domiciled within or attend an educational institution within the department that they enter competition. Contestants can enter competition through only one department.
High school students that graduate early during the school year are eligible to compete if they are not enrolled in a college, university, trade school or other institution of higher learning at the time of the department finals contest.
The three finalists of the national contest are ineligible for further participation at any level.
DEPARTMENT CONTEST TIME SCHEDULE
POST LEVEL - to be completed by February 3, 2024 (results to the County Chairperson by February 10, 2024)
COUNTY LEVEL - to be completed by February 17, 2024 (results to the District Chairperson by February 24, 2024)
DISTRICT LEVEL -to be completed by March 16, 2024 (results to the Department and the Department
Chairman immediately after contest completion)
District 3 Competition: March 9, 2024
Woodbridge Municipal Building
contestants arriving by 10:30am Contest 11:00am
1 Main Street, Woodbridge NJ 07095
District 4 Competition: Tuesday March 12, 2024 6:30 pm to 10pm
Maple Shade Fire Department Hall
53 South Maple Ave, Maple Shade, N.J. 08052
DEPARTMENT FINALS will be held on March 30, 2024, at the Joyce Kilmer Post 25 – 4 J. F. Kennedy Drive Milltown NJ 08850 at 9:00 a.m.
National Quarter Finals Round will be held Saturday morning, May 18th, 2024.
National Semi-Finals Round will be held on Saturday afternoon, May 18th, 2024.
National Final Round will be held Sunday morning, May 19th, 2024.
The contact information listed is provided for your convenience.
Find the county that you live in or attend school in and contact the associated District Chairman for guidance.
Department Chairman
Dan Channel
d.channel@njamericanlegion.org
908-347-7362
Department Vice Chairman
Phillip Wien
philwien3170@gmail.com
609-678-6768
District Chairmen
District #1- Darrell Collins
Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaicd
d.collins@njamericanlegion.org
District #2 - Ellis Marples
Morris, Sussex, Union and Warren
e.marples@njamericanlegion.org
District #3 – Daniel Dunn
Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset
and Monmouth
d.dunn@njamericanlegion.org
732-602-7815
District #4 – Phillip Wien
Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean
philwien3170@gmail.com
609-678-6768
District #5 – Patricia Tatum
Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem
ptatumnj@gmail.com
609-703-2467
The Prepared Oration
The oration must be on some aspect of the Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen’s duties and obligations to our government. The same subject and oration used in the department contest must be used in the national contest.
Contestants may have a copy of their prepared oration while waiting in the first holding room. They may consult the copy until they exit to begin the contest. The copy will then be surrendered to the contest official monitoring the first holding room.
Quotations must always be indicated as such. Where quotations are more than 10 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 in a foreign language to develop the argument, establish a point, etc. It should be understood that the vast majority of the prepared oration and/or assigned topic must still be delivered in English. Singing is not permitted and will result in immediate disqualification. The contestant may, however, quote a verse(s) of a song(s) provided proper attribution is made.
Assigned Topic Discourse
The assigned topic discourse must not consume less than three (3) minutes or more than five (5) minutes for delivery. The purpose of the assigned topic discourse is to test the speaker's knowledge of the subject, the extent of his or her research, and the ability to discuss the topic as related to the basic principles of government under the Constitution.
The assigned topic shall be drawn by the contest official in full view of the audience immediately before the last speaker begins delivery of his or her prepared oration and will be made known to the audience and each contestant approximately five (5) minutes prior to the time of delivery. The topic will be on some phase of the U.S. Constitution, selected from Articles and Sections as listed under assigned topics for the current year's contest in this brochure.
All contestants at each contest level are required to speak in the English language on the same assigned topic.
Amendment II – A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment XXIII – The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the State, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.
Amendment XXV, Section 3 – Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
Amendment V – No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, not be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
PHONE: 609-695-5418
EMAIL: information@njamericanlegion.org
ADDRESS: 171 Jersey Street, Bldg 5 second FL, Trenton, NJ 08611
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