What to Prepare
Part One: THE PREPARED ORATION
Contestants must prepare an original oration from memory on a phase of the Constitution of the United States which will give emphasis to the attendant duties and obligations of a citizen to our government.
The prepared oration must be the original effort of each contestant and cannot be less than eight minutes or more than ten minutes for delivery.
In the Prepared Oration, as well as in the Assigned Topics, quotations must be indicated as such. Where quotations are more than ten (10) words in length, the author’s name must be given in the manuscript and cited orally.
Contestants may have in their procession a copy of their prepared oration in the first holding room. The copy may be in electronic or paper form. They may consult the copy of their prepared oration until they exit the holding room in order to begin the contest, at which time the copy of the prepared oration will be surrendered to the contestant official who is monitoring the first holding room.
Note: The same subject and oration used at the state contest must be used at the National level
Part Two: ASSIGNED TOPICS
The purpose of the Assigned Topics is to test the speaker’s knowledge of the subject, the extent of his research, and the ability to discuss the assigned topic as related to the basic principles of government under the Constitution. The Assigned Topic Oration cannot be less than three minutes or more than five minutes for delivery.
The Assigned Topic shall be drawn at random by the contest official in full view of the audience, immediately before the last speaker begins delivery of his or her Prepared Oration. Each contestant will be given approximately five (5) minutes to prepare for their assigned topic speech. After the five minute time frame is up, the contestant will be brought back to the stage to delivery their Assigned Topic Oration.
All contestants, at each contest level, are required to speak on the same Assigned Topic.
**Each Assigned Topic goes in a blank, sealed envelope and is selected at random on the day of the contest. Participants should be knowledgeable on each topic so they can prepare their speech in the five minute time frame**