2009 QUAD COUNTY

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ORATORICAL COMPETITION INFORMATION


PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

SUN, FEBRUARY 15, 2009

ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY

2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

FINALS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2009

ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY

1:30 PM – 5:00 PM

THE DELTA XI LAMBDA CHAPTER OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. (HANKINS/JOHNSON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.), Education Committee,is sponsoringthe 2009 Quad County Oratorical Contest for middle and high school students in four Central Florida Counties (Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole). The purpose of the contest is to develop knowledge and appreciation of the art of public speaking, the ability to think and speak clearly and critically on the assigned topic. The competition meets guidelines of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
AWARDS
EACH GRADE WILL AWARD THREE WINNERS
1st Place / Gold Medal
2nd Place / Silver Medal
3rd Place / Bronze Medal
FINALS SCHEDULE@ ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY
6th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20092:00 PM
7th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20092:30 PM
8th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20093:00 PM
9th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20093:30 PM
10th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20094:00 PM
11th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20094:30 PM
12th grade / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20095:00 PM
AWARDS / SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20095:30 PM
PREPARED ORATION
Each contestant shall deliver a prepared oration, which must be an original effort. Plagiarism may cause disqualification. A student shall use the same subject for the oration throughout all contests.
The oration in all contests, must last between four minutes, thirty seconds and seven minutes.
Quotations must be clearly indicated. If quotations exceed ten words, the author’s name shall be given both orally and in the manuscript. All speeches are delivered in English (except for short phrases from other languages).
DELIVERY TIME
Prepared Oration shall be not less than 4 minutes and 30 seconds and not more than 7 minutesIf a contestant uses less than the minimum or more than the maximum time, a penalty of one point for each minute (or fraction thereof) is deducted from the contestant’s total score.
TOPIC
Changing Paradigms:
Black Leadership in Transition
ELIGIBILITY
All contestants shall be citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States, and presently enrolled in grades 6 through 12, in a Lake, Orange, Osceola or Seminole County Middle or High School (public, parochial, military or private). Home schooled students are eligible.
Competition is open to the public, with no admission charge. Schools and the public, generally, are invited to cooperate with the Foundation in promoting this educational enterprise. Constructive criticisms and suggestions are considered by the Committee at its annual retreat.
CRITERIA FOR SPEECHES
A. Content
1. Originality, freshness, directness, applies knowledge. Relevancy to subject. Information flow to audience. Staying on topic. Originality of assigned topic discourse.
2. Skill in selecting examples, description, analogies, specific data. Examples applicable, relevant. Adequate information on examples. Proper credit to quotations or borrowed subject matter.
3. Logic (correct inference). Support to illustrations. Properly drawn conclusions. Consistencies in application.
4. Comprehensiveness of knowledge, knows the subject matter. Plagiarism? Unity of thought. Topic significance. Overall impression compared to component parts. Discussion value of assigned topic discourse. Informational and educational to audience.
B. Speaking Skills
1. Voice and Diction. Detract from content? Pitch. Proper inflection. Understandability. Proper voice volume Understandability. Proper voice volume for physical conditions. Articulation. Enunciation. Pronunciation.
2. Style: language use, word arrangement, word selection. Succinct sentences. Ease of interpretation. Grammar. Extraneous clauses or phrases? Smooth, continuous transition of sentences, paragraphs. Speech structure: Introduction, main body, summary, conclusion.
3. Body action: poise, gestures. Ease while speaking. Eye contact. Alert posture. Not too dramatic. /
Prepared Oration
Prepared Oration
Prepared Oration
Prepared Oration
Prepared Oration
Prepared Oration
Prepared Oration
Total Points /
12 pts.
.
12 pts.
12 pts.
.
16 pts.
6 pts.
.
6 pts.
6 pts.
_____
Penalties:
  • 1 point for each minute (or fraction thereof) over or under allotted time
  • 1-10 points for failure to speak on the topic
Notes:
METHODS OF JUDGING
Contests may have three or five judges. Judges should be trained or experienced in public speaking, and (preferably) previously judged speech contests. Judges should not have judged a prior contest including the contestant, or be employed by a school represented by a contestant. Arrangements for judges are made by the Chair of each contest, who should brief the judges before the contest. During the contest, judges are seated in designated locations. Each judge individually ranks the contestants without consulting anyone else. Judges must use and follow the scorecard in the section "Criteria for Speeches" above. Tabulators check each scorecard and then tally the rankings.
CERTIFICATION OF CONTESTANTS
Each contestant, to advance, must be certified the winner of each prior contest. If a contest has only one contestant, that student advances to the next higher level. If a winner is disqualified, withdraws, or cannot compete, then the runner-up may advance. If a substitute contestant would delay the contest, the contest shall proceed among available contestants.
OTHER CONTEST RULES
  • Publicity – The names of contestants may be released to the media for publicity purposes. Interviews or photographs of contestants are prohibited before the contest. No publicity shall be given to the judges before the contest, who are introduced only after announcement of their decision.
  • Broadcasts – Television and radio recording is permitted if the normal speaking voice of the contestant is not interfered with or amplified within the auditorium, the lighting and other conditions are the same for all contestants, and provided the Legion is not obligated financially. Satisfactory arrangements for recording must be made in advance with the Chair of the contest and with the person in charge of the building. Recording shall not change the contest schedule, nor distract the contestants. Any other electronic/digital data gathering, receiving and/or transmitting equipment shall not be used by contestants or audience members during the contest.
  • Copies of Prepared Oration – Contestants shall give the Chair two typed copies (double spaced, 14pt) of their prepared oration, which clearly show the title. Contestants may possess and consult a copy of their oration.
  • Dress – Contestants shall not wear uniforms, or awards and medals from previous competition. Business attire is recommended for all contestants.
    Notes and Rostrums – Contestants may use notes, speaker’s stands, or amplification systems while speaking.Prompting is not allowed, nor props of any kind.
  • Applause – The Chair at each contest shall try to prevent applause until all contestants speak, so that speakers are judged on merit.
    Order of Speaking – Contestants speak in the order determined by a drawing conducted with the Chair, who will refer to the speakers only as Number 1, Number 2, etc.
  • Announcement of Winner – The Chair does not introduce the contestants by name until after the judges have finished all scoring. The Chapter President/Foundation Chair shall announce the winners. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.
  • Time Keeper – The Chair names an official timer to keep an accurate time record of each contestant. The timer shall sit on the main floor in full view of the contestants. The timer has a stop watch and time cards with the figures 5, 6 and 7. Timing starts when the contestant starts speaking. When 4 minutes pass in the Prepared Oration, the GREEN card with the figure “5” is placed in full view of the speaker, followed by the YELLOW “6” card at the end of 5 minutes, and the RED “7” at the end of 6 minutes.
  • Tabulators – The Chair appoints the Tabulator to compile and check the judges’ scorecards before handing them to the Chair. The Chair and the Tabulators shall not divulge the judges’ scorecards to anyone at the site of the contest. Persons interested in the scoring, for professional purposes, may request, from the Chair, copies of the scores of a contestant (with judges’ names omitted).

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Rodney Rackley, Director of Educational Activities at (407) 240-3811, 407-832-7689 or email at .

Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity is the first intercollegiate Greek letter fraternity established by African Americans. Founded on December 4, 1906 on the campus of CornellUniversity. Alpha Phi Alpha men are dedicated to “Manly Deeds, Scholarship and Love for all mankind.” The organization achieves these goals through service to others.