VHSL 1CD Super Regions
2021 — NSDA Campus, VA/US
Original Oratory
Event Description:
Purpose of Contest: The purpose of the original oratory contest is to train and encourage students to present speeches intelligently and truthfully, in an interesting and original manner, direct and conversational in delivery, clear in the arrangement and presentation, and with some profit to an audience, on any worthwhile topic suitable for a public speech.
Contest Regulations:
1. Each contestant shall deliver an original speech of his/her own writing not to exceed ten minutes in delivery. Any contestant who exceeds the established time limit by more than 30 seconds may not rank first or score highest in the round. The adjudicator will not provide time signals, nor may a student time him/herself. There is no minimum time requirement. Contestant must present the same speech in each round of a given tournament.
2. A speaker may not use a speech he has delivered in any previous year’s contest. The oration shall contain no more than 150 words of directly quoted material, nor shall the oration be a paraphrase taken completely from one source. The speaker shall clearly acknowledge the sources of any quotations used.
3. Speeches shall have been thoroughly prepared. During the delivery of his speech, the speaker shall be allowed to use both sides of two notecards each of which may not exceed 4” X 6” in size.
4. Each speaker is to prepare a manuscript of his speech for each round of the competition.