Skyhawk Smackdown

2022 — Salem, UT/US

Oratory--Varsity- A In Person

Abbreviation VOO
Format Speech
Entry Fee $4.00
Overall Entry Limit 40
Entry Limit Per School 3
Entry 1 competitors per entry

Event Description:

You can leave and save comments for each individual separately and then comments to team as a whole. Please make sure to leave something. You should enter your decision first and then you can update or put in comments later if needed or type as you go.

Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic, and emotional appeals. Topics range widely, and can be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is delivered from memory.

Original Oratory is a speech written by the student with the intent to inform or persuade the audience on a topic of significance. Oratory gives students the unique opportunity to showcase their voice and passion for their topic.

An Oratory is not simply an essay about the topic—it is a well researched and organized presentation with evidence, logic, emotional appeals, and sometimes humor to convey a message. Topics may be of a value orientation and affect people at a personal level, such as avoiding peer pressure, or they can be more of a policy orientation and ask an audience to enact particular policies or solve societal problems.

An oratory speech should be 8-10 minutes in length, and no notes used. If they do use notes, please mark them down one from what they would have received. If they go over time (30 sec grace usually), mark them as you normally would and click the overtime box.