Kennedy Middle School Speech Tournament

2023 — Cupertino, CA/US

• Invite
• Entries
• Pairings
• Results

Original

Event Description:

Original Oratory (OO)

A self-written, persuasive speech on a societal topic of the speaker’s choosing. Competitors craft an argument using the foundations of rhetoric, including utilization of evidence, logic, and emotional appeals. Topics range widely, but should be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech must be delivered from memory. The speech should call for the audience to solve the issue.

• Timing: A 10 minute speech; 30 second grace period

Rules/Regulations: All direct quotations and primary sources must be cited verbally within the body of the speech (up to 150 quoted words). Use of another person’s words or ideas without crediting them is plagiarism and is strictly forbidden. No props, audio, or visual aids may be used. Profanity, obscene content, and vulgar language are strictly prohibited. The speech must be written entirely by the speaker, though quotes from verbally cited sources may be included. Students may request time signals from the judge, but are responsible for ensuring that their performance is within the aforementioned time guidelines.