Gilbert Water Tower Speech Tournament

2025 — Gilbert, AZ/US

Original Spoken Word Poetry

Abbreviation OSW
Format Speech
Entry Fee $7.00
Entry 1 competitors per entry

Event Description:


Event Timing: AZ Rules for Prelims and Semi-Finals
3 minutes

+5 second grace period

If student goes 3:06, they may not be ranked first in round

No minimum time
--NO BLACK BOOK/MANUSCRIPT--

Note: In Prelims, OSW competitors will perform a different poem each round. In Semi-finals, students will perform their favorite/best poem that they performed in prelims. For Finals, students will perform ALL THREE of their prelim poems in a row. The timing is different for this round. See below.

Event Timing: AZ Rules for Finals
10 minutes - ALL THREE POEMS performed in a ROW

NO grace period

If student goes 10:01, they may not be ranked first in round

No minimum time for all three poems
--NO BLACK BOOK/MANUSCRIPT--

Judging/Scoring

Points should be awarded for:

  • Expression of ideas

  • Wording, rhythm, how the ideas are presented in words

  • How it flows

  • Dynamics and speed should accent the words themselves

  • There may be blocking, but it should only enhance the words, not overshadow them

First place gets MOST speaker points, second place gets second most, etc.