THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF HAWAII
612 MCCULLY STREET HONOLULU, HAWAII 96826
(808) 946-6383, oratorical@hilegion.org)
THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF HAWAII'S ORATORICAL
The American Legion, Department of Hawaii Notice: November 23rd, 2024
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We invite your students to participate in the 2025 American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program, which is “A Constitutional Speech Contest,” to be held on March 15, 2025 at the Oahu Veterans Center, 1298 Kukila Street, Honolulu HI 96818. The purpose of the contest is to instill a better knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States in high school students. It also develops leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly and the preparation for acceptance of the duties, responsibilities, and privileges of American citizenship. Our 2022, 2023 & 2024 winners hailed from Radford High School [Honolulu, (Oahu)] and Konawaena High School [Kealakekua (Hawaii)]! Our last Hawaii Constitutionalist to win the National Scholarships was Robert H. Maus in 1976.
Young orators earn some of the most generous college scholarships available to high school students. Over $203,500 in scholarships can be awarded each year. The overall National Contest Winner gets a $25,000 scholarship, second place takes home $22,500, and third gets $20,000. Each State’s certified winner that participates in the National contest’s first round will receive an additional $2,000 scholarship. Those contestants who advance to the semifinals, 2nd round, receive an additional $2,000 scholarship. The American Legion’s National Organization awards the scholarships, which may be used in any college or university in the United States.
To qualify for the National Contest, the contestant must first participate in the State of Hawaii contest which will be held on March 15, 2025, 0900, at Oahu Veterans Center, 1298 Kukila St. Honolulu HI. The contestants will receive check awards; 1st place $1,000.00, 2nd place $500.00 and 3rd place $300.00. The winner and their chaperone will receive airfare and hotel accommodations to represent Hawaii in the National Finals, which will be May 16-18 in Hillsdale, Mich., at Hillsdale College. Quarterfinal and semifinal contests are scheduled for Saturday, May 17 with the finals scheduled for Sunday, May 18. All contestants and chaperones will arrive the Friday of the contest weekend. All contestants and chaperones will reside on campus at Hillsdale College. A mandatory pre-contest orientation session for all contestants will take place the Friday evening of the contest weekend. A banquet honoring all contestants will be Sunday afternoon, following the morning’s national championship contest. A chaperone over 21 years of age must accompany each contestant to the National Contest.
The following website will help participants obtain requirements & rules on the National Contest: https://www.legion.org/get-involved/youth-programs/oratorical-contest. I recommend viewing the past national winners available on YouTube such as “2024 American Legion National Oratorical Contest Finals Champion.” And “2024 American Legion National Oratorical Contest Finals.”
Each participant should complete the TYPED application and ensure it will be received at the American Legion Department of Hawaii by 10Mar2025.
Mahalo for encouraging your student’s participation!
Typed applications should be scanned & emailed to oratorical@hilegion.org or snail mail received by March 10, 2025 to:
The American Legion Department of Hawaii
Attn: Oratorical Contest Committee
612 McCully Street
Honolulu, HI 96826
Sincerely,
CR Drumheller
Department of Hawaii Oratorical Chairman
(808-927-9663)
oratorical@hilegion.org
HIGH SCHOOL ORATORICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
CONSTITUTIONAL SPEECH CONTEST APPLICATION DATA
TYPE all required information (handwritten forms are difficult to read)
*The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires you to provide your full name (including middle name), date of birth, and gender as it appears on your government issued form of identification.
Student Information:
I shall participate in The American Legion 2025 High School Oratorical Program.
Application Date:
*Full Name:
FIRST MIDDLE LAST SUFFIX
*Date of Birth:
*Gender:
Age:
Grade:
STREET CITY STATE ZIP CODE
Name of High School:
*Mother's Name:
Home Phone: Cell Phone:
*Father's Name:
Home Phone: Cell Phone:
*Should you win, who will escort you to the National Oratorical?
What is your preferred airport to & from Home?
List school or class offices you hold or held (attach additional pages if necessary):
Extracurricular actives in which you participated (attach additional pages if necessary):
College or University you plan to attend:
Career you desire:
Chaperone for Student Selected to Attend the National Oratorical Contest?
A chaperone over 21 years of age must accompany each contestant to the National Contest.
*Name:
Relationship to Student:
E-Mail:
Home Phone: Cell Phone:
Name of Teacher or Speech Coach:
Name:
School:
School Address:
E-Mail:
Home /office Phone: Cell Phone:
CONTESTANT CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify the above-named student is enrolled at:
School:
Current Grade:
Principal’s Printed Name & Signature:
(please copy principal when submitting as certification)
Principal’s Email Address:
This application must be completed and received by the American Legion Department of Hawaii by 10Mar2025
NOTE: THIS FORM MAY BE SHARED
Oratorical Contest Assigned Topics
The assigned topic discourse must not consume less than three (3) minutes or more than five (5) minutes for delivery. The purpose of the assigned topic discourse is to test the speaker's knowledge of the subject, the extent of his or her research, and the ability to discuss the topic as related to the basic principles of government under the Constitution.
The assigned topic shall be drawn by the contest official in full view of the audience immediately before the last speaker begins delivery of his or her prepared oration and will be made known to the audience and each contestant approximately five (5) minutes prior to the time of delivery. The topic will be on some phase of the U.S. Constitution, selected from Articles and Sections as listed under assigned topics for the current year's contest in this brochure.
All contestants at each contest level are required to speak in the English language on the same assigned topic.
Assigned Topics for 2025 Oratorical Contest
Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment VII
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment XVIII
Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.
Amendment XXVI
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.