The following is a release from the American Legion Post #18:

 

The American Legion Department of New Mexico and Silver City Post #18 will be hosting a High School Oratorical Scholarship Program on January 11th, 2014 at the WNMU Global Resource Center from 12 noon to 5:00pm.

Titled “A Constitutional Speech Contest”, the program is designed to develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States on the part of high school students. Other objectives of the contest include the development of leadership qualities and the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently.

Ten area students, representing Cliff High School, Cobre High School and Silver High School, will deliver an eight to ten minute prepared oration as well as a three to five minute assigned presentation. The assigned topic will be selected from a choice of four predetermined topics and told to each student five minutes before delivery. This year’s assigned topics are Amendments One, Four, Thirteen and Twenty-one.

Judges for the contest are prominent area citizens who have volunteered to remain anonymous until completion ff the contest. Judges will be seated throughout the audience to maintain their anonymity.

A $500.00 scholarship will be presented to the 1st place contestant in the Post #18 contest. The top contestant will represent Grant County in the Department of New Mexico contest to be held on January 25th in Albuquerque, NM. The department winner will represent New Mexico in the American Legion National competition which will take place April 4th through 6th in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Scholarships in the amount of $18,000.00, $16,000.00 and $14,000.00 will be awarded to the top three national finalists as well as a $1,500.00 scholarship to individual department winners.

The National Organization of the American Legion will pay the travel and lodging expenses of department winners and their chaperones to the national contest. All contestants must be accompanied by a chaperone over 21 years of age.

The oratorical scholarship presentation is open to the public and attendance is encouraged. There is no admission fee.