Oratorical Contest The World Championship Oratorical Contest

1 Club Oratorical 2021-2022. Oratorical Contest The World Championship Oratorical Contest Districts may enter one contestant into the World Regional 2021-2022 and World Championship Contests held July 20-22, 2022 at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Please encourage Club Chair Planning Guide your District Clubs and Members to help fund your District Winner and chaperone to attend the Optimist International Topic: World Championships. Staying Optimistic in Challenging All District winners are strongly encouraged to compete at Times the World Oratorical Championships in person at the designated locations. Purpose How to Enter Since its start in 1928, the Optimist Oratorical Contest Interested youth should prepare a 4 to 5 minute speech has become the longest-running program sponsored by on the assigned topic to be presented at their local Optimist Optimist International.

2 The Contest is designed for youth to Club's Contest . The speeches are judged at the Club level, gain experience in public speaking, perfect self-expression, Zone level, District Regional level (if needed) and then at the gain self-assurance, improve communication skills, and District level prior to the Optimist International Oratorical provide them with the opportunity to compete for a college World Championships. Clubs and Districts may choose to scholarship . allow contestants to compete via online streaming. Funding Eligibility Criteria The Optimist Oratorical Scholarships are funded by The Contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as member donations to the Optimist International of October 1st of the current Optimist International Contest Foundation and Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation. year (October 1 September 30) and who have not yet It is important that all Members understand the significance completed secondary school or its equivalent, including of supporting the Foundations in order to continue the CEGEP students in Qu bec, Canada.

3 There is no minimum funding for the Contest . Please make sure to recognize the age. Foundations and any member that donates funds to the scholarships. Without them, there are no scholarships! Minimum Number of Participants There is no minimum required number of participants for Club Club Contests Contests. Zone, Regional and District Contests must have no A Club may be represented at District level by only two fewer than three participants. qualified contestants. All Club submissions should be run In cases where the minimum number of three contestants through a plagiarism checker before being forwarded to the at the Zone or District Regional Contest cannot be met, next level. there are two options: A. Send winners directly to the next level of the Contest . District Contests B. Combine Zone or District Regional level contests. Each winner of the District level Contest will receive a scholarship for use at a college, university or trade school only.

4 Contest Deadlines There will be three winners awarded scholarships of $2,500, Club Contest dates are set by the Club Chair, once the $1,500 and $1,000 respectively for first, second and third place. Zone and District dates have been obtained. Zone Contest dates are set by the District Oratorical Chair with the 1. 2021-2022. The District Oratorical Contest Chair is responsible for Introduce the judges and timekeeper all phases of the Oratorical Contests in the District. All Take lots of pictures for press releases District competitions must be conducted by Optimists Have the first-place winners sign any required forms for the next Contest level before they leave only, and this responsibility must not be delegated to outside groups. After the Club Contest Club Contest Day Checklist The Club Chair should: Get to the Contest location early and make sure: 1.

5 Announce the winners to the audience and Seating is sufficient present their medallions. Podium/lectern is present (with portable 2. Have the winners sign their Zone/District steps is suggested) Regional/District Entry Form Microphone is working 3. Announce the date and location of the Zone Awards are present Contest . Certificates are signed and present 4. Submit for each winner: _____ Recognition Certificates or Plaques are present _____Zone/District Regional/District Entry Form to any Club sponsor or donor to the program. _____Student's Application Form Video camera (optional) is set up in an _____Copy of speech appropriate place _____Entry fee (if applicable). Assistants are aware of their responsibilities **A copy of the contestants ID (passport/birth Sergeants-at-Arms are aware of certificate) is only needed for District winners.

6 Their responsibilities in recording protest (see guidelines) To the Zone/District Regional/District Chair Contestant's briefing is held 5. Complete the Club Chair Evaluation Form and Judges' briefing is held (it is strongly suggested mail or email it to that the same judges be used for boy/girl contests) Optimist International Contestants draw letters for speaking order Attn: Oratorical Coordinator The emcee begins the Contest on time 4494 Lindell Blvd _____ Remember to talk about your Club between St. Louis, MO 63108. speakers Or _____ Have membership brochures handy Email: _____ Be sure to recognize sponsors and/or donors Once All Speakers Have Finished: Judges and timekeepers total their individual scores for each contestant, sign their score sheets, and give them to the Contest Chair Contest Chair leaves the room to review and rule on protests, and to complete scoring procedure Announce the winners Present each winner with their award and give the date and location of the next Contest level 2.

7 Application for 2021-2022 Optimist International Oratorical Contest Name Parent or Guardian Permission: Address City I give my permission for my child/ward to participate in this Contest . State/Province/Country Zip/Postal Code Signature Date / /. Telephone ( ) E-mail Relationship Date of Birth / / Age I, grant the Optimist Club/International my permission Have you participated in any other Optimist Club's Oratorical Contest this school year? Yes No to use a picture/video of my son/daughter for their public relations Contestant Agreement: purposes. Optimist Club/International may use the photo/video in any publication they see fit. Sponsoring Optimist Club Name I have studied the rules of the Contest , and I will be bound by all of the requirements. Contestant's Signature Date / / Sponsoring Optimist Club Number Language speech will be spoken in: English French Topic: Staying Optimistic in Challenging Times For more information contact:_____.

8 Address_____ Phone Number:_____. Official Rules club scholarship separate from Optimist International. the judges and timekeeper have started deliberations. 2. 6. Failure to complete speech disqualification District winners must provide a copy of the birth 11. Any protest in the conduct at any level of this contest3. 7. Use of audience prompters - disqualification Section l General Rules certificate or passport with District entry documentation must be made immediately after the condition is noted. 1. The Optimist International Oratorical Contest will begin at 5. A printed copy of the speech must be furnished either Protests received after the next contestant has been Section VI Awards the Club level, proceed to the Zone and District level and before or after the speech. introduced, or in the case of the last contestant, after the 1.

9 Club Level Medallion end with a Contest at World Championships level. judges leave to total the scores, will not be accepted under 2. Zone Level Plaque 2. Contestants must enter through a local Optimist Club. Section III Contest Rules any circumstances. 3. District Regional Level Plaque 3. The official application must be completed by each 1. All contestants must speak on the official topic. 12. The Contest Chairperson will decide all protests in 4. District Plaque and scholarship contestant and submitted to the sponsoring Club's Contest 2. A speech may be delivered in English or French. accordance with the official rules. The decision of the Chair. 3. All contestants must state the official topic in the first Contest Chair is final and no higher appeals will be Each winner of the District level Contest will receive a 4. Clubs, Zones and Districts will have a combined gender sentence of the speech.

10 Timing will begin with the first recognized. In the case of Club contests, the Club Contest scholarship for use at a college, university or trade school contests. spoken word. A 3-point penalty is automatically assessed Chair has this authority. In the case of Zone and District only. Three winners awarded scholarships of $2,500, $1,500. 5. No Zone, Regional, or District level Contest shall by the timekeeper for failure to state the official topic in contests, the final authority is vested in the District and $1,000 respectively for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. have fewer than 3 or more than 20 contestants the first sentence. Contest Chair. The Zone Chair has the authority to handle All scholarships will be payable to the educational institution competing. 4. Any quotation, copyrighted, or largely paraphrased protests that may arise during the Zone competition with of the recipient's choice, subject to the approval of Optimist 6.