THE AMERICAN LEGION – Oratorical Contest
Department of California
District 18
The monthly meeting of District 18, The American Legion, will be held Friday, October 16th , 7:30 p.m., with Commander George “Bucky” Curtis of Covina presiding. The meeting will be hosted by Abraham Lincoln Post 241, 4725 Maine Ave., Baldwin Park. Dinner precedes the meeting at 6:00 p.m., and reservations for dinner should be made by calling the Post at 626-337-1944.
Service Officer Henry J. Hicks of West Covina emphasizes the importance of today’s service members knowing they are not on their own when they leave the military as there are American Legion Service Officers throughout the country offering transition assistance. Many veterans are not aware of their benefits, such as small business loans, home loans and educational opportunities. Hicks can be reached at 626-839-7724 for additional information.
Posts in the District are currently contacting local high schools with information on the National High School Oratorical Contest. High school counselors, teachers and speech coaches are furnished the background and rules for the competition which involves a prepared oration of eight to ten minutes in length about some phase of the Constitution Inflatable Water Slide of the United States and an extemporaneous dissertation of three to five minutes on a related subject from the Constitutional Amendments.
In additional to awards to winners in the various elimination rounds of competition, college scholarships of $18,000, $16,000 and $ 14,000 are awarded by the National organization in the last round of the contest. Each state winner who competes in the first round of the National contest will receive a $1,500 scholarship. The top three youthful orators who have won all previous elimination rounds of the contest will vie for top honors in the National contest April 9th & 10th , 2010.University Place Conference Center & Hotel, Indianapolis, IN. California has more national winners than any other state. High school students, citizens of or lawful permanent residents of the United States, interested in entering the competition will find complete rules and contest information at their schools, or call the District Chairman Peggy McIntosh at 626-287-0139.
