Speech Contest

Students author and deliver a six to seven-minute speech on a current events topic. Competitors create the speech to educate the audience on the topic. All topics must be informative in nature; the goal is to educate, not to advocate. Visual aids are permitted, but not required. Record yourself giving your speech and upload it to YouTube or Vimeo. Submit the link to your speech on the contest form in the message field. Include your name, school, speech title and contact information in the e-mail. The selected winner’s speech will be played during the Humanities Festival.

Judging Criteria:
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Organization:
  • Was the speech organized in its development from introduction to conclusion?
Relevance:
  • Did the speaker deal directly and exclusively with his/her topic?
Delivery:
  • Was the speech presented in the form of oral rather than those of written discourse?
  • Did the speaker have a full realization of the context of the speech throughout delivery?
  • Did the speaker exercise a lively sense of communication?
Knowledge of Subject:
  • Did the speaker have adequate knowledge of the subject?
(Developed from MSHSAA guidelines)

It is also recommended that you follow the standards for video submission below:
  • Professional dress
  • The audio must be clear and without echo, static or other excessive noise.
  • The recording may not be edited in any way, such as by adding text, graphics, or images.
  • Frame yourself properly and allow your viewers the opportunity to observe your nonverbal cues and behaviors. To accomplish this goal, you need to be standing and observable from (at least) the waist up - more preferably, a “three-quarter shot” (knees up).
  • Make sure you have ample lighting when recording your speech video. If your video is too dark, it is hard for your viewers to observe your facial expressions.
  • Background should be simple and free from distractions.
Deadline for submissions: February 23, 2022
​Each first place winner will receive a $100 gift card, and each winner will receive a certificate.
Questions?