Oratory competition for MN high school girls coming again this fall

The second biennial Speaking Proudly oratory competition is scheduled for Saturday, October 23 at the State Capitol.

The competition is open to all Minnesota high school girls who reside or attend school in the state, whether that is at a public, private or charter school, home school, or other type of learning environment as well.

Source: Speaking Proudly

Speaking Proudly is a nonpartisan, nonprofit project of the Metro Republican Women, and participants will be asked to speak persuasively on the topic, “A More Perfect Union” — Rising to the Challenge. The top three finalists will give their speeches in the Capitol Rotunda and will be awarded prizes of $1,500, $1,000, and $500.

The topic comes from the Preamble to the United States Constitution (“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…”). Guiding questions to help participants start preparing their speech include:

  • Do the ideas inherent in the Constitution apply well to today?
  • Perfection is an absolute; how can something be made “more perfect”?
  • Are there obstacles — past, present or future – to achieving a more perfect union?
  • What is needed to overcome the obstacles you see?
  • What can I say to convince the judges of the significance of my issue?
  • How can I inspire a response in my audience? This sometimes is referred to as the “call to action.”

“We want to encourage girls to develop and express their own opinions about topics of importance to the country,” Speaking Proudly spokeswoman Sherie Wallace said in a news release. “This is always central to education and crucial at a time when the cancel culture stifles students’ ability to speak freely and independently.”

For more information and to apply, visit SpeakingProudly.org.