2013 Department of Kentucky Finals 

High School Oratorical Contest Winners

(Left to right)

Dept. Oratorical Chairman Dave King

 Department Winner  Victoria Potter

1st runner up William Napier

2nd runner up Sibi Rajendran

The purpose of The American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program "A Constitutional Speech Contest" is 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, the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently, and the preparation for acceptance of the duties and responsibilities, the rights and privileges of American citizenship.

Schedule for the 2013 Contest is as follows:

          Post Contest - Post Contests are optional.  Each Post may bring one or more contestants to their District Contest.  It is highly recommended that each Post at a minimum run through a practice Contest in order to better prepare each Post sponsored Contestant.

          District Contest - All District Contests must be completed and reported NLT 4 February 2013.  Each District Oratorical Chairman is responsible for setting the District date and insuring their Contest follows the rules and regulations as recommended by National.

1st District Contest - 27 January 2013 - Westside Baptist Church, Murray KY - 2 pm   2013 1st District Winner - Victoria Potter

(The 1st District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Ballard, Caldwell, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Galloway, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, and Trigg)

2nd District Contest - 6 January 2013 - Hartford VFW Post, Hartford KY - 8 am  

(The 2nd District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Christian, Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Hopkins, McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster)

3rd District Contest - TBA   2013 3rd District Winner - Ellen Howard 

(The 3rd District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Allen, Barren, Butler, Cumberland, Edmonson, Logan, Metcalf, Monroe, Muhlenberg, Simpson, Todd, and Warren)

4th District Contest - 27 January 2013 - American Legion Post 81, Leitchfield KY -2 pm est

(The 4th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Breckenridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Hart, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Taylor, and Washington)

5th District Contest - TBA    

(The 5th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Jefferson, Oldham, and Trimble)

6th District Contest - 20 January 2013 - American Lwgion Post 11, Newport KY - 1 pm registration, 2 pm contest   2013 6th District Winner - Kierra Rump 

(The 6th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton)

7th District Contest - 20 January 2013 - American Legion Post 8, Lexington KY - 2 pm    2013 7th District Winner - Sib Rajendran

(The 7th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Bourbon, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Lee, Owen, Owsley, Powell, Scott, and Woodford)

8th District Contest - 20 January 2013 - American Legion Post 8, Lexington KY - 2 pm (joint contest with District 7)

(The 8th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Adair, Anderson, Boyle, Casey, Garrard, Jackson, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Shelby, and Spencer)

9th District Contest - 19 January 2013 - Rowan County Courthouse, Morehead KY - 1 pm   2013 9th District Winner - Hannah Sparks 

(The 9th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Bath, Boyd, Bracken, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Harrison, Lawrence, Lewis, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Robertson, Rowan, and Wolfe)

10th District Contest - TBA

(The 10th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Breathitt, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Perry, and Pike)

11th District Contest - 6 January 2013 - American Legion Post 115, Stearns KY - 2 pm   2013 11th District Winner - William Napier 

(The 11th District consists of the following Kentucky Counties - Bell, Clay, Clinton, Harlan, Knox, Laurel, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne, and Whitley)

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Area A Contest - 10 February 2013 - American Legion Post 23, Bowling Green KY - 2 pm   2013 Area A Winner - Victoria Potter 

(Area A consists of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Districts)

Area B Contest - 10 February 2013 - American Legion Post 34, Lawrenceburg KY - 2 pm   2013 Area B Winner - Sibi Rajendran 

(Area B consists of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Districts)

Area C Contest - 2 February 2013 - American Legion Post 22, Mount Sterling KY - 1 pm   2013 Area C Winner - William Napier 

(Area C consists of the 9th, 10th, and 11th Districts)

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Department of Kentucky Contest - 3 March 2013 - American Legion Post 7, Frankfort KY - 2 pm   2013 Department of Kentucky Winner - Victoria Potter 

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National Contest - 19-21 April 2013 - Wyndham Indianapolis West, Indianapolis IN

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Each District winner participating in the Area Contest receives a $200 cash scholarship and a bronze medal.  Awards for Area winners participating in the Department finals are: 1st Place - $2000 cash scholarship, a gold medal and a trophy; 2nd Place - $1500 cash scholarship and a silver medal and 3rd Place - $1000 cash scholarship and a bronze medal. 

The state winner qualifies for the first round of the National Contest held at the Wyndham Indianapolis West, Indianapolis, IN.  Each State Winner who competes in the 1st Round of the National Contest will receive a $1,500 Scholarship.  Participants in the 2nd Round who do not advance to the Finals will receive an additional $1,500 Scholarship.  National scholarship awards are presented to the three finalists in the Final Round of the National contest as follows: 1st Place - $18,000, 2nd Place - $16,000 and 3rd Place - $14,000.   

Prepared Oration (8 to 10 Minutes) - The Prepared Oration must be on some aspect of the Constitution of the United States with emphasis on the duties and obligations of a citizen to our government. The same subject and oration used in the Post Contest must be used in the District, Area, Department and National Contest.

Assigned Topic (3 to 5 Minutes) - Approximately five minutes prior to the time of the delivery of the Assigned Topic (see four assigned topics for 2013 listed below), each contestant will be informed of the topic drawn for the Assigned Topic and shall be permitted to retire to privacy under the direction of an individual appointed by the Contest Chairman.

Topics for 2013 contest

Article II, section 1, paragraph 5: No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

Amendment 22, first sentence: No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

Amendment 2: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment 24: The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax. 

To become a contestant or request information on-line about contests in our area go the the YOUTH PROGRAMS page on this site and complete the sign up form.  A program chairman will contact you shortly.