THE SPEECH COACHES BOOKLET
2006 – 2007
The Speech Competition
The purpose of the competition is to provide an opportunity for students to speak publicly on a designated topic of general interest. In preparation for the speech contests, the successful students do some research on the topic, look for quotes to support their position and try to arrange their speech in a coherent manner that deals directly with the current year’s topic or theme.
This is a fine opportunity for students to improve their research skills, finding the supportive comments of famous people and staying on track as they develop their speech.
Their writing skills improve as they organize their thoughts and comments in a systematic order to produce a well rounded, cohesive effort .The successful students will have written their speech that demonstrates organization and an emotional impact.
Since this is a speech contest, the student should gain insight in the necessity of using correct enunciation and pronunciation. Sincerity, enthusiasm and poise must be worked on to indicate, to the judges and the public, that they could master the techniques of public speaking.
In our Lions District, the students have the chance to win a sub-stantial amount of money. Although this is less important to the District Youth Speech Committee, it is very important to the students looking for money to prepare for college costs,
The program is open to students in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades. Students can compete as long as they are in these grades,
Anyone
can serve as the student’s coach. Many times the coach is a Drama or Speech
Coach at the high school, but any interested person can serve in this role. The
student might even use several coaches, one to help organize and direct the
student to information sources and another to assist with the speech
preparation.
Students move through the competition by winning at each level. The first level is the Lions Club Competition. At this level, if there is more than one student involved in the competition, the Lions Club may either have a contest or have the School Coach select the strongest student. If there is more than one school involved (public/private/home-schooled), the Lions Club will hold a contest and the Lions members will select the student they wish to represent the club.
The first ‘official’ contest is at the Zone level. At this level, Lions Clubs within that zone can have a student in the contest. Usually, not all clubs in a zone will have a competitor, and therefore the numbers of students may range from two up to six. The student winning this contest will be eligible to move on to the next level.
The second contest will be a Region
level. This level is open to the winners of the Zone contest within that
Region. Again, the winner chosen by the judges will now move on to the District
level.
The District contest will be held at the Mid-Winter Conference, usually in mid-January. At this level, the four District winners will compete to represent our District at the State Contest that is held in April or May.
Preparing for
the Contests
Each student interested in the contest will have to research and prepare his/her speech, based on the year’s topic. The students need to be aware of the time frame for the oral presentation. It ranges from five (5) to ten (10) minutes. In addition, the winning students seem to have found anecdotal facts and quotes to help support their speech.
The students also need to be reminded that the speech should adhere to the topic, have logic and exhibit organization. It should be a cohesive, well-rounded effort. The students should be made aware of the fact that this is a speech contest, not a drama, an act, or a comedy.
At the Club level, the student can read the speech, but the less reliance on the paper, the better the presentation will appear. At the Zone-level, almost every participant will be using three (3), 3” x 5” file cards, although at this level, the speech can still be read. By the Region-level, students may use the 3, 3” x 5” file cards, but many will now be down to one card. Only one card may be used at the District-level.
The student is allowed to amend their speech, but NOT rewrite it, up to the District-level. At this point, the speech is ‘frozen’ for the State Competition in the spring.
The first level in the Mass. Lions Youth Speech Competition is at the Club level. If there is more than one student with an interest in participating, one of those students interested must be selected to represent the Lions Club. This choice can be made through a contest at the Lions Club, or if the Club chooses, by the Speech Coach working with the students.
It is more interesting for the competing students to speak in front of the club for the experience of speaking to an audience. There is also no fear that a charge of ‘favoritism’ occurring when judged by the Club Lions. Such a charge might occur when the Dram Coach is the selector of the top speaker.(In all District level contests, there are 3 judges used. Judges may only be used for one contest per year at the District/State level.)
In the Student Handbook, most of these points are covered. In add-tion, you should be aware of the disqualifications. Such things as wearing a uniform or other identifying materials as well as mentioning school, town, family name and sponsoring club will cause the student to the disqualified.
Videos can be made at the different levels, but CANNOT be shown or distributed while the student is in the competition. [It is O.K. to use these with the student to point out things that need to more work.
A time schedule might have the Club contest held in early November with the Zone Contest in late November or early December. The Region Contest may occur just before the Christmas Vacation or after the vacation is over. Our District Contest is held at the Lions Midwinter Conference. This usually occurs in Mid-January.
Students might also have to be reminded that a nice appearance at the contest creates a solid first impression on the judges and audience.
If you need further information or assistance, you can reach the Contact Person and/or the Youth Speech Committee Member listed on the last page of this booklet.
CONTEST
TOPICS TO PRESENT:
1990
“What
My Family Means To Me”
1991
“If
I Could Change One Thing In The World It Would Be”
1992
“My
Responsibilities In The Twenty-First Century”
1993
“The
American Democracy; Fact Or Fiction?”
1994
“The Hopes And
Fears Of Today’s Youth”
1995
“Peer Pressure
– Effects And Solutions”
1996
“Communications
– Should There Be Limits?”
1997
“What Worries
Me And Why”
1998
“Is
Volunteerism A Key To Success?”
1999
“How Can Young
Adults Show Leadership?”
2000
“What Are
Life’s Most Important Lessons To Learn?”
2001
“The American
Flag – What It Means To Me”
2002
“Freedom –
How Far Should It Go?”
2003
“How Secure Do
You Feel?”
2004
“Who Is A Hero
In My Life?”
2005
“What Is The
Price Of Education?”
2006
“What Does
Family Mean To Me?”