American Legion 
Department of North Dakota

 High School Oratorical Contest


Click HERE for Department Oratorical Contest Rules

 

Click HERE for National Oratorical Contest Rules


Schedule of 2009-2010 District Oratorical Contests 

District Location City Date Time
First Harwood Elementary School Harwood Thursday,
December 17
3:30 p.m.
Second Park River
 American Legion
Park River Wednesday,
December 2
1:30 p.m.
Third Leeds High School Leeds Saturday, December 5  1:00 p.m.
Fourth Jamestown City Hall Jamestown Wednesday, November 18  3:00 p.m.
Fifth Bismarck Legion
1022 E. Divide Ave.
Bismarck Sunday,
January 3
3:00 p.m.
Sixth Granville School
Media Room
Granville Saturday,
December
5
10:00 a.m.
Seventh Hwy 21 Cafe Flasher Saturday,
January 9
1:30 p.m.
Eighth Belfield High School
Music Room
Belfield Saturday,
December 12
1:30 p.m.
Ninth Grenora High School Grenora Saturday,
December 19
1:00 p.m.
Tenth Hankinson High School
Auditorium
Hankinson Saturday,
December 12
1:00 p.m.

** District Contest Results **

District First Place ($300)

Second Place ($200)

Third Place ($100)

  1.  Matthew Budke, Fargo

John Mitzel, Fargo Angie Johnson
  2.  Kaylee Gaarder, Park River Dustin Slaamod, Park River Gaelen Mibeck, Grand Forks
  3.  Benjamin Backstrom, Maddock Joe Mongeon, Rolette  
  4. Jonathan Reich, Medina Eric Allmaras, Carrington Jo Sandra Dockter, Medina
  5. Megan Presser, Turtle Lake  Alexis Jasper, Linton  
  6.  Kristi Tonneson, Towner Culynn Solloway, Glenburn Landon Bahl, Minot
  7. Katelyn Pahl, New Leipzig    
  8. Jerica Massey, Scranton Jolee Bosserman, Golva Caleb Larson, Reeder
  9. Sibinee Jokela, Watford City    
10. Michael Witkowski, Gwinner    

Schedule of Division Oratorical Contests 

Region Location City Date Time
East Division Maddock High School Maddock January 9, 2010 1:00 pm
West Division Watford City
High School Media Center
Watford City January 16, 2010 1:00 pm CST

** Division Contest Results**

Eastern Division (Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 10)

(Saturday, January 9, 2010)

1st Place ($300 Scholarship) Jonathan Reich, Medina

2nd Place ($200 Scholarship)Benjamin Backstrom, Maddock

Western Division (Districts 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9)

(Saturday, January 16, 2010)

1st Place ($300 Scholarship) Sibinee Jokela

2nd Place ($200 Scholarship) Jerica Massey

Schedule of State Oratorical Contests 

  Location City Date Time
State Finals Seven Seas Mandan Saturday
February 6, 2010
1:00 pm

** 2010 State Finals**

(Saturday, February 6th, Mandan Winter Conference)

State Champion - Sibinee Jokela

2nd Place - Jonathan Reich

3rd Place - Jerica Massey

4th Place - Benjamin Backstrom


A W A R D S

District Contest - All District Oratorical Contest Champions will receive a District Oratorical Contest Champion Medal.  In addition, through the Chuck Schroeder Memorial Oratorical Fund, the top three finishers of each District Contests will also receive Savings Bonds as follows: 

   District Champion - $300 Savings Bond Award
   2nd Place             - $200 Savings Bond Award
   3rd Place             - $100 Savings Bond Award

Division Contest
West Division Champion
- $300 Savings Bond Award and Desk Pen Set
West Division Runner-up - $200 Savings Bond Award and Desk Pen Set

East Division Champion - $300 Savings Bond Award and Desk Pen Set
East Division Runner-up -  $200 Savings Bond Award and Desk Pen Set

State Finals Contest 
State Champion - $   250 cash award from ND American Legion Foundation, 
                             $   150 cash award from Sam Tolchinsky Endowment Fund
                             $2,000 Scholarship over 4 years ($500 per year) to North Dakota State University

           2nd Place - $200 cash award from the North Dakota American Legion Foundation
                              $100 cash award from the Sam Tolchinsky Endowment Fund

            3rd Place - $150 cash award from the North Dakota American Legion Foundation
                              $  50 cash award from the family of the late John K. Kennelly

            4th Place - $100 cash scholarship award

Plaque awards are also presented to the four finalists in the State Contest. In addition, our State Champion will receive the C. W. Leifur Traveling Trophy for display at the winner's school.

National All State Champions will compete at the National Oratorical Contest under a new 3-round format. This year's National Contest will be held in Indianapolis, IN, on the IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) Campus. All contestants and chaperones will arrive at the IUPUI Conference Center Hotel on Friday, April 9, 2010, where they will be housed. The first and second rounds of competition will be held on Saturday, April 10 beginning with nine separate contests with 6 contestants each. The winners of these 9 contests will then advance to the second round. All contestants participating in the first round will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Each first round winner who advances to and participates in the second round, but does not advance to the final round, will receive an additional $1,500 scholarship. Those contestants eliminated in the first and second rounds will remain and become members of the audience. The three (3) second round winners will participate in the Finals on Sunday, April 11 and have an opportunity to earn scholarships of: 1st Place - $18,000; 2nd Place - $16,000; 3rd Place - $14,000. A banquet honoring all contestants will be held Sunday afternoon at the IUPUI Conference Center. All contestants and chaperones will then depart Indianapolis late Sunday afternoon April 11. 

Ron Broderson, Chairman, Department Oratorical Contest Committee
12142 23rd St. NW, Watford City, ND 58854. Phone W-701-444-3244 H-701-842-2005