American Legion's National Oratorical contest underway

 

March 7, 2018

Lowell Long, Commander of American Legion Post 48 and District 2 of the Montana organization, poses with Makayla Renfro, last week's winner of the Legion's district oratorical contest. Makayla will next compete in Great Falls at the zone/state contest. The national winner of the annual oratorical contest is awarded $18,000 in scholarships.

Lowell Long is the Commander for American Legion Post 48 and also the Commander for District 2 of the Montana organization. While introducing the oratorical competition for District 2, Long said this was the 81st year for the contest which allows students to compete in oratorical contests and earn college scholarships. Over the years the American Legion has held the oratorical contests, more than $3.0 million has been awarded in scholarships. Long said the national winner of this year's competition will receive $18,000 in scholarship money.

The competition has several levels with local posts hosting the first level. Winners from the various posts compete at the district level and those winners go on to zone/state competition and those winners go on to the nationals.

Each contestant presents a prepared speech of 8-10 minutes on a topic of their choosing that relates to the U.S. Constitution. Once the rounds of prepared speeches are complete the students receive an assigned topic that is drawn randomly just before they make the speech. Contestants present a five minute talk on the topic that is drawn. The students know the four topics that may be drawn but are not sure which they will be speaking on until the day of the contest.

This year's district winner was Makala Renfro, a senior at Harlem High School. For her prepared speech she spoke on the impeachment provision in the U.S. Constitution, then used examples of famous trials involving U.S. Presidents to explain how impeachment works. Her assigned speech was based on Article III of the Bill of Rights-the provision prohibiting quartering of soldiers in private homes.

Makala will now compete in Great Falls at the zone/state competition. A win there would qualify her for the national level. As the winner in District 2 she also qualifies for a special scholarship endowed by the family of a former District 2 Commander. She also was awarded a $100 scholarship for winning the district meet. Makala plans to attend the University of Montana and major in English. She is the daughter of Jennifer Renfro.

 
 

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