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The American Legion Oratorical Program
This
marks our 76th year of awarding scholarships in the National High
School Oratorical Program. This program was initiated in 1938 to
develop a deeper knowledge and understanding among high school
students of the Constitution of the United States of America. The
participants also obtain the ability to think, speak intelligently
and prepare, through understanding, for the responsibilities, rights
and privileges of American Citizenship.
National
Scholarships awarded annually are in the amount of $138,000. The
responsibility for the National Contest site and establishing dates
lies within the National Americanism Commission of The American
Legion.
Another
purpose of the program is to assist students in paying the high cost
of a college education. On the National level, The American Legion
Life Insurance Fund provides the scholarship money for the program.
The first place winner in the National Contest takes home $18,000 and
the next two finishers receive $16,000 and $14,000 respectively. Each
Department (State) winner who is certified into and participates in
the first round of the National Contest 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 to pursue education beyond
high school.
The
American Legion takes great pride in the contest and a strong
interest in the contestants and their families. For this reason,
participants have cited the experience of meeting people involved in
this program as a special benefit of the competition. Entrants
reaching advanced levels of the contest have the added chance to meet
students and Legionnaires from throughout the Nation.
In
order to reach the National Contest, contestants must participate at
the High School, District and State Level. The winner of the High
School Contest will proceed to the District Contest and the winner of
the District Contest will proceed to the State Championship. The
State winner receives $2,000 from The American Legion Department of
Vermont and the privilege of competing at the National Contest. The
runners up in the State Contest will each receive $100 from The
American Legion Department of Vermont. All contestants may apply for
additional scholarship funds from The American Legion Department of
Vermont.
Middlebury Union HS Student Returns to National
Scholarship Contest
MONTPELIER, Mar. 18—Erin Connor, a senior from Bridport,
will again represent Vermont at the National Contest of the High School
Oratorical Scholarship Program, the premier scholarship program of The American
Legion. Connor made her first trip
to the National Contest in 2011 and progressed to the second round of the
three-round contest. Her parents
are Paul and Marian Connor in Bridport.
Connor
will compete with other State winners speaking on the Constitution of the United
States at the National Contest in Indianapolis, Indiana in April. National Scholarships awarded annually
total $138,000. The first place
finalist receives a scholarship award of $18,000, second and third place receive
$16,000 and $14,000 respectively.
The High School Oratorical contest is one of several
scholarship programs supported by The American Legion Department of Vermont to
help our young people get the higher education they need to participate in
tomorrow's society.
Students and their parents and teachers interested in
scholarship opportunities available through The American Legion should visit the
Department website www.vtlegion.org or contact Department Headquarters at (802)
223-7131 or alvthq@myfairpoint.net .
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