Oratory Contest Rules 2008

(Please note that the New York State Right to Life Education Trust Oratory Contest follows, to the extent possible, the rules listed below for the national championship Jane B. Thompson Oratory Contest, sponsored by the National Right to Life Committee.)

Contest Rules for the 2008 National Right to Life

Jane B. Thompson Oratory Contest

Statement of Purpose: the National Right to Life Oratory Contest strives to promote the ability of high school juniors and seniors to share their pro-life views with others.  Although speaking ability is important, this contest also seeks to help teens organize and express their pro-life views.  We also strive to give the contestants an opportunity to meet other pro-life teens.  

1. High school juniors and seniors, in that grade February 1 of the year of the national competition, are eligible to compete in the national competition.  In the case of advanced students, non-traditional students or home schooling, the school must recognize the student as a junior or senior or the year the student will enter college will be used to determine eligibility

2. Students who have competed in their junior year may compete the following year as seniors (with an entirely new speech) except if the student has won first place in the national contest.  Second place winners may compete again

3. Contestants are to research, write and present an original pro-life speech on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia or stem cell research.

4. The speech is to be 5-7 minutes in length.  A contestant will be disqualified if the speech is timed to be less than 4 minutes or over 8 minutes in length.  Judges are instructed to use their judgment regarding over or under limit speeches.  It is at the judges' discretion how the 4-5 minute and the 7-8 minute speech will be reflected in the contestant's score.

5. The speech is an oration, appropriate gestures are allowed.  Props are not allowed.

6. Speech content may not be significantly changed as a contestant advances.  Fine-tuning for minor corrections or to adjust time is allowed and encouraged.  A written copy of each state champion’s speech must be forwarded to the national contest.

7. Contestants should use up-to-date factual information in their speeches.

8. No copyrighted speeches shall be used in the contest.

9.  The style used to deliver the speech should be appropriate to the message of the speech.  A dramatic presentation, however, is not acceptable.  A dramatic presentation, for the purposes of this contest, is considered anything read or performed that has been written by another person (a short story, a poem, etc.)  A dramatic presentation also includes acting / performing as an object/thing or as another person, such as acting out the life of an unborn baby.  This rule is not to be interpreted to rule out the use of emotion.  Quotes may be used to support a position or statement in a speech, however, they may not dominate the speech and must be cited appropriately.

10.  The speech should appeal to a broad audience.  While the judges' backgrounds and qualifications may differ, all are pro-life and will judge speeches from such perspective. 

11. The national contest may be videotaped.  The videotape will remain the property of National Right to Life.  (NYSRTLET) usually videotapes speeches for future reference)  

12. Contestants may use notes during their speech.

13. The use of a podium is optional (NYSRTLET) usually provides a podium for use by contestants.)

14. The use of a microphone will not be allowed at the national contest.  The Contest Director, however, may decide to make an exception if the contest room creates a necessity for the use of microphone.  (NYSRTLET usually provides a microphone for use by contestants.)

15. The national contest will consist of several rounds.  There will be at least one preliminary round, depending on the number of participants.  For the preliminary round, contestants will be divided into groups of 4-7 contestants.  The 2 contestants from each group with the highest scores will proceed to the next level until there are 4 contestants in the final round.

16. Each room will have 3 judges a timekeeper.

17. Speaking order for the preliminary round will be determined before the contest by drawing.  In the following rounds, speaking order will be determined by the order of scores in the previous round.

18. The judges will score contestants in four areas: introduction, content, presentation and conclusion.  Contestants are scored in each area on a range of 1 to 10, with a 10 being a perfect score.  The scores in each area are then added together for the grand total (40 being a perfect grand total score). Contestants with the highest grand total scores will move to the next round.

19. The judges’ scoring decisions will be final.

20. All efforts are made to ensure accuracy.  In the even of a mistake, every effort will be made to correct it.

21. Ties in scoring will be handled by the Contest Director.

22. These rules apply only to the National Right to Life Jane B Thompson Oratory Contest.  No other rules from any national, state or local speech contest or group apply. 

23.  Any concerns or issues shall be dealt with by the Contest Director.

24. The decisions of the Contest Director concerning the interpretation and application of these rules will be final.

Additional Contest Rules 2008

1. A regional oratorical contest sponsored by a New York State Right to Life Committee (NYSRTLC) regional affiliate, as part of the NYSRTLET Oratorical Contest program, "(hereafter a "regional contest) shall be open to contestants who are eligible high school seniors and juniors.
2. A contestant is eligible to participate in a regional contest based on either the location of their home or the location of their school.  The qualifying location must be specified in the contestant's contest application.  A contestant may only participate in one regional contest. 
3. The first place winner of each regional contest is eligible to participate in the NYSRTLET Oratorical Contest statewide championship event in Albany sponsored by the NYSRTLET (hereafter: the "state final"). 
4. If there is no regional contest within a reasonable distance from an eligible student's home, the student may request permission from the NYSRTL Education Coordinator (hereinafter: "State Coordinator") to participate in the state final in Albany without satisfying the requirement of being the winner of a regional contest.  Any such request must be received by the State Coordinator at least two weeks prior to the state final. 
5. Regional contest officials shall promptly provide the State Coordinator with the name of the first place winner of their regional contest who will participate in the state final in Albany.
6. If the first place winner of a regional contest is unable to participate in the state final in Albany, the second place or next winner of said regional contest may be substituted by regional contest officials to participate in the state final.  Notice of a substitution shall be provided to the State Coordinator as soon as possible.
7. Regional contest officials may also allow, at their discretion, high school sophomores or freshman to compete in their regional contest.  However, a sophomore or freshman winner in a regional contest is NOT eligible to compete in the NYSRTLET state final in Albany.(*)  In place of the winning sophomore or freshman, regional contest officials may substitute the highest scoring eligible junior or senior in their regional contest to participate in the state final.  Notice of such substitution must be provided to the State Coordinator at the conclusion of the regional contest.
8. Regional contest officials from two or more regions, upon prior notice to the State Coordinator, may decide to hold a joint regional contest with only one set of top prize winners.  Depending on the number of contestants and other relevant considerations, such regional contest officials may together declare the highest scoring eligible winner from each participating region as the regional winner who will participate in the state final in Albany.  It is recommended that a declared eligible regional winner who was not the first place winner of a joint regional contest, at least finish among the top prize winners (e.g.: second or third place).
9. Regional contest winners will be determined based on scoring by contest judges selected by officials of the regional contest, upon certification of the scoring results by such regional contest officials.
10. A contestant who has participated in a regional contest can only participate in the state final if such contestant was the first place winner of a regional contest or was officially substituted as the next eligible winner of a regional contest.
11. Regional contest officials may establish any additional rule that they believe necessary for the effective and orderly operation of their regional contest, provided said rule is not contrary to or in conflict with any other rule set out herein for a regional contest or the state final.  Regional contest officials should provide notice to the State Coordinator of any such additional rule.   
12. In all regional contests, all final determinations regarding the interpretation or application of any contest rule, judging criteria or other matter shall be made by officials of the regional contest.  In making any such determination, it is suggested that officials take into consideration the goal of encouraging student participation, the need to be fair and the importance of maintaining contest integrity.

 (*)  This is to ensure that the winner of the state final is eligible to compete in the national championship, which is only open to high school juniors and seniors.