Youth Education Speech Competition 2025: Rules, Categories, and Registration Details

Youth Education Speech Competition 2025 For Zone A-1

Public Speaking Another contest the Legion supports is Public Speaking. Students are encouraged to write their own speech on any topic they choose. This provides an opportunity for students to convey their thoughts, ideas or information in a public forum. Monies for this program are taken out of Branch funds such as Lottery or General Account.

Progression of Public Speaking Provincial Area District Zone Branch

Public Speaking Categories and Times Primary Grades 1 to 3: 3 to 5 minutes Junior Grades 4 to 6: 3 to 5 minutes Intermediate Grades 7 to 9: 3 to 5 minutes Senior Grades 10 to 12: 5 to 7 minutes

Contestant Registration

Visiting Dignitaries Form

Rules and Regulations for Public Speaking (as per Command)

1. The speaker may select their own topics. All speeches are to be the original work of the speaker. The topics chosen by the individual speakers do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Royal Canadian Legion. The speaker will credit authors and sources of material, if referring to another person s work. Speeches that repeat verbatim another person s original work will not be accepted. 2. Visual aids, props, notes, cue cards, lecterns, etc. may be used to support the speech, notwithstanding the fact that judges may add or subtract marks according to the manner in which they are used. 3. Speakers are not allowed to use PowerPoint and Projector as a method of presentation or as a tool during presentation. 4. The assistance of persons other than the Chair (or an appointed person) is not permitted at any level of the contest. 5. A minimum of three competent judges are required, preferably with a teaching background or similar profession. 6. English and French speakers will compete within the same contest at all levels. Bilingual judges must be used when necessary. Speakers must compete in English or French and must continue to speak in their chosen language throughout all levels of the competition. 7. A speaker can only compete at one branch. If the speaker did not win at the branch, the speaker is not allowed to compete again at another branch, even though it is under the same Zone or District.

8. The speakers must progress through all levels of the competition: Branch, Zone, District, Area and Provincial, using the same speech. The speaker must compete at branch level first, before moving on to Zone or District. There is no skipping of levels. 9. A penalty of 5% of the total marks received from each judge, shall be imposed to a speech that is either short or in excess of the time limit for that level, before the total scores are compiled. This penalty will be imposed by the Timekeeper and applied by the Scrutineer. No penalty will be levied for Grades 1-3. 10. A penalty of 5% of the total marks received from each judge, shall be imposed to any contestant who freezes. A contestant who freezes may continue but all speaking time used will count. This penalty will be imposed by the Timekeeper and applied by the Scrutineer. 11. No person, including press photographers, shall photograph, videotape or use any audio devices during the contest. 12. A microphone may only be used by a Special Need student. This student will require a certificate from a medical practitioner. The Chair must be informed of the need before the competition begins. 13. The provincial public speaking contest will be held on the first Saturday in May, of any given year. 14. Speakers may not identify themselves, except by first name, during the contest. 15. Speakers who are late for registration without just cause will be disqualified from the contest. 16. All wall clocks will be covered or removed during the contest.

17. All cell phones and other electronic devices are to be turned off during the competition. Such devices cannot be used for any reason during the contest. 18. Coaching of any kind from the audience will not be permitted. 19. If you need to leave the room, please do so between speeches or at the break. Do not enter or leave the room during a speech. 20. Any violation of the above rules and regulations will result in a penalty being imposed by the Chair and may include disqualification from this or any future competition. 21. Judges will break their own ties. Judges will render a decision on all speakers without consultation with other judges or any other person. The judges decision is final. 22. Standing Ovations are not allowed at any level of the competition. 23. At each level of the competition the Branch is to read the following disclaimer to the audience prior to the commencement of speeches: Subject matter of speeches may not be suitable for all audiences .

Judges Info Sheet & Scrutineer Record Sheet

Public Speaking Provincial Awards Division Time First Place (Gold Medal) Runner- up (3) (Silver Medal) Grades 1 3 3 5 minutes $200.00 $75.00 Grades 4 6 Grades 7 9 3 to 5 minutes $300.00 $100.00 $500.00 $150.00 3 to 5 minutes $1000.00 $200.00 Grades 10 12 5 to 7 minutes The winning student and one parent in each division from the four Legion Areas will be offered an all-expense paid trip to the site of the provincial finals.

Zone A-1 Budget Branch Awards Zone A-1 Awards District A Provincial Cat 1 (Grades 1-3) First Place - Gold Medal $ 70.00 $ 100.00 $ 200.00 Second Place - Silver Medal $ 35.00 $ 50.00 $ 75.00 $ 105.00 $ 150.00 $ 275.00 Cat 2 (Grades 4-6) First Place - Gold Medal $ 100.00 $ 150.00 $ 300.00 Second Place - Silver Medal $ 50.00 $ 75.00 $ 100.00 $ 150.00 $ 225.00 $ 400.00 Category 3 (Grades 7-9) First Place - Gold Medal $ 150.00 $ 250.00 $ 500.00 Second Place - Silver Medal $ 75.00 $ 100.00 $ 150.00 $ 225.00 $ 350.00 $ 650.00 Category 4 (Grades 10-12) First Place - Gold Medal $ 250.00 $ 500.00 $ 1,000.00 Second Place - Silver Medal $ 75.00 $ 100.00 $ 200.00 $ 325.00 $ 600.00 $ 1,200.00 Sub Total for Prize Money: $ 805.00 $ 1,325.00 2,525 Budget for Additional Costs: Plagues for first place finishes $190 Cost of Certificates $50 Cost of Frames $100 Judges gifts (x 3) $75 Hotdogs/ veg and fruit trays $475 Water $15 Timbits $50 Sub-total of assundry costs for speech $955 Total Zone A-1 Budget: $1,760.00 Poppy fund cannot support

Public Speaking Info for Youth Ed Chair Area Contests The Province is divided into four areas, which rotate yearly: Districts A & B Districts C , D & E Districts F & G District H & K District Location of Future Provincial Contests 2024 District D 2025 District G 2026 District H 2027 District A 2028 District C 2029 District F 2030 District K PATTERN = E-B-D-G-H-A-C-F-K

Prizes & Judging Prizes 1. Branches, Zones, and Districts will provide suitable prizes, including runner-up prizes. Monetary prizes at Branches should not be more than the zone and district prizes. 2. Command plaques will be provided for 1st place winners and 2nd place winners at the area contest. 3. Prizes or awards shall NOT be taken from Poppy funds at any level. Judging 1. There will be three to four judges at each level of competition. Judges may rotate with only three (3) judges judging the speaker in each category. Judges should come from a diverse cross section of the community. Whenever there is a French speaker in any grade category, whether at branch, zone or district, all the judges judging that category should all be bilingual. Judges may only participate at one level of competition each year. Judges should be rotated at the end of each division. Each judge will render a final decision on all speakers without consultation with other judges or any other person. The judges decisions are final, and they may not discuss marks with anyone upon the completion of the contest. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Prizes and Judging Contd 6. After the judges have totaled their scores for each speaker in a division, they will sign the score sheets. Judges must break their own ties. 7. At the conclusion of each division, score sheets will be collected from the judges and timekeepers. 8. The scrutineer will verify each judges tabulation and enter this on the record sheet. 9. The scrutineer will make any adjustments to the tabulation in case of time penalties. 10. The scrutineer will total the score of each judge s results. 11. Home schooled students are allowed to enter the public speaking competition and they compete at the branch closest to their homes. If the branch is not participating in the public speaking program, students are referred to another branch, under the same zone. 12. It is up to the branch to advise the schools on how many students they can accommodate at the competition or to limit the number of students competing at the branch level.

Timekeepers & Penalty Timekeepers The timekeepers will be provided with a stopwatch or equivalent timing device. The timekeepers will begin timing when the speaker begins speaking. A signal will not be given to the speakers if they exceed the time limit. The timekeepers sheets will be collected at the conclusion of each division. Penalty 5% of the total mark received from each judge will be imposed on a speaker whose speech is not within the stated time limits for each division. This penalty will be applied by the scrutineers. No penalty for time will be levied in the Grades 1-3. A penalty of 5% will be imposed on any speaker who freezes. A speaker who freezes will be allowed to continue. A freeze is a stop or a pause of more than four seconds. It can also include a loss of direction in which the speech flow or meaning is interrupted, or a complete loss of speech occurs where the speaker may have to start over.

Ensure the Entry form is filled out completely and signed accordingly.

The Forwarding form needs to be sent to your Zone Chair prior to Zone Public Speaking. Your Zone Chair will give you instructions as to how they wish the form/information sent. Keep a copy for yourself.

The Statistics form needs to be sent to your Zone Chair prior to Zone Public Speaking. Your Zone Chair will give you instructions as to how they wish the form/information sent. Keep a copy for yourself.

Discussion Points for the Zone A-1 Competition: Need to determine where the Zone A-1 competition will be held Confirm the date Host Branch needs to arrange food (hotdogs, chips, vegetarian, pop, water) Need to arrange Judges (Bilingual French and English speakers) Need someone to make and print the certificates Need to arrange for the prizes cash and the envelopes Need scrutineers Need two timekeepers Break speech competitions into two sections (primary and junior in the morning/ lunch/ intermediate and seniors in the afternoon) Need a photographer Morris has an operation on 3 January and will not be available until end of January at earliest need an Acting Zone A-1 Youth Ed Chair until I return

Questions?