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Club Oratorical 2019-2020

Oratorical Contest

2019-2020

Club Chair Planning Guide

Topic:

“Just iMagine a World without

Boundaries”

*"iMagine" represents the organization's theme for

2019-2020 and it is written as shown for branding

purposes. It does not replace the linguistic

interpretation, intent, or spelling of the word "imagine or

Imagine". As such, contestants are free to use the correct

spelling for any contest or communications without

penalty.

Purpose

Since its start in 1928, the Optimist Oratorical Contest

has become the longest-running program sponsored by

Optimist International. The contest is designed for youth to

gain experience in public speaking, perfect self-expression,

gain self-assurance, improve communication skills, and

provide them with the opportunity to compete for a college

scholarship.

Funding

The Optimist Oratorical Scholarships are funded by

member donations to the Optimist International

Foundation and Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation.

It is important that all Members understand the significance

of supporting the Foundations in order to continue the

funding for the contest. Please make sure to recognize the

Foundations and any member that donates funds to the

scholarships. Without them, there are no scholarships!

Club Contests

A Club may be represented at District level by only two

qualified

contestants. All Club submissions should be run

through a plagiarism checker before being forwarded to the

next level.

District Contests

Each winner of the District level contest will receive a scholarship

for use at a college, university or trade school only. There will be

three winners awarded scholarships of $2,500, $1,500 and

$1,000 respectively for first, second and third place.

The World Championship Oratorical Contest

Districts may enter one contestant into the World Regional

and World Championship Contests held July 15-17, 2020 at

Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Please

encourage your District Clubs and Members to help fund

your District Winner and chaperone to attend the Optimist

International World Championships.

Effective October 1, 2021, all District winners will compete

at the Oratorical World Championships in person at the

designated locations.

How to Enter

Interested youth should prepare a 4 to 5 minute speech

on the assigned topic to be presented at their local Optimist

Club’s contest. The speeches are judged at the Club level,

Zone level, District Regional level (if needed) and then at the

District level prior to the Optimist International Oratorical

World Championships. Clubs and Districts may choose to

allow contestants to compete via online streaming.

Eligibility Criteria

The contest is open to youth under the age of 19 as of

October 1

of the current Optimist International contest year

(October 1 – September 30) and is not enrolled as a degree

seeking student of a post-secondary institution. There is no

minimum age.

Minimum Number of Participants

There is no minimum required number of participants for Club

Contests. Zone, Regional and District Contests must have no

fewer than three participants.

In cases where the minimum number of three contestants

at the Zone or District Regional contest cannot be met,

there are two options:

A. Send winners directly to the next level of the contest.

B. Combine Zone or District Regional level contests.

Club Oratorical 2019-2020

date is set by the District Oratorical Chair. The deadline to

submit District winners to Optimist International is May

15, 2020.

District winners will be notified by a letter from Optimist

International between May 30

and June 15

. Districts

should notify the Programs Department if they would like

winner notification to be delayed.

Districts may enter one contestant to participate in the

World Championship Contests held at Saint Louis

University. The Entry Form for the World Championships

must be received by Optimist International no later than

May 15, 2020.

Prizes

Scholarships are awarded to contestants in the United

States and the Caribbean in US dollars and in Canadian

dollars for Canadian contestants.

Club Level - medallion

Clubs are allowed to give up to $500 in monetary/cash*

awards for the Oratorical contest in addition to the official

medallions. The Club level awards may be given in the

form of a scholarship, savings bond or cash prize but are

completely discretionary. Please contact the Optimist

International Foundation or Canadian Children’s Optimist

Foundation for setting up a Club scholarship.

* Disclaimer - Clubs planning to present cash or savings bond awards

to contestant winners should first consult the association for their

state or province that coordinates scholastic activities and

competitions to determine if such payments would result in the

recipient’s forfeiture of amateur status. If a contestant loses their

amateur status, they may be unable to compete in collegiate

athletics and activities.

Zone and District Regional Level – plaque

Certificates may be created by the Zone or District and

templates are available on www.optimist.org.

District Level - plaque and a college scholarship

Districts should order plaques directly from Shumsky

in the U.S. and Caribbean or Ansell’s in Canada.

Districts award scholarships in the amount of $2,500,

$1,500 and $1,000.

Districts choosing to increase funding for the

scholarships or fund additional scholarships will need to

manage those funds through other resources. Optimist

International will not handle the awarding of any scholarships

not funded by the Optimist International Foundations. The

responsibility for record-keeping and awarding of additional

funds or scholarships will be the District’s. Districts may

choose to hold the additional funds in District accounts or

contribute those funds to the Optimist International

Foundations.

The Foundations will process requests from the Districts to

have scholarship funds returned to them. Requests must be in

writing and specify the type of scholarship and the amount. The

Foundations will not award the scholarships or write checks to

the individual scholarship recipients or their schools.

World Championships – Scholarships are awarded to

each Regional winner in United States dollars in the US,

Caribbean, and the Global Region winners and in Canadian

dollars to winners in Canada in the amount of at least

$5,000. In addition, scholarships in the amounts of $15,000,

$10,000, and $5,000 will be given to the first, second, and

third place World Champions, respectively. An additional

scholarship may be awarded to participants by Saint Louis

University at its discretion.

Each Regional winner and World Champion will receive a

certificate of participation. The first place World Champion

will have his/her speech presented to the delegates of the

Optimist International Convention.

Interested in Providing a Club Scholarship to Your

Winner(s)?

Setting up a Club Campaign Fund through the Optimist

International Foundation is an excellent way to establish a

scholarship program from your individual club. It is a great

vehicle to all tax-deductible gifts from members and non-

members. For more information, contact OIF at

info@oifoundation.org

Getting the Contest Started in Your

Community

Your Club may approach local schools to distribute

information and coach interested students in preparation for

the Club level contest. The program is recommended by both

the National Association of Secondary School Principals and

the American Association of School Administrators. This

endorsement can go a long way when your Club is requesting

that principals and teachers offer this program to their

students. Reach out to the Department of Education to get

contacts for home-schooled students. Contact local, private,

Club Oratorical 2019-2020

everyone you contacted with a Club Member’s name and

phone number.

Judges’ Criteria and Duties

Select three qualified judges who are not acquainted

with the contestants. At the Club level, the judges may be

Optimist Members. At all other levels of the competition,

judges must be non-Optimists (Friends of Optimists are

excluded and may be used as judges). Judges should have

expertise in the field of public speaking. Consider using

past Oratorical contestants, current or retired debate,

speech, or drama teachers, and community business

leaders.

Always have a back-up judge, in case of an emergency.

Judges are also potential new Members, so don’t forget to

recruit them!

The Oratorical Contest Chair should supply each judge

with a copy of the rules and the judging forms and review

them with each judge prior to the day of the contest.

Judges should never discuss or compare their impressions

of the speakers or their scores. Each judge must score

independently from other judges and Optimists. No one is

permitted to view the scores except the Oratorical Contest

Chair.

Timekeepers

One timekeeper should be appointed. This person can be

an Optimist Club Member (but it is suggested that you do

not use an Optimist member, if possible). The timekeeper is

responsible for recording the official length of each speech

and assessing penalties if needed, noting failure to

announce the topic in the first sentence, verbal

identification of non-original material as noted in the

printed copy of the speech and totaling all penalties on the

timekeeper’s score sheet. The timekeeper will need the

official form, pen, stopwatch and a copy of each

participant’s speech. The completed timekeeper’s score

sheet is turned in to the Contest Chair to be included in the

master scores of each speaker.

Handling Protests

A Sergeant-at-Arms should be the contact for protests

and given index cards and pens/pencils to distribute when

necessary. Anyone who wishes to protest should raise

their hand at the completion of the contestant’s speech

before the next speaker begins. The Sergeant-at-Arms gives

the person protesting an index card and pen/pencil. The

protest must be written on the card. The Sergeant-at-Arms

collects the card as soon as it is completed. This process is

repeated for any person who wishes to make a protest. The

Contest Chair collects the protest cards before leaving the

room to compile scores. Protests are addressed at that time

by the Chair and decided. Any adjustments judges need to

be aware of will be made at that time. This procedure

allows the students to compete without interruption or

embarrassment, allows for an accurate description of the

protest to be reviewed and should prevent any disturbance

or public discussion.

Videotaping Guidelines

All Oratorical contests must be conducted live, not

judged on videotape. However, you may allow for the use

of one video camera at a contest to give participants a take-

home copy of their speech. Each contestant shall have the

option of having the camera off during his/her presentation.

An Optimist Club Member should run the camera. A tape

supplied by the Club or contestant is put into the camcorder

at each break between speakers. The tape should be

labeled with the speaker’s order designation. When the

speaker is finished, the tape is removed and a new one is

inserted. This process is repeated for each contestant who

wants a copy of their speech. A master copy could also be

recorded of all speakers, and then copied for contestants.

This gives everyone the chance to have a copy of their

speech, and allows the contestants to make their speech

with minimal interference.

Photography

Be sure the Application Form includes the Parent or

Guardian Release statement for the use of photographs.

2019-2020

The District Oratorical Contest Chair is responsible for

all phases of the Oratorical Contests in the District. All

District competitions must be conducted by Optimists

only, and this responsibility must not be delegated to

outside groups.

Club Contest Day Checklist

Get to the contest location early and make sure:

Seating is sufficient

Podium/lectern is present (with portable

steps is suggested)

Microphone is working

Awards are present

Certificates are signed and present

______ Recognition Certificates or Plaques are present

to any Club sponsor or donor to the program.

Video camera (optional) is set up in an

appropriate place

Assistants are aware of their responsibilities

Sergeants-at-Arms are aware of

their responsibilities in recording

protest (see guidelines)

Contestant’s briefing is held

Judges’ briefing is held (it is strongly suggested

that the same judges be used for boy/girl

contests)

Contestants draw letters for speaking order

The emcee begins the contest on time

______ Remember to talk about your Club between

speakers

______ Have membership brochures handy

______ Be sure to recognize sponsors and/or donors

Once All Speakers have Finished:

Judges and timekeepers total their individual

scores for each contestant, sign their score

sheets, and give them to the Contest Chair

Contest Chair leaves the room to review and rule

on protests, and to complete scoring procedure

Announce the winners

Present each winner with their award and give

the date and location of the next contest level

Introduce the judges and timekeeper

Take lots of pictures for press releases

Have the first-place winners sign any required

forms for the next contest level before they leave

After the Club Contest

The Club Chair should:

1. Announce the winners to the audience and

present their medallions.

2. Have the winners sign their Zone/District

Regional/District Entry Form

3. Announce the date and location of the Zone

contest.

4. Submit for each winner:

_____Zone/District Regional/District Entry Form

_____Student’s Application Form

_____Copy of speech

_____Entry fee (if applicable)

**A copy of the contestants ID (passport/birth

certificate) is only needed for District winners.

To the Zone/District Regional/District Chair

5. Complete the Club Chair Evaluation Form and

mail or email it to:

Optimist International

Attn: Oratorical Coordinator

4494 Lindell Blvd

St. Louis, MO 63108

Email: programs@optimist.org

Application for 2019-2020 Optimist International Oratorical Contest

Name

Address City

State/Province/Country

Zip/Postal Code

Telephone ( ) E-mail

Date of Birth / / Age

Have you participated in any other Optimist Club’s Oratorical Contest this school year?



Yes



Contestant Agreement:

I have studied the rules of the contest, and I will be bound by all of the requirements.

Contestant’s Signature Date / /

For more information contact:___________________ Phone:_______________

Topic: “Just iMagine a World without Boundaries”

Parent or Guardian Permission:

I give my permission for my child/ward to participate in this contest.

Signature Date / /

Relationship

I, grant the Optimist Club/International my permission

to use a picture/video of my son/daughter for their public relations

purposes. Optimist Club/International may use the photo/video in any publication they see fit.

Sponsoring Optimist Club Name

Sponsoring Optimist Club Number

Language speech will be spoken in:  English  French

"iMagine" represents the organization's theme for 2019-2020 and it is written as shown for branding purposes. It does not replace the linguistic interpretation,

intent, or spelling of the word "imagine or Imagine". As such, contestants are free to use the correct spelling for any contest or communications without penalty.

Official Rules

Section l

— General Rules

The Optimist International Oratorical contest will

begin at

the Club level, proceed to the Zone and District level

and

end with a contest at World Championships level.

Contestants must enter through a local Optimist

Club.

The official application must be completed by each

contestant and submitted to the sponsoring Club’s

Contest

Chair.

4. Clubs, Zones and Districts will have a combined gender

contests.

No Zone, Regional, or District level contest shall

have fewer than 3 or more than 20 contestants

competing.

Optimist International has the right to edit, publish

and record any speech used in any contest without

payment to the author.

Section II

— Qualifications for Contestants

The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as

of October 1st of the current Optimist International

Contest year (October 1 – September 30) and is not

enrolled as a degree seeking student of a post-secondary

institution. There is no minimum age.

A contestant is eligible to enter/compete in only one

Optimist Oratorical contest during a contest year. Once a

contestant wins 1st place at the District level and/or

competes at the World Regional level, they are ineligible

to compete in the Optimist Oratorical Contest in a

subsequent year.

Each contestant shall prepare his or her own speech. The

contestant may receive advice in the preparation of the

speech and may make minor changes or improvements in

the speech at any time.

All contestants at each level of the contest must show

proof of age before competing. Optimist Clubs may

require a copy of birth certificate or passport if offering a

club scholarship separate from Optimist International.

District winners must provide a copy of the birth

certificate or passport with District entry documentation

A printed copy of the speech must be furnished either

before or after the speech.

Section III

— Contest Rules

All contestants must speak on the official topic.

A speech may be delivered in English or French.

All contestants must state the official topic in the first

sentence of the speech. Timing will begin with the first

spoken word. A 3-point penalty is automatically assessed

by the timekeeper for failure to state the official topic in

the first sentence.

Any quotation, copyrighted, or largely paraphrased

material used in the speech must be identified verbally

during the presentation and in the written copy of the

speech with the original author’s name. The contestant

shall be fully responsible for the use of any quoted

material and Optimist International shall assume no

responsibility. Failure to identify non-original material

will result in up to 10 penalty points.

The use of props, special costumes or clothing, will result

in 10 penalty points

The use of audience prompters will result in

disqualification

Notes and lecterns can be used if the contestant desires.

The time allowed will be not under 4 minutes or over 5

minutes. Contestants going over or under will not be

cautioned, and will be penalized one point for each 15

seconds or fraction of over or under the allotted time. This

penalty will be determined by the official timekeeper.

Timing will begin at the first word spoken. Timing will

stop when the contestant finishes.

10.

No reference can be made that identifies the contestant,

parents, school, community, sponsoring Optimist Club or

District. This will result in a deduction of up to 5 points.

Contestants shall not be identified by name or sponsoring

Clubs until after the last oration has been presented and

the judges and timekeeper have started deliberations.

11.

Any protest in the conduct at any level of this contest

must be made immediately after the condition is noted.

Protests received after the next contestant has been

introduced, or in the case of the last contestant, after the

judges leave to total the scores, will not be accepted under

any circumstances.

12.

The Contest Chairperson will decide all protests in

accordance with the official rules. The decision of the

Contest Chair is final and no higher appeals will be

recognized. In the case of Club contests, the Club Contest

Chair has this authority. In the case of Zone and District

contests, the final authority is vested in the District

Contest Chair. The Zone Chair has the authority to handle

protests that may arise during the Zone competition with

the District Chair having the final authority.

Section IV

— Scoring

Scoring in all Club, Zone, District, and World

Championships contests will

conform to the following

criteria.

1. Poise – appearance and personality: 10 points

2. Content of Speech – subject adherence, theme,

content, logic and color: 40 points

3. Delivery & Presentation – voice, volume,

pronunciation, gestures, eye contact,

sincerity and

emphasis: 35points

4. Overall Effectiveness – appeal, impression, attitude

and effect: 15 points

Section V

— Penalties

1. Failure to announce the official topic in the first sentence –

3 points

2. Failure to identify non-original material –

up to 10 points

3. Use of props, costume, etc. - 10 points

4. Time penalties – 1 point for each 15 seconds or

fraction of over or under the allotted time.

5. Self-identification – up to 5 points

6. Failure to complete speech – disqualification

7. Use of audience prompters - disqualification

Section VI

— Awards

1. Club Level – Medallion

2. Zone Level – Plaque

3. District Regional Level – Plaque

4. District – Plaque and Scholarship

Each winner of the District level contest will

receive a

scholarship for use at a college,

university or trade school

only. Three District winners are awarded

scholarships of

$2,500, $1,500 and $1,000

respectively for 1

, 2

and 3

place. All scholarships will be payable to the educational

institution of the recipient’s choice, subject to the

approval of

Optimist International.

Optimist International will

administer all scholarships and winners must claim their

scholarship by the age of 25.

5. World Championship Optimist Oratorical Contests –

Plaque and Scholarship

A. Each winner of the World Regional level contest will

receive a scholarship for use at a college,

university or

trade school only. There will be one winner

for each

World Region

awarded a $5,000 scholarship at the World

Regional Level. All winners of the World Regional

Contests will be eligible to compete in the World

Championship Contest with awards for first, second,

and third place of $15,000, $10,000, and $5,000

respectively at Saint Louis University in St. Louis,

Missouri.

B. All scholarships will be payable to the educational

institution of the recipient’s choice, subject to the

approval of Optimist International.

C. All scholarships will be administered by Optimist

International.

D. Winners of an Optimist International scholarship

must

claim their scholarship by the age of 25.

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Official Rules

Section I — Contest Organization

1. All Optimist Oratorical contests must be sponsored in

their entirety by an Optimist Club, Zone or District.

2. Zone and District contests should be conducted by the

District administration.

3. An Optimist Club must be in good standing in its District

and with Optimist International to be eligible to sponsor

participants in the Zone or District Oratorical contests.

4. The contest will begin at the Club level, proceed to the

Zone level, then the District Regional level (if needed) and

end with a contest at the World Championships level.

5. Club Contests

A. A Club may be represented by no more than two

qualified

contestants and will be a combined gender

contest.

6. Zone contests

A. Zone contests will be held at times and places

determined by the District. The Chairperson of the

Zone contests will be determined by the District

and supervised by the District Oratorical Chair.

B. All Zone contests must comply with the official rules

and only the Zone winners shall be eligible to

compete at the District contest.

C. Each Zone is allowed to send up to two contestants to

the next level and will be a combined gender contest.

D. Zone level contests shall have no fewer than 3 or

more than 20 contestants participating.

E. In cases where the minimum number of 3

contestants at the Zone or Regional contest cannot

be met, there are two options:

1. Send winners directly to the next level of the

contest.

2. Combine Zone or District Regional level contests.

7. District Contest

A. The District administration shall determine the

date and location of the District contest.

B. If District preliminary contests or Regionals are

necessary, they may be held as determined by the

District administration, at locations other than at

the site of the District contest.

C. The District Oratorical Chair is responsible for all

phases of the Oratorical contest in the District. All

District competitions must be conducted by

Optimists only and this responsibility must not be

delegated to outside groups. The District will hold a

combined gender contest.

D. District level contests shall have no fewer than 3 or

more than 20 contestants participating.

Section II- General Rules

Contestants must enter through a local Optimist

Club.

1. The official application must be completed by

each contestant and submitted to the sponsoring

Club’s Contest Chair.

2. No Zone, District Regional or District-level contest

shall have fewer than 3 or more than 20 contestants

competing. In cases where the minimum number of 3

contestants at the Zone or District Regional contest

cannot be met, there are two options:

A. Send winners directly to the next level of the contest.

B. Combine Zone or Regional level contests.

3. Optimist International has the right to edit, publish

and record any speech used in any contest without

payment to the author.

4. In keeping with the prestige of the Oratorical contest

and Optimist International, alcoholic beverages shall not

be sold, consumed or possessed at any Optimist

Oratorical contest.

5. Any award bearing the words “Optimist Oratorical

Contest,” “Optimist International,” “Friend of Youth”

and/or the emblem of Optimist International must be

obtained from Shumsky in the U.S. and Caribbean or

Ansell’s Awards in Canada. These marks are owned by

Optimist International and may not be manufactured

without the permission of the Optimist International

Board of Directors.

Section III - Qualifications for Contestants

1. 1. The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19

as of October 1

of the current Optimist International

Contest year (October 1 to September 30) and is not

enrolled as a degree seeking student of a post-secondary

institution. There is no minimum age.

2. A contestant is eligible to enter/compete in only one

Optimist Oratorical contest during a contest year

(October 1 to September 30). Once a contestant wins

Place at the District level and/or competes at the

World Regional level, they are ineligible to compete in

the Optimist Oratorical Contest in subsequent years.

3. Each contestant shall prepare his or her own speech and

submit a written copy. The contestant may receive

advice in the preparation of the speech and may make

minor changes or improvements in the speech at any

time.

4. All contestants at each level of the contest must show proof

of their birth certificate or passport with their entry before

competing.

5. Each contestant entered in the Zone or District contest

must present one typewritten copy of their speech,

double-spaced and identified with the contestant’s name

and sponsoring Optimist Club. This copy must be attached

to the official entry form with the contestant’s birth

certificate or passport or driver’s license before competing

in the contest. The contestant must sign the entry form.

Section IV - Contest Rules

1. All contestants must receive a copy of the official rules and

be instructed to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the

rules.

2. The Contest Chair, prior to the beginning of the contest,

shall conduct a drawing with all the contestants present for

the speaking order. All contestants will then be introduced

as “Speaker A,” “Speaker B,” etc.

3. All contestants must speak on the official topic in the first

sentence of the speech.

4. A speech may be delivered in English or French.

Timing will begin with the first spoken word.

A 3-point penalty is automatically assessed by the

timekeeper for failure to state the official topic in the first

sentence.

6. Any quotation or copyrighted material used in the

speech must be identified verbally during the

presentation and in the written copy of the speech

with the original author’s name. The contestant

shall be fully responsible for the use of any quoted

material and Optimist International shall assume

no responsibility. Failure to identify non-original

material will result in up to 10 penalty points.

7. The use of props, special costumes or clothing will

not be permitted (10 penalty pts).

8. Contestants may use notes and lecterns.

9. The time allowed will be not under 4 minutes or

over 5 minutes. Contestants going over or

under will not be cautioned and will be

penalized one point for each 15 seconds or

fraction of over or under the allotted time.

These penalties will be determined by the

official timekeeper.

10. An interval of at least one minute shall be

allowed between contestants.

11. At all District final contests, a wireless and

lectern microphone will be available for

contestant’s use, if desired.

12. No spectator may enter or leave the audience

while a contestant is speaking. The audience

must be alerted to these rules before the

competition begins, and at various intervals by

the Contest Chair. A Sergeant-at-Arms should

be appointed to enforce these rules.

13. Contestants shall not be identified by name or

sponsoring Clubs until after the last oration has

been presented and the judges and timekeeper

have started deliberations.

14. No contest shall have more than 20 contestants

competing. When a contest has more than 20

contestants, preliminary contests, in turn, shall have no

more than 20 contestants. In the event that a first-place

winner in a Club or Zone contest cannot compete in a

subsequent contest for any reason, the second-place

winner shall be declared as an alternate contestant.

15. Any protest in the conduct at any level of this contest

must be made immediately after the condition is noted.

Protests received after the next contestant has been

introduced, or in the case of the last contestant, after

the judges leave to total the scores, will not be accepted

under any circumstances.

16. The Contest Chair will decide all protests in

accordance with the official rules. The decision of

the Contest Chair is final and no higher appeals will

be recognized. In the case of Club contests, the Club

Contest Chair has this authority. In the case of Zone

and District contests, the final authority is vested in

the District Contest Chair. The Zone Chair has the

authority to handle protests that may arise during

the Zone competition with the District Chair having

the final

authority.

Section V — Judging and Timing

1. Each contest shall have three qualified judges and one

timekeeper. At the Club level, judges may be Optimist

Members. At all other levels of the competition, judges

must be non-Optimists. Judges must not be acquainted

with the contestants.

2. The judges and the timekeepers cannot be identified at the

time of the contest or by advance publicity, but only after

the last oration has been presented.

3. Judges and the timekeeper must use the official score

sheets provided in this guide.

4. During the contest, the judges and timekeeper shall

each be in different locations within the room.

5. The timekeeper shall be provided with a stopwatch or

equivalent timing device.

6. Each judge must render a final decision on all contestants

without consultation with other judges or any other

person. Each judge and timekeeper must sign his/her

official score sheet.

7. The result of a judge’s decision must be kept confidential.

No one shall attempt to discuss a contestant’s score with a

judge.

8. After the judges have totaled their scores for each

contestant, deducted penalty points and ranked each

contestant, the judges shall sign their score sheets and

give them to the Contest Chair. Each judge’s score and

rank for each contestant shall then be entered and

tabulated on the Official Contest Report Form. From this

form, the winner will be determined.

9. In all Club and Zone contests, the first, second and third

runner-up contestants shall be determined and

announced. However, if preliminary contests are held,

then only the first-place winner will be announced; or if

desired, the top two or three contestants, without

reference to their actual position in the contest.

10. There will be three winners awarded scholarships of

$2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively for first, second

and third place.

11. No judge may serve at more than one level of competition

in the contest, i.e. Club, Zone, Regional or District.

Section VI – Scoring

Scoring in all Club, Zone, District Regional and District

contests will conform to the following criteria:

1. Poise – appearance and personality: 10 points

2. Content of Speech – subject adherence, theme, content,

logic and color: 40 points

3. Delivery & Presentation – voice, volume, pronunciation,

gestures, eye contact, sincerity and emphasis:

35 points

4. Overall Effectiveness – appeal, impression, attitude and

effect: 15 points

1. Section VII – Penalties

1. Failure to announce the official topic in the first sentence

- 3 points

2. Failure to identify non-original material -

up to 10 points

3. Use of props, costume, etc. – 10 points

4. Time penalties – 1 point for each 15 seconds or fraction

of over or under the allotted time

5. Self-identification – up to 5 points

6. Failure to complete speech – disqualification

7. Use of audience prompters – disqualification

Section VIII - Awards

The following are the only awards to be given in the

Optimist International Oratorical Contest at all Club,

Zone, District Regional and District contests. These

official Optimist International awards are available

from Shumsky in the U.S. or Caribbean or Ansell in

Canada. Awards will not be ordered or sent

automatically.

1. Club Level – The official Optimist International

medallions must be awarded. They may be awarded as

first, second and third, or as first, second and runner-

up. Any combination of medallions may be presented

at the option of the Club. Clubs are allowed to give

monetary awards of up to $500 per winner in addition

to the official medallions. The Club level awards may

be given in the form of a scholarship, savings bond or

cash prize but are completely discretionary.

2. Zone Level – Zone winner plaques and Certificates of

Participation

3. District Regional Level – District Regional winner plaques

and Certificates of Participation

4. District Level – District winner plaques

A. Each winner of the District level contest will receive a

scholarship for use at a college, university or trade school

only. There will be three winners awarded scholarships of

$2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 for first, second and third

place, respectively.

B. Scholarships are paid through the Optimist International

Foundation in the United States and Caribbean and the

Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation in Canada.

C. All scholarships will be administered by Optimist

International.

D. All scholarships will be payable to the educational

institution of the recipient’s choice, subject to the

approval of Optimist International.

E. Winners of an Optimist International scholarship must

claim their scholarship by the age of 25.

F. If a District chooses to raise the amount of a scholarship

funded by either of the Optimist International

Foundations or award additional scholarships, the District

will be responsible for the management and awarding of

those funds.

5. World Regionals Championships

A. Each winner of the Optimist World Regional level contest

will receive a scholarship of $5,000 for use at college,

university or trade school only.

6. The World Championship Optimist Oratorical Contest -

A. Each winner of the Optimist Regional level contest

will be eligible to compete in the World

Championship Optimist Contest. Contestants will be

comprised of each Optimist Regional winner and the

Saint Louis University Global Regional winner.

Scholarships will be awarded for first, second, and

third place in the amounts of $15,000, $10,000, and

$5,000 respectively for use at a college, university or

trade school only.

B. Scholarships are paid through the Optimist

International Foundation in the United States and

Caribbean, the Canadian Children’s Optimist

Foundation in Canada, or Saint Louis University.

C. All scholarships will be administered by Optimist

International or Saint Louis University.

D. All scholarships will be payable to the educational

institution of the recipient’s choice, subject to the

approval of Optimist International or Saint Louis

University.

E. Winners of The World Championship Oratorical

Contest scholarship must claim their scholarship by

the age of 25.

B. Scholarships are paid through the Optimist International

Foundation in the United States and Caribbean and the

Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation in Canada.

C. All scholarships will be administered by Optimist

International.

D. All scholarships will be payable to the educational

institution of the recipient’s choice, subject to the

approval of Optimist International.

E. Winner of an Optimist International scholarship must

claim their scholarship by the age of 25.

Visitor Sign-In Sheet

Name: Home phone:

Business phone: Cell phone:

Address:

City: State/Country: Zip Code:

Notes:

Name: Home phone:

Business phone: Cell phone:

Address:

City: State/Country: Zip Code:

Notes:

Name: Home phone:

Business phone: Cell phone:

Address:

City: State/Country: Zip Code:

Notes:

Name: Home phone:

Business phone: Cell phone:

Address:

City: State/Country: Zip Code:

Notes:

Bringing Out the Best in Kids. . .Join Today! www.optimist.org

Make 2 copies

Club Contest Worksheet

Zone______________________________________ Facility____________________________________

District ___________________________________ Date_________/________/____________________

City/State__________________________________ Time______________________________________

Instructions:

1. Check applications and verify age/identification submitted by the contestants. All items must be presented before

your contest begins. Make sure that each contestant has a printed copy of their speech.

2. When all contestants are present, have them draw for speaking order using slips with letters on them and record the

information on the chart above. (Speaker A, Speaker B, etc.)

3. Give each contestant a folded Student Evaluation Form to fill out before and after the contest. This form is a

requirement for contestant to be awarded the District Scholarship so make sure every student completes the form.

Please send all evaluation forms to Optimist International after the contest.

4. When the official results of the contest are confirmed, transfer the results to this worksheet by writing “first, second and

runner up” in the appropriate column. Introduce the runner-up first, then the second-place winner and then the first- place

winner. This worksheet should be made a part of the Club’s records. It should not be forwarded with information to the

next level of the contest.

Facility

Date / / Time

Speaking

Order

Contestant’s Name

Contest

Application

Verification of

Age/ID

Student

Evaluation

Form

Place in

Contest

Instructions to Judges

The contest scoring has been divided into four phases.

The general intent of each phase is as follows:

1. Poise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 points

2. Content of Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 points

(Subject Adherence, Theme, Logic, Content, Color)

In this category just the material and its organization as

presented by the contestant should be judged. A judge

should consider the importance of adherence to the

subject of the speech, the proper introduction and the

logic and coherent development of the theme which

brings about a successful and adequate conclusion.

Figures of speech, similes, metaphors, colorful choice of

words and zestful, descriptive phrases are important

qualities.

3. Delivery and Presentation . . . . . . . . . .35 points

(Voice, Pronunciation, Enunciation, Gestures,

Emphasis)

Delivery and presentation shall be judged on several

factors. Voice quality should be recognized in tone, pitch

and volume. Delivery should be continuous without

hesitation or halting. Enunciation and pronunciation are

most important. Gestures should be appraised for

frequency, nature and effectiveness. Desire to be

convincing should be obvious and emphasis should be well

placed and dynamic.

4. Overall Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . …15 points

(Appeal, Impression, Attitude, Effect)

In this category the overall impression created by the

speaker and the speech should be rated. In this phase of

scoring, the general overall impression is given actual

point values. While it must not be used as such, it is in

making this particular score that a judge would most

closely approach a conclusion that would actually rank

the contestants in his or her own opinion.

Penalty Explanations

1. Use of props, costumes, etc. - The use of props, special

costumes or clothing will result in a 10 point penalty.

Notes and lecterns may be used if the speaker desires

to do so.

2. Use of audience prompters will not be permitted and

will result in disqualification.

3. Self-identification - To eliminate any potential bias or

prejudice, no reference can be made that identifies

the

contestant, parents, school, community, sponsoring

Optimist Club or District. This will result in a deduction

of up to 5 points.

4. Time penalties - The time limit for speeches is not less

than 4 minutes or over 5 minutes in length.

Contestants going over or under the time limit will not

be cautioned, but will be penalized 1 point for each 15

seconds or portion thereof over or under the limits.

These penalties will be determined by the timekeeper.

Timing will begin at the first word spoken.

5. Failure to announce the official topic in the first

sentence of the speech - All contestants must express

the official topic in the first sentence of the speech. A

3-point penalty must be assessed by the timekeeper

for failure to state the official topic.

6. Failure to complete the speech. Each

contestant must complete the entire speech.

The penalty is disqualification.

7. Failure to identify non-original material. Any

quotation or copyrighted material used must be

identified verbally. The failure to do so will result

in a penalty of up to 10 points.

Make 6 copies

Official Oratorical Contest Judge’s Score Sheet

SPEAKERS’ ORDER

Judging Criteria

Poise

(Appearance, Personality)

10 points

Content of Speech 40 points

(Subject Adherence, Theme, Logic, Content, Color)

Delivery & Presentation 35

points (Voice, Volume, Pronunciation, Gestures, Eye

Contact, Sincerity, Emphasis)

Overall Effectiveness 15 points

(Appeal, Impression, Attitude, Effect)

Total Judge’s Points

Each judge shall assess the following penalties against a contestant as infractions of the rules occur.

Contestant

Use of props, costume (10 points)

Self-Identification

(up to 5 points)

The timekeeper will assess the following penalties only after a judge has totaled the speech score for each contestant.

Time Penalties (1 point each 15 seconds or portion over or under

official limits)

Failure to announce official topic in the first

sentence of the speech (3 points)

Use of audience prompters

(Disqualification)

Failure to complete speech (Disqualification)

Failure to identify non-original

material verbally (up to 10 points )

Total Penalty Points

Net scores of points (no ties permitted)

Contestant’s rank

Signature Date / /

Judge’s Name

Failure to

Speakers in

Over/Under

Use of

announce topic

Verbal ID of

order of

Time

time-point

Audience

at the beginning

non-original

Total penalty

appearance

minutes/sections

penalties

Prompter

of the oration

material

points

Make 2 copies

Official Timekeeper’s Score Sheet

For all Zone, District Regional and District contests

The official timekeeper shall use a regulation stopwatch or equivalent timing device which will be supplied by the

Contest Chairperson.

Time Penalties

The time limit for speeches will be not under 4 minutes or over 5 minutes in length. Contestants going over or under

the time limits will not be cautioned, but will be penalized one point for each 15 seconds or fraction over or under the

time limit. These penalties will be determined by the official timekeeper.

Timing will begin immediately after the first word spoken. Timing will stop when the contestant finishes the

speech.

Use of Audience Prompters - Use of audience prompters will not be permitted and will result in disqualification

Failure to Announce the Official Topic in the First Sentence of the Speech

All contestants must express the official topic in the first sentence of the speech, or a 3-point penalty is

automatically assessed by the timekeeper.

Failure to Identify Non-original Material Verbally

Any non-original material in the speech must be noted verbally and in the written copy of the speech. If a contestant

fails to identify non-original material, the result will be up to 10 penalty points. The printed copy of the speech is to be

followed to verify the verbal identification. The penalty is assessed by the timekeeper.

Signature Date / /

Timekeeper’s Name

Make 2 copies

Official Report Form

For all Zone, District Regional and District Contests

The Oratorical Contest Chair should check the math for each contestant’s score. Enter the final point grades and ranks

on this report form. The Contest Chair should announce the results from this form. For preliminary contests, the Chair

will name by letter the two or three best contestants without announcing first, second or third place. For final contests,

the Chair will name by letter the third, second, then first place winner.

Contestant’s

Speaking Order

First Judge

Second Judge

Third Judge

Total of Point

Grades

Total of

Rank

Place

Point

Grades

Rank

Point

Grades

Rank

Point

Grades

Rank

To determine rank in Zone, District Regional and District

each judge ranks the speakers as 1, 2, 3, etc., according to

their scores. Ties are not permitted. At the end of the

contest, the Chair collects the judges’ score sheets and

checks the math. The point grade and position of rank for

each contestant is entered on this form. The winning

contestant is then determined as follows:

1. If any contestant is ranked first by a majority of the

judges, he or she is automatically declared the winner.

2. All other contestants are ranked by the “total of rank”

system. This means that the rank, not the points each

judge has given each contestant, is added and this figure is

placed in the Total of Rank column. First place is

determined by this means also, if no one qualifies under

the method explained in #1 above. The lowest total wins

first place, the next lowest wins second place and so on.

3. If a two-way tie results for any place, it is broken by a

preferential vote. Using the rankings given on the ballots, a

tabulation is made on the number of judges who placed

one of the tied contestants higher than the other. Example:

Two contestants, speakers D and H, are tied for third place

and each has received a rank of nine.

Speaker H would be declared the third-place winner as

two judges (#2 and 3) ranked H higher than speaker D,

who would be ranked fourth in the contest.

4. If a three-way tie results by the total of rank system, then

and only then, are the point grades for each contestant

totaled to break the three-way tie.

Caution: Scores and rankings should be checked by a

second person to ensure accuracy, but remember this

information is confidential! Announcing winners

incorrectly can be disastrous!

Make 2 copies

2019-2020 Official Zone/District Regional/District Entry Form

Be sure that your contestants are fully qualified to compete by filling in each line of this entry form. Your Club

should complete all requirements including signatures. Attach a copy of the speech and check for proof of ID from a

birth certificate or passport (only District winners need to submit a copy of their birth certificate or passport to OI).

Submit all paperwork to the Chair of the next level at least two weeks prior to the contest date.

District Oratorical Chair is____________________________________________________________________________

Contestant’s Name

Address

City State/Country Zip Code

Date of birth / /

month/day/year

E-mail Address:

Phone ( )

“As a contestant, I received a copy of the official rules for the Optimist International Oratorical Contest and fully understand them. I

agree to be bound by all requirements. I have prepared my own speech with limited assistance on the topic, and have given due credit

in writing and verbally in my speech. I understand that any omission or violation of the rules on my part will mean immediate

disqualification.”

Contestant’s signature Date / /

To Club and District Officers:

The following contest information should be completed by the appropriate level’s Chair as the paperwork

progresses with the winner.

Number of youth in Club contest

Was Zone contest held?



yes



Number of youth in Zone contest

Number of youth in Regional contest

Name(s) of District Donors to the Contest:_______

For Club, Zone, District Regional Chairs’ signatures

“We, the undersigned, in full compliance with the Optimist International Oratorical Contest rules, enter this contestant in the

Zone/District Regional/District Contest. We understand that this form, the speech and proof of the birth certificate or passport must

be submitted to the Contest Chair before this contestant competes in the next level of the contest.”

Optimist Club of District Name

Club Number

Club President’s Signature

Club Contest Chair’s Signature________________________ Phone:_______________________ Email:_______________

Zone Chair’s Signature (to enter District Regional or District level)

Regional Chair’s Signature (to enter District level)

DO NOT FORGET TO INCLUDE THE CONTESTANT’S CLUB CONTEST EVALUATION FORM!

Name: ____________________________________

Place where contest was held:

__________________________________________

BEFORE THE CONTEST:

I feel: ___________________________

(nervous, excited, scared, bored, etc. )

I have enough information on what to expect:

______ Yes

______ No

I know I will be able to express my thoughts clearly:

_______ Yes

_______ Somewhat

_______ Not very well

_______ Not at all

I am planning to attend college/university:

_______ Yes

_______ Probably

_______ Probably not

_______ No

My outlook on life right now:

_______ Things are pretty dismal

_______ Things are just what they are

_______ Sometimes Good/Sometimes Bad

_______ For the most part – pretty good

_______ Great! Bring on the Future!!!

AFTER THE CONTEST:

I now feel:____________________________

(nervous, excited, scared, bored, etc. )

I was told what to expect next:

______ Yes

______ No

I will participate in this contest again, if eligible:

______ Yes

______ No

I was able to express my thoughts clearly:

_______ Yes

_______ Somewhat

_______ Not very well

_______ Not at all

I am planning to attend college/university:

_______ Yes

_______ Probably

_______ Probably not

_______ No

My outlook on life right now is:

_______ Things are pretty dismal

_______ Things are just what they are

_______ Sometimes Good/Sometimes Bad

_______ For the most part – pretty good

_______ Great! Bring on the Future!!!

ORATORICAL CONTEST

CONTESTANT

EVALUATION FORM

BEFORE CONTEST

ORATORICAL CONTEST

CONTESTANT

EVALUATION FORM

AFTER CONTEST

FOLD HERE

STOP

Zone/District Regional/District Entry Form

• Must have number of students that participated in all levels of the contest

• Must have appropriate signatures, including the contestant’s

Student’s Application for 2019-2020 Contest

Age/ID verification by Contest Chair

• (Only District winners will need copies of ID)

Printed copy of speech

____ Copy of Student Evaluation

Entry fee (if applicable)

• Contact the District Oratorical Chair to find out if there is a fee

Contact the District Chair for

deadline to submit Club entries!

2019-2020 Oratorical Contest Club Chair Evaluation Form

Club Name __________________________Club #________________

Your Name_______________________________

Number of male , female , youth competing in contest.

Are you a first-time or repeating Chair? _____________________

What was your favorite part of the contest as a Chair?

Please list ways your club is able to obtain contestants for your contest:

Please list the names of schools that you worked with:

What was your opinion on this year’s topic? Do you have suggestions for future topics?

What recommendations, if any, would you propose for improving the Oratorical contest?

Please share any procedures that worked well for your Club.

This form should be submitted to:

Optimist International Programs Department

Attn: Oratorical Coordinator

4494 Lindell Blvd. • St. Louis, MO 63108

or fax to: 314-371-6006;

or email: programs@optimist.org

Optimist International Programs Department

Attn: Oratorical Coordinator

5205 Metropolitan Blvd. East, Suite 200

Montreal, QC H1R 1Z7 Canada

or fax to: 514-721-1104 or email: service@optimist.org

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