Updated as of October 8, 2024.
About the Contest
On a national level, the American Legion awards more than $200,000 in scholarships to winners of its Oratorical Scholarship Competition. Maryland conducts the American Legion, Department of Maryland Oratorical Scholarship Competition.
Purpose
- “to develop knowledge and appreciation of the United States Constitution, the ability to think and speak clearly and critically, and the acceptance of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship.”
Eligibility
All contestants shall be citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States, bona fide students under age 20, and presently enrolled in grades 9 through 12, in a high school or junior high school (public, parochial, military, home or private). Contestants must either live in Maryland or go to school in Maryland and may enter the contest in only one location. The three finalists in the National Finals cannot compete again at any level.
Awards for 2025
- Maryland District and Post scholarship or cash awards vary.
- State Finals:
- 1st Place Gold Medal and $3,000 scholarship
- 2nd Place Silver Medal and $2,000 scholarship
- Others (3rd +) Bronze Medal and $750 scholarship
- National Finals:
- 1st place $25,000 scholarship
- 2nd place $22,500 scholarship
- 3rd place $20,000 scholarship
- All state winners who participate in first-round National contests receive $2,000 scholarships.
- All second-round contestants receive an additional $2,000 scholarship.
Registration
- Varies by region
- Follow the district links to (1) fill out an information form so they can contact you and (2) find the regional coordinators’ names, phone numbers, and email links.
- Maryland American Legion District 1 (Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties)
- Maryland American Legion District 2 (Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties)
- Maryland American Legion Northern Maryland Region (both District 3 – Anne Arundel County and District 4 – Howard, Harford, Baltimore City & County)
- Maryland American Legion Southern Maryland Region (both District 5 – Southern Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and North Prince Georges Counties and District 6 – Charles, St Mary’s, Calvert, and South Prince Georges Counties)
- Maryland American Legion District 7 (Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties)
- Maryland American Legion District 8 (Carroll, Frederick, and Northern Montgomery Counties)
Assigned Topics for 2025
Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment VII
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment XVIII
Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.
Amendment XXVI
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Contest Rules
Each contestant will prepare and deliver two speeches.
At the state and national level, the contestant must hand over a copy of the Prepared Oration speech.
Plagiarism may cause disqualification.
A student shall use the same subject for the oration throughout all contests.
“Prepared Oration”
“Each contestant shall deliver a prepared oration, which must be an original effort. The oration must address some aspect of the Constitution of the United States, which emphasizes the attendant duties and obligations of a citizen to our government. Possible subjects include:
- An American Citizens Rights and Responsibilities Under The Constitution
- Our Constitution – Worth Having, Worth Defending
- The Constitution in a Changing World
- The Constitution in Our Everyday Life
- The Bill of Rights – Reciprocal Rights and Duties
- The Constitution – Guardian of the People’s Rights
“Assigned Topic Discourse”
- “In addition to a Prepared Oration, contestants must be prepared to speak on a specific article or amendment to the Constitution. The National office chooses four each year and contestants will prepare a speech for all four. However, only one is chosen, at random, during a contest and all contestants will speak on the same article or amendment. Contestants are sequestered during the contest so they do [not] know which choice was drawn until it [is] their turn to speak. See below for the list of selected assigned topics for the year.”
Find more details on The Rules and Details web page of the American Legion, Department of Maryland Oratorical Program.
Contact the Bridges Helpdesk for More Information
Email: Helpdesk@imagemd.org
Text: Send to: (410) 357-1546
Voice mail: Call (410) 357-1546, leave a voice mail message, and we will return your call
This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.