Guidelines for Participating in Speech:

A participant will prepare and deliver a speech. This event is for boys and girls, performing in separate rooms.

• Participants will develop an original speech which is related to the LTCSW theme.
• Participants in grades three to nine may choose to speak about a Bible character as the topic of their speech.
• A single note card no larger than 3″ X 5″ index card is permitted. If more than one card is used there will be a penalty of 5 points deducted from the total score.
• The speech must be original to the speaker. The same speech may not be used by another speaker.
• The duration of the speech should be three to six minutes. For each thirty (30) seconds that a speaker is over or under the prescribed time limits, two points will be subtracted. At the speaker’s request the timer will indicate when 3, 5, and 6 minutes have elapsed.
• Spectators may not enter or leave the room while participants are speaking. The audience will be both men and women with the exception of one session of girl’s sppech, which will have a female audience only.
• No participant may be taped without their advance approval and appropriate notification to the judges. Any video or audio equipment must be set up prior to the event and must be stationary.
• Speakers may use Google Slides for a digital presentation device during the speech. This is not mandatory and participants will not be penalized if they choose not to use digital media. PLEASE NOTE:  The digital presentation may NOT distract from the message of the speaker. It is used to enhance the audience experience. The speaker may not read directly from the digital presentation. The speaker will be responsible for using a remote control to advance their slides, so please practice this skill prior to the day of the speech. Video clips are not allowed in the digital presentation. Speakers choosing to use digital presentations must e-mail a copy of the presentation or upload the presentation to the LTCSW website at least 3 weeks prior to convention date, so that the event director has time to ensure it will run correctly on the computer present at convention. The Speaker must also bring a copy of the presentation on a flash drive to the convention. Please contact the event director if you have any questions about using a digital presentation as part of your speech.
• Speakers may use appropriate props or visual aids during speeches. Appropriate props are considered small and not distracting to the message of the speech. Appropriate props will aid in the audience experience and understanding of your message. Props are not meant to be theatrical. If you are using props in your speech, you must get them approved by the event director at least 3 weeks prior to convention date. Speakers will not be penalized for not using props.
• Speeches must be memorized and not read! A participant who reads his/her speech will be disqualified.
• Boys and girls will perform in separate rooms. Three male judges will judge boys. Three female judges will judge girls. An award rating will be assigned based on the point average among the three judges’ sheets.
• This event is not a dramatic interpretation. The judges will decide if the speech is overly dramatic with excessive use of dramatic techniques.
• A podium will be available if the speaker chooses to use one.

 

Judging Criteria:

Speech performances will be evaluated by three judges.

• The judging criteria for Speech includes:
  1. (20 Points) Thesis/Main Point: Is the speaker’s central idea clear? Is the “gist“ of the speech easily discernible? Is the key idea related to the LTCSW theme? Is the main idea compelling and creative?
  2. (20 Points) Organization: Are the speech’s main points clear? Are the main points logically developed? Are the main points well supported? Does the speaker show transitions between points?
  3. (20 Points) Content: Is the material interesting and significant? Does the speaker use a variety of types of supporting material (e.g. statistics, stories, or examples)? Does the speech keep your attention? Does the content demonstrate particularly good insight?
  4. (20 Points) Verbal Delivery: Is the speech delivered smoothly, relatively free of stumbling and mispronunciations? Is the rate and volume appropriate? Is the speaker’s vocal quality in any way distracting? Does the speech sound natural? Does the speaker rely too much on the note card?
  5. (20 Points) Non-Verbal Delivery: Does the speaker use appropriate gestures and body movements? Does the speaker look poised and confident? Does the speaker demonstrate enthusiasm?
  6. A deduction of 2 points will be assessed for every 30 seconds over or under the required time limit of 3 to 6 minutes.
• An award rating will be assigned based on the point average among the three judges.
• As a general rule, awards will be assigned accordingly: GOLD, 95-100 points; SILVER, 85-94 points; BRONZE, 70-84 points; and NO AWARD, 0-69 points.
• The event director reserves the discretion to assign the final award.