Letter from Oratorical Chairman to Guidance Counselors

This marks our 70th year of awarding scholarships in the National High School Oratorical Program. This program was initiated in 1938 to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding among high school students of the Constitution of the United States of America. The participants also obtain the ability to think, speak intelligently and prepare, through understanding, for the responsibilities, rights and privileges of American Citizenship.

National Scholarships awarded annually are in the amount of $138,000. The responsibility for the National Contest site and establishing dates lies within the National Americanism Commission of The American Legion.

Another purpose of the program is to assist students in paying the high cost of a college education. On the National level, The American Legion Life Insurance Fund provides the scholarship money for the program. The first place winner in the National Contest takes home $18,000 and the next two finishers receive $16,000 and $14,000 respectively. Each Department (State) winner who is certified into and participates in the first round of the National Contest will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Each first round winner who advances to and participates in the second round, but does not advance to the Final Round, will receive an additional $1,500 scholarship to pursue education beyond high school.

The American Legion takes great pride in the contest and a strong interest in the contestants and their families. For this reason, participants have cited the experience of meeting people involved in this program as a special benefit of the competition. Entrants reaching advanced levels of the contest have the added chance to meet students and Legionnaires from throughout the Nation.

In order to reach the National Contest, contestants must participate at the High School, District and State Level. The winner of the High School Contest will proceed to the District Contest and the winner of the District Contest will proceed to the State Championship. The State winner receives $2,000 from The American Legion Department of Vermont and the privilege of competing at the National Contest. The runners up in the State Contest will each receive $100 from The American Legion Department of Vermont. All contestants may apply for additional scholarship funds from The American Legion Department of Vermont.

We ask your help in getting this information to your student body. All students in grades 9 through 12, who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States, are eligible to participate in the program.

INDIANAPOLIS (April 19, 2009) - A high school senior from Brattleboro, Vt., capped a busy weekend of competition in Indianapolis by earning a $16,000 college scholarship and second place in The American Legion National High School Oratorical Scholarship Program - "A Constitutional Speech Contest." The competition was won by Andrew Dysktal, of Lafayette, Ind. His winning oration was titled "A More Perfect Union."

Caroine Heydinger, who attends Brattleboro Union High School, started the weekend as one of 53 state or territorial champions in the 72nd annual contest. She advanced to the final three, through three rounds of intense competition.

In her speech, "We the People," Heydinger spoke of how the founding fathers, who created the Constitution, were wealthy white men but produced a document that would ultimately protect everyone. "The 13th amendment ratified in 1865 abolished slavery; in 1868, the 14th amendment defined citizenship to be any person born or naturalized in the United States; in 1869 the 15th amendment was passed prohibiting that a person to be denied the right to vote based on race; and then later, the 19th amendment, of 1920 granted women the right to vote."

She pointed to the election of President Obama as an event that "epitomizes the idea of freedom and equality upon which our nation was built."

Heydinger concluded that supporters of the Constitution should try to uphold it. "It is our duty, not only as Americans, but as lovers of freedom and prosperity to uphold this sacred document, made so by the men and women who fought and died for it."

In each round of the weekend competition, orators delivered a rehearsed 8- to 10-minute address and a randomly assigned 3- to 5-minute oration on a constitutional topic, each without the benefit of notes and in front of a live audience, including the judges. The 2.6-million member American Legion developed the contest to encourage young people to improve their communications skills and to study the U.S. Constitution.

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Media ContactsL Joe March (317)-748-1926 or John Raughter (317)-441-8847.

Melvin E. McKnight
Public Relations
The American Legion
Department of Vermont
802-454-7746
sprucemt@dishmail.net