North Mecklenburg Viking Classic
2024 — Huntersville, NC/US
Impromptu Speaking
Event Description:
Impromptu is a public speaking event where students have seven minutes to select a topic, brainstorm their ideas, outline and deliver a speech. The speech is given without notes and uses an introduction, body, and conclusion. THe speech can be light-hearted or serious.
A judge in each round will be provided a sealed envelope containing a set of topics to be used that round. Once in the room, the judge will open the envelope and place topics facedown. After the first speaker is called, the other speakers will leave the room and wait outside until they are called in order at the conclusion of each speech. Each speaker, on their turn, will draw three topics, choose one, and return the other two. As soon as a topic is chosen, the student will prepare a speech without consultation and without references to prepared notes.
Prep time begins the moment the three topics are drawn. Any time spent deciding which topic to choose counts as part of the competitor’s prep time. There is no minimum qualifying time, but the contestant must cover the subject adequately. The maximum time limit for both prep and speech is 7 minutes, they may use however he/she chooses. Students exceeding the time limit by more than 30 seconds cannot receive a first-place rank.