The Vorto Labor Day Classic

2024 — NSDA Campus, US

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Original Oratory

Event Description:

• Purpose and Subject:

  • The primary purpose of the speech is to persuade. Any additional purposes, such as informing or entertaining, are secondary. The subject of the oration can be any appropriate topic, but it must be truthful. Non-factual references, especially personal ones, must be clearly identified.

• Contest Rules:

  • The contest features memorized orations created by the contestants for the current season, with no previous use in past contests. Visual aids are not permitted.

• Length and Timing:

  • The speech must be within a 10-minute limit, with a 30-second grace period. If this period is exceeded, all judges must agree to the time violation for the contestant to be excluded from a 1st place ranking. No minimum time is required, and judges should use accurate timing devices.

• Quotation and Script:

  • No more than 150 words of the oration may be direct quotations from other sources, and these must be identified in a printed copy of the oration. Extensive paraphrasing is prohibited. The script must include:
    • Identified quotations
    • The number of quoted words
    • A work-cited page in APA or MLA format
    • Signatures from both the orator and coach confirming the originality of the work
  • Contestants must have a script ready upon request if the oration is challenged.