North Allegheny
2025 — Wexford, PA/US
Original Oratory
Event Description:
ORIGINAL ORATORY
Original Oratory is a speech written by the student with the intent to inform or persuade the audience on a topic of significance. Oratory gives students the unique opportunity to showcase their voice and passion for their topic. An Oratory is not simply an essay about the topic—it is a well researched and organized presentation with evidence, logic, emotional appeals, and sometimes humor to convey a message. Topics may be of a value orientation and affect people at a personal level, such as avoiding peer pressure, or they can be more of a policy orientation and ask an audience to enact particular policies or solve societal problems.
This contest comprises only memorized orations actually composed by the contestants and not used by them during a previous contest season. No visual aids are permitted. There is a set time limit of ten minutes, with a thirty second grace period
NA's Tournament follows the National Speech and Debate Rules for Original Oratory
https://www.speechanddebate.org/high-school-unified-manual/
Guidelines for comments (optional resource): After adjudicating the round, please enter your ranks as soon as possible then provide constructive feedback to each competitor in the space provided below. Your comments should highlight areas of strength as well as provide areas for growth. Be as specific as possible in your feedback. Use the space to expand your thoughts on any of these areas or to comment on specific moments or lines that stood out to you. Please do not comment on participants’ attire or appearance; this should not play a role in your decision.
Importance Is the topic significant? Is the thesis clearly established? Does the delivery assist in establishing the importance of the topic?
Relatability Can the audience relate to the topic? Is the delivery personable? Does the speaker establish how others are impacted by their topic? Is the rhetoric of the speech inclusive?
Originality Does the speaker address the topic in a unique, inventive way? Are the supporting examples new and interesting?