Western Reserve Society

Sons of the American Revolution

1st in Ohio - 2nd Oldest in the Country

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High School Americanism Oration Contest

  • Local WRSSAR Cash Awards: $500, $250, $150
  • Due to covid, we will be holding the contest virtually. Students will email us a digital file of their oration. Contact us for more details.
  • Please notify us at wrssar.communications@gmail.com as soon as possible to let us know of your interest in participating.
  • Our local winner won local, state and national in 2015!

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest.

The contest is open to all students attending home schools, public, parochial, or private high school students in that same grade range. While the preliminary rounds of the contest begin at the local level, students may eventually advance to the state or national levels, eventually held in June during the annual SAR Congress.

Each student’s five- to six-minute speech (and accompanying manuscript) will be judged based upon its composition, delivery, significance, and historical accuracy and relevance.

Three cash scholarship awards are given: the National First Place Winner receives $5,000; the 2nd Place Runner-up receives $3,000; and the 3rd Place Runner-up receives $2,000 cash prize. Each also receives an Olympic-sized medal. All other finalists (4th through 6th Place runners-up) are awarded $400 and all other national contestants are awarded $200.

WHAT DO I DO?

    • Write an original speech of no less than 5 minutes and no more than 6.
    • The topic of the original speech should have to do with any aspect of the Revolutionary War: events, battles, people, documents, etc. You will want to establish a clear thesis (argument) in your speech and back it up with facts from history. However, you must also find a way to connect this event, person, document, with the USA today. We must know why your topic is relevant today!
    • You cannot use any notes. All orations must be memorized. You may not use any props or audio-visuals.
    • You will submit a copy of your speech in writing to the local chairman 3 days before the contest. Should you get lost during your speech, the chairman can prompt you.

 

Online Enrollment

Note: We will contact you within 7 days of you submitting your information.
If you do not hear from us, please email wrssar.communications@gmail.com