Essay & Speech Contest

Do you care about ethical standards?

This year the Meriden Rotary Club will be awarding $3,500 in educational awards to high school students!

There are 2 ways to win:

Rotary Four-Way Test Speaking Contest:

1st prize = $1,000

2nd prize = $500

3rd prize = $250 

Rotary Four-Way Test Written Essay Contest:

1st prize = $1,000

2nd prize = $500

3rd prize = $250

Learn more about the Rotary Club's Four-Way Test

Deadline for submission is January 5, 2012 @ 3pm

Speaking contest will be held on January 10, 2012 at a site to be determined.

Download an entry form now!

Take the principals of the Rotary Four-Way Test and apply it to real life in either the speaking or essay contests.  The local first place winner will also have the opportunity to compete at the Rotary District 7980 "speak off" held in New Haven on January 29, 2012.  The 3 top winners from that contest will then move on to represent the District in Warwick, Rhode Island in May of 2012. 

Objectives and Rules of the Rotary Four-Way Test Speech and Essay Contests

Goals:

• Develop the study, application, and communication of the Four-Way Test as a moral and ethical model for behavior, decision making, and life practice through a speech contest for high school students. 
• Encourage broad participation in the contest by students, teachers, schools, parents, Rotarians, and others.

Rules for Speech and Essay Contests:

• Eligibility: Any high school student in grades 9 through 12 residing in Meriden.
• Subject: The speech must apply the Four-Way Test as a standard in connection with appropriate topics such as life experiences, current events.  It need not include all of the elements of the Four-Way Test, but may center on one or more, demonstrating the impact of the test upon life and society.
• Content: The content must be original, prepared by the contestant, but may include references to research, quotations, statistics, and material from other sources, as long as it contains an original or unique approach, not a substantial copy of another product.

Rules for the Speech Contest:

• Demonstration objects and visuals may be used, but should not be a major portion of the speech.
• No slides, videos, or overhead projections may be used

Delivery:

• The speech should not be read, but adequate outline notes may be used.
• The speech may be delivered partly or entirely from memory.

Length:

• The speech should last no less than 5 minutes and not more than 7 minutes in length.
• A speech that is delivered in less than 5 minutes or longer than 7 minutes will be disqualified.

Contest Procedure:

• Speakers will be identified by number until all have spoken and judges have made an evaluation.
• Students should not  give their name or other identification during the speech.
• If selected as a winner in the local contest, speakers are expected to compete in the District semi-finals and, if successful, compete in the District finals.
• Students understand that the Speaking Contest will be photographed and videotaped and posted on the Meriden Rotary website for future marketing to other students.

Rules Violations:

• Judges may, at their discretion, deduct 3 points from the total averaged judge's scoring for violation of these rules (other than disqualification).
• Judges may disqualify a speaker for gross misconduct or ineligibility.

Good luck to all the contestants!!!

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