Oratorical Contest

Entry Period: Closed until October 1, 2022

"Staying Optimistic in Challenging Times" 

Since its start in 1928, the Optimist Oratorical Contest has become the longest-running program sponsored by Optimist International. The contest is designed for youth to gain experience in public speaking, perfect self-expression, gain self-assurance, improve communication skills, and provide them with the opportunity to compete for a college scholarship.

1. The Optimist International Oratorical contest will begin at the Club level, proceed to the Zone and District level and end with a contest at World Championships level. 

2. Contestants must enter through a local Optimist Club. 

3. The official application must be completed by each contestant and submitted to the sponsoring Club’s Contest Chair. 

4. Clubs, Zones and Districts will have a combined gender contests. 

5. No Zone, Regional, or District level contest shall have fewer than 3 or more than 20 contestants competing. 

6. Optimist International has the right to edit, publish and record any speech us

1. The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as of October 1st of the current Optimist International contest year (October 1 – September 30) and who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent, including CEGEP students in Québec, Canada. There is no minimum age. 

2. A contestant is eligible to enter/compete in only one Optimist Oratorical contest during a contest year. Once a contestant wins 1st place at the District level and/or competes at the World Regional level, they are ineligible to compete in the Optimist Oratorical Contest in a subsequent year. 

3. Each contestant shall prepare his or her own speech. The contestant may receive advice in the preparation of the speech and may make minor changes or improvements in the speech at any time. 

4. All contestants at each level of the contest must show proof of age before competing. Optimist Clubs may require a copy of birth certificate or passport if offering a club scholarship separate from Optimist International. District winners must provide a copy of the birth certificate or passport with District entry documentation 

5. A printed copy of the speech must be furnished either before or after the speech.

1. All contestants must speak on the official topic. 

2. A speech may be delivered in English or French. 

3. All contestants must state the official topic in the first sentence of the speech. Timing will begin with the first spoken word. A 3-point penalty is automatically assessed by the timekeeper for failure to state the official topic in the first sentence. 

4. Any quotation, copyrighted, or largely paraphrased material used in the speech must be identified verbally during the presentation and in the written copy of the speech with the original author’s name. The contestant shall be fully responsible for the use of any quoted material and Optimist International shall assume no responsibility. Failure to identify non-original material will result in up to 10 penalty points. 

5. The use of props, special costumes or clothing, will result in 10 penalty points 

6. The use of audience prompters will result in disqualification 

7. Notes and lecterns can be used if the contestant desires. 

8. The time allowed will be not under 4 minutes or over 5 minutes. Contestants going over or under will not be cautioned, and will be penalized one point for each 15 seconds or fraction of over or under the allotted time. This penalty will be determined by the official timekeeper. 

9. Timing will begin at the first word spoken. Timing will stop when the contestant finishes. 

10. No reference can be made that identifies the contestant, parents, school, community, sponsoring Optimist Club or District. This will result in a deduction of up to 5 points. Contestants shall not be identified by name or sponsoring Clubs until after the last oration has been presented and the judges and timekeeper have started deliberations.

11. Any protest in the conduct at any level of this contest must be made immediately after the condition is noted. Protests received after the next contestant has been introduced, or in the case of the last contestant, after the judges leave to total the scores, will not be accepted under any circumstances. 

12. The Contest Chairperson will decide all protests in accordance with the official rules. The decision of the Contest Chair is final and no higher appeals will be recognized. In the case of Club contests, the Club Contest Chair has this authority. In the case of Zone and District contests, the final authority is vested in the District Contest Chair. The Zone Chair has the authority to handle protests that may arise during the Zone competition with the District Chair having the final authority