WRITING THE SPEECH:
Your speech should clearly address one of the topics for your division. Junior Division speeches must be 3-4 minutes in length, and Senior Division speeches must be 4-5 minutes.
This is not a research paper. The goal is not to assemble a lot of facts and figures. An effective speech captures the audience's attention and makes them think about this topic in a new and interesting way. You are looking to engage your audience. Write in a conversational tone (rather than a formal tone), making your speech easy to listen to and understand.
Consider including anecdotes or personal stories.
Begin with an introduction. You may wish to open with a question, or with an example or anecdote. This is often called The HOOK -- begin with a strong image, idea or anecdote that really captures your audience's attention and imagination. An original and striking hook will make your speech both interesting and memorable.
The body of a good speech should contain both the information (communicate the details of your topic) and the personal reply (communicate your personal reaction to the topic, the ways in which you connect this to your life or to today's society. What does this topic mean to you, and what should it mean to your audience?)
Finally, offer a conclusion: write a good ending to your speech -- don't just stop talking. Offer something that summarizes the main idea of your speech, so that your audience walks away understanding (and remembering!) your point. The best speeches will now remind the audience of the hook! Bring them full-circle, right back to the idea or image or anecdote that grabbed their attention in the first place.
REHEARSING THE SPEECH
Read your speech several times silently.
Read your speech several times aloud.
Practice your delivery in front of a mirror. Think about your posture, and your facial expressions. Try to look at your audience when you speak, and to limit nervous movements. Smile! Try to talk with your audience rather than talking at them.
Deliver your speech to family members and to your mentor. Ask them for comments, and be prepared to accept and consider constructive criticisms.
On the day of the Oratorical Festival, relax! You're going to do great!
