The American Legion Department of Delaware held its seventy-third Oratorical Contest in Odessa, at Post 25 on Jan. 5.
There were two 2009 contestants:
• Andrew Bell, of Seaford, who attends Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown.
• Clarissa Pyles, of New Castle, who attends William Penn High School in New Castle.
Each contestant delivered a prepared oration as well as an oration on a randomly assigned constitutional topic.
Bell was the winner of this years Delaware High School Oratorical Scholarship, “A Constitutional Speech Contest.”
Andrew earned a $1,000 scholarship from the American Legion State of Delaware. He will travel to Indianapolis on April 9 to compete in the National Finals Contest. He will receive an additional Fifteen Hundred dollars when he participates in the first round of the National Contest. If he advances he will receive more money.
Clarissa also won scholarship money and will be back next year to compete.
Since 1938, The American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program has encouraged the nation’s high school students to study the U.S. Constitution and to hone their public speaking skills.
For more information, call Chuck Armbruster at 302-893-7703 or at armbruct@hotmail.com.
The American Legion Department of Delaware is proud to have sponsored this Americanism activity for high school students for the past 73 years.
