The 2018-2019 American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program is now open for applications, according to a media release from American Legion Carroll Post 31 in Westminster.
Applicants will compete in an oratorical contest scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Legion for a chance at $300 first-place, $200 second-place and $100 third-place awards given the night of the contest.
The winner of the competition will move on to a county contest, and if they continue to win, district, state and even national level competition, with scholarship money awarded at each level. At the national level, scholarships of $18,000, $16,000 and $14,000 are given to first, second and third place, with each participant at the national competition receiving $1,500, according to the release.
To compete, high school students must prepare an 8- to 10-minute oration “emphasizing the duties and obligations of a citizen to the United States government” as defined in the United States Constitution, according to the release.
Those interested in competing should contact contest chairman Jim Beckman at 410-857-9812 or 443-974-5044, no later than Jan. 4.
For more information, visit www.legion.org/oratorical.