THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF HAWAII
612 MCCULLY STREET HONOLULU, HAWAII 96826
(808) 946-6383, oratorical@hilegion.org)
THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF HAWAII'S ORATORICAL
(808) 946-6383, oratorical@hilegion.org)
THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF HAWAII'S ORATORICAL
We invite your students to participate in the 2027 American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program, which is “A Constitutional Speech Contest,” to be held on March 13, 2027 at the Oahu Veterans Center, 1298 Kukila Street, Honolulu HI 96818. The purpose of the contest is to instill a better knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States in high school students. It also develops leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly and the preparation for acceptance of the duties, responsibilities, and privileges of American citizenship. Our 2022 through 2026 winners hailed from Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School [Honolulu, (Oahu)], twice from Konawaena High School [Kealakekua (Hawaii)], Iolani School (Honolulu Oahu) and Hilo High School [Hilo (Hawaii)]! Our last Hawaii Constitutionalist to win the National Scholarships was Robert H. Maus in 1976 and we would love for you to be next.
Young orators earn some of the most generous college scholarships available to high school students. Over $203,500 in scholarships can be awarded each year. The overall National Contest Winner gets a $25,000 scholarship, second place takes home $22,500, and third gets $20,000. Our Department of Hawaii certified winner that participates in the National contest’s first round will receive an additional $2,000 scholarship. Those contestants who advance to the semifinals, 2nd round, receive an additional $2,000 scholarship. The American Legion’s National Organization awards the scholarships, which may be used in any college or university in the United States.
To qualify for the dates pending, 14-16 or 21-23, May2027 National Contest, the contestant must first participate in the State of Hawaii contest which will be held on March 13, 2027, 0900, at Oahu Veterans Center, 1298 Kukila St. Honolulu HI. Our American Legion Department of Hawaii 2027 Oratorical web page is found https://www.hilegion.org/ and then choose ORATORICAL. The contestants will receive check awards; 1st place $1,000.00, 2nd place $500.00 and 3rd place $300.00. The winner and their chaperone will receive airfare and hotel accommodation to represent Hawaii in the National Finals, which will be May 14-16 or 21-23 in Hillsdale, Mich., at Hillsdale College. Quarterfinal and semifinal contests will likely be scheduled for Saturday, May 15thor 22nd with the finals likely scheduled for Sunday, May 16th or 23rd. All contestants and chaperones will arrive the Friday of the contest weekend. All contestants and chaperones will reside on campus at Hillsdale College. A mandatory pre-contest orientation session for all contestants will take place the Friday evening of the contest weekend. A banquet honoring all contestants will be Sunday afternoon, following the morning’s national championship contest. A chaperone over 21 years of age must accompany each contestant to the National Contest.
National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA): Students should also inform their local NSDA representative, usually a high school teacher or speech and debate coach. This is an opportunity to promote the Oratorical program to local students who already participate in speech competitions. Students earn double NSDA points when they compete in an American Legion Oratorical contest.
The following website will help participants obtain requirements & rules on the National Contest: https://www.legion.org/get-involved/youth-programs/oratorical-contest. I recommend viewing the past national winners available on YouTube such as “American Legion National Oratorical Contest Finals Champion” and “American Legion National Oratorical Contest Finals.”
Each participant should complete the TYPED application and ensure it will be received at the American Legion Department of Hawaii by 08Mar2027. Mahalo for supporting your student’s participation!
Typed applications should be scanned & emailed to oratorical@hilegion.org 
or snail mail received by March 8th, 2027 to:
The American Legion Department of Hawaii
Attn: Oratorical Contest Committee
612 McCully Street
Honolulu, HI 96826
Sincerely,
CR Drumheller
Department of Hawaii Oratorical Chairman
(808-927-9663)
Email: oratorical@hilegion.org
https://www.hilegion.org/ & select Oratorical
Please arrive before 0845; we begin @0900. Dress smartly; Uniforms (scouting, JROTC et cetera) are not permitted. Appropriate business attire is required for all contestants. Contestants may not wear awards and medals from previous competitions. Prior to beginning, we will only introduce you as contestant #1, #2 and so on. No one will know your school et cetera but the Oratorical Chairman. You won't know your judges. All of us will introduce ourselves after the contest ends and then it will be time for awards and pictures! We don't have video or photography during the contest to avoid distractions.
Oratorical Contest Prepared Oration
Your Prepared Oration must be on some aspect of the Constitution, with emphasis on a citizen’s duties and obligations to our government. The same subject and oration used in the department contest must be used in the national contest. The prepared oration discourse must not consume less than eight (8) minutes or more than ten (10) minutes for delivery.
Contestants may have a copy of their prepared oration while waiting in the first holding room. They may consult the copy until they exit to begin the contest. The copy will then be surrendered to the contest official monitoring the first holding room.
Quotations must always be indicated as such. Where quotations are more than 10 words in length, the author’s name must be given in the manuscript and cited orally.
It is acceptable to utilize or incorporate short phrases in a foreign language to develop the argument, establish a point, etc. It should be understood that the vast majority of the prepared oration and/or assigned topic must still be delivered in English. Singing is not permitted and will result in immediate disqualification. The contestant may, however, quote a verse(s) of a song(s) provided proper attribution is made.
Oratorical Contest Assigned Topics
Once the Prepared Orations are complete, we will choose one of the Amendments, provided the previous fall season by the National Office, as the Assigned Topic. Contestants will be informed of the amendment separately, given 5 minutes to prepare their Assigned Topic Discourse. The assigned topic discourse must not consume less than three (3) minutes or more than five (5) minutes for delivery. The purpose of the assigned topic discourse is to test the speaker's knowledge of the subject, the extent of his or her research, and the ability to discuss the topic as related to the basic principles of government under the Constitution.
The assigned topic shall be drawn by the contest official in full view of the audience immediately before the last speaker begins delivery of his or her prepared oration and will be made known to the audience and each contestant approximately five (5) minutes prior to the time of delivery. The topic will be on some phase of the U.S. Constitution, selected from Articles and Sections as listed under assigned topics for the current year's contest in this brochure.
All contestants at each contest level are required to speak in the English language on the same assigned topic.
Assigned Topics for 2027 Oratorical Contest
The Preamble
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Article VI Paragraph 2
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
Amendment XIV Section 3
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Amendment XXII Section 1
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.