Oratorical Contest Rules and Regulations
Eligible participants must be citizens of or lawful permanent residents of the United States. All contestants must be bona fide students herein described as any student under the age of 20 years on the date of the national contest who is presently enrolled in a high school or junior high school (public, parochial, military, private or home school). The curriculum of the school must be of high school level, commencing with grade 9 and terminating with grade 12. Students must be enrolled in high school or junior high school during the time of participation at any level of The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest. Contestants must either be legally domiciled within or attend an educational institution within the department that they enter competition. Contestants can enter competition through only one department.
High school students that graduate early during the school year are eligible to compete if they are not enrolled in a college, university, trade school or other institution of higher learning at the time of the department finals contest.
Check with your local American Legion Post for dates and times they are holding their Local The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest.
Winners of the Local Contest will move forward to the Department (State) Level of the contest.
The 2024 Department finals will be held March 2, 2024 26 in Anchorage at the Anchorage Christian School 6575 E. Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage, AK 99504. This is the same day as the start of the Iditarod and the ending of Fur Rondy (Rendezvous), something for the contestant and family members to do while in town.
For the past many years, the National Contest has been held in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, this year, the national contest will be held in Hillsdale, Michigan on May 17-19, 2024.
The three finalists of the national contest are ineligible for further participation at any level.
For more information on the Oratorical Scholarship Program please go to www.legion.org/oratorical
For more information for Alaska students: