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Teens Deliver Orations on the U.S. Constitution

Tuesday January 31, 2012

   On Saturday, January 28th, American Legion Post # 14 held its local round of the American Legion Oratorical Competition and three VUHS teens competed. Sharing their viewpoints on the First Amendment, Separation of Church and State, and Amendment 13 were VUHS sophomores Stephanie Anderson, Emilee Trudo, and VUHS junior Casey Lynn Brinkman. Each teen delivered an 8-10 minute prepared oration on the US Constitution and spoke with no notes and no sound system. In preparing for the competition, the teens spent hours researching and becoming familiar with parts of the US Constitution, Supreme Court decisions and current rulings. Each teen wrote and delivered not only a prepared speech, but also researched and wrote four shorter speeches on assigned topics, one of which was selected at random as the second phase of the competition. The title of the three contestants entries were The First Amendment and the Freedoms of Speech and Religion, The Separation of Church and State, and the Evolution of the 13th Amendment.

This scholarship program has been a long standing opportunity provided by the American Legion and continues each year to offer Vermont students not only powerful lessons about the U.S. Constitution, but the chance to earn valuable college scholarships and public speaking skills. The winner of the competition, Emilee Trudo goes on meet the other local winners including Middlebury junior Erin Connor at the divisional competition on Saturday, February 4th at the American Legion Post in Colchester, Vermont. From there, the winner advances to the state competition and possibly even on to nationals.       

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