This page provides information specifically for the National High School Oratorical Contest Scholarships. Check below for more scholarships to apply for as a high school student, based on your grade.
For high school students eager to showcase their public speaking skills, the National High School Oratorical Contest Scholarships provide awards ranging from $2,000 at the local level to national prizes of $20,000 and $25,000.
Sponsored by the American Legion, this competition challenges students to craft and deliver compelling speeches on the U.S. Constitution, particularly focusing on the responsibilities of citizens toward their government. The contest starts at the local level, with winners advancing to state and then national competitions, culminating in the national finals, where significant scholarships are awarded.
This contest is open to all high school students, but sophomores are especially encouraged to apply. The sophomore year offers a perfect window to refine oratorical skills and build confidence for future academic and scholarship opportunities. The contest is not only an opportunity to win scholarships but also a chance to deepen your understanding of constitutional principles and their relevance in today's world.
Participants deliver two speeches: a prepared oration of 8-10 minutes on a constitutional topic of their choice and an impromptu speech of 3-5 minutes based on assigned topics related to the Constitution. Both speeches require research, originality, and persuasive argumentation, making this contest a rewarding challenge for students passionate about civic engagement and public speaking.
Past participants often highlight the contest’s transformative impact. One previous contestant noted how the competition instilled in them a strong sense of civic responsibility, saying, "This experience not only improved my speaking skills but also gave me a profound appreciation for the Constitution's role in shaping our society." Another winner shared how the contest inspired their career in public service, emphasizing the skills and knowledge they gained during the preparation process.
The contest also provides mentorship opportunities through local American Legion posts, which connect participants with resources such as public speaking coaches and legal experts. This support ensures that students are well-prepared to excel at every level of the competition.
With its focus on constitutional principles, leadership development, and oratory excellence, the National High School Oratorical Contest is a unique opportunity for students to stand out academically and personally, all while competing for meaningful scholarships that support their higher education goals.
Email: oratorical@legion.org
Website: www.legion.org/oratorical
Address: The American Legion National Headquarters, 700 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN 46204
Tel: 1-317-630-1200
The scholarships provided in the following pages are organized by grade level in high school; there is, thus, no longer any need to go through thousands of resources to find those applicable to you. Having been prepared with high school students in mind, highscholarships.com makes the task rather easy for you.
On this page, you will find numerous scholarships that are specifically for high school seniors. This is when you qualify the most number of scholarships! Do not wait longer!
SHOW ME ↓This page is dedicated to scholarships that are for high school juniors, of which there are plenty. Some of these can be applied for by high school seniors as well.
SHOW ME ↓Here, you can find scholarships for high school sophomores, although some of them are available also to high schoolers at other levels. Start early!
SHOW ME ↓There are also scholarships are for high school freshmen! These are not as many in number as other grade levels, but provide a reason to start early.
SHOW ME ↓It is not too difficult to fully fund your college dream via scholarships. Once you have identified the right opportunities/matches among countless resources, an endeavor highscholarships.com makes easy for you, statistically speaking, even if you had a low success rate, you can fully fund a private college education.