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What is the Oratory Contest?
The biannual Dr. Mildred Fay Jefferson Oratory Contest is a fun and rewarding way for high school juniors and seniors to take part in the right-to-life movement. The contest is a unique opportunity for students to speak out for life and sharpen their skills as part of the next generation of pro-life leaders.
The oratory contest is sponsored by Massachusetts Citizens For Life (MCFL), and is named after the great pro-life orator, and MCFL’s own Dr. Mildred Fay Jefferson (click here to learn more about Dr. Jefferson) .
The oratory contest helps students shape the opinions of their peers and equips them with practical public speaking skills. The national contest is sponsored by the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund and implemented through all 50 state affiliates.
The TL;DR explanation
- Research and write a 5-7 minute, original pro-life speech on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia or stem cell research. (See further guidelines below.)
- Register by emailing Domenico Bettinelli, MCFL Director of Community Engagement, at [email protected] by March 19.
- Present your speech at the MCFL Convention on March 24, 2018 at Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton. Those who present on that day will attend the Convention for free and receive lunch for free. If you cannot attend the Convention, you may submit a video of your speech by March 22. Let us know in your email above and we'll send you details on how to submit.
- The winner of the state contest will win a trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, DC or another city where the student will take part in the national competition held at the National Right to Life Convention (In 2018, the convention is in Kansas City, June 28-30). The winner will get to meet the other finalists from around the country who will also be competing.
What is the purpose?
In preparing his or her speech, a student learns how important it is to protect vulnerable human lives, whether in the womb or in a nursing home. The knowledge the student gains will help form the basis for working with peers and prepare the student for a lifelong involvement in the pro-life movement. Source material can be found at the MCFL website (www.masscitizensforlife.org) or on the National Right to Life website (http://www.nrlc.org/).
Who may participate?
The Dr. Mildred F Jefferson Oratory Contest is open to high school juniors and seniors (juniors, please note that you should participate this year because this is a biannual event). Their task is to research, write and present a five- to seven-minute pro-life speech on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia or stem cell research.
When and where are contests held?
The students will compete at the state level at the MCFL Convention on March 24 at Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton. (Students who cannot be at the convention may submit a video of their speech by March 22. Ask for details when registering.) The winner of the state contest will win a trip with a parent or guardian to Kansas City, Kansas, where the student will take part in the national competition held at the National Right to Life Convention June 28-30, 2018. The winner will get to meet the other finalists from around the country who will also be competing.
Registering and Guidelines:
Contest participants will be guests for the MCFL Convention and will receive a free lunch. Anyone considering entering should read the national oratory contest rules (click here for contest rules; please note these are the rules for the national contest, which are also applied to the Dr. Jefferson contest). Interested participants also need to register with Domenico Bettinelli, MCFL Director of Community Engagement, at [email protected] by expressing their interest in the contest.
If you have any questions, please contact the MCFL office at 617-242-4199.
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