ORATORICAL COMPETITION

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The American Legion Oratorical Contest challenges our high school youth to improve their speaking skills and to develop a deeper appreciation of the Constitution of the United States. Winners at all levels – local, regional and state receive scholarships. At the state level, the first place winner gets a $6,000 scholarship, and goes on to compete nationally for up to a $25,000 scholarship.

TIME AND PLACE OF ELIMINATION CONTEST:

County, District, and Zone Contests will be held in a timely manner to coincide with Department and National certification dates. The Department Contest will take place March 7, 2026, with a cancellation date of March 14, 2026. 

The American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program give thousands of young people the opportunity to hone their speaking skills and learn about the U.S. Constitution. Competitions at the local and state levels lead up to the National American Legion High School Oratorical Contest in Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, where top finishers are awarded more than $203,000 in scholarships.

NATIONAL CONTEST:

The National Contest is tentatively from May 15 to 17, 2026, at Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan. The New York State winner is eligible to participate in the National Quarter Finals Contest. The winner of this contest is eligible to compete in the National Semi-finals Contest. The winner of this contest then participates as one of the Three National Finalists where 1st place is awarded a college scholarship of $25,000, 2nd - $22,500, and 3rd - $20,000. The three National Finalists are ineligible for further participation at any level.