$1,500 FIRST PLACE

$1,000 SECOND PLACE

$750 THIRD PLACE

$500 FOURTH PLACE
$250 FIFTH PLACE
$150 SIXTH PLACE
$100 SEVENTH PLACE
$50 EIGHTH PLACE

The McKenzie County Speech Competition is open to all students who are in grades 7-12 as of May , 2025.

1. Contestants are to research, write, and present an original pro-life speech on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia or stem cell research. The speech should address one of these topics directly. The speech should be written to persuade the listener of the sanctity of all human life.

2. The speech is to be 5 – 7 minutes in length. A 2 point deduction will be made from the final score of the contestant for every 30 seconds (or fraction thereof) that the contest is under 5 or over 7 minutes.

3. Appropriate gestures are allowed. Props are not allowed.

4. Speech content may not be significantly changed as a contestant advances. Fine-tuning for minor corrections or to adjust time is allowed and encouraged. A written copy of the contestant’s speech must be submitted BEFORE the contest begins, this written copy can be hand delivered to any of the judges the day of the tournament.

5. The contestant should use up-to-date factual information.

6. The style should be appropriate to the message of the speech. A dramatic presentation is not acceptable. A dramatic presentation is considered anything that is read or performed that has been previously written by another author; a short story, a poem, etc. Although quotes to support a position or statement are appropriate, they may not dominate the speech, and should be appropriately cited. Dramatic presentations are also defined, for the purposes of this contest, to include acting as a thing or another person, such as acting out the life of an unborn baby. This rule is not to be interpreted to rule out the use of emotion.

7. The judges’ background and qualifications differ, so the speech should appeal to a broad audience.

8. No copyrighted speeches shall be used in the contest.

9. The contest may be videotaped or recorded, if so, tape will remain the property of McKenzie County Right to Life and/or Unapologeticallyprolife.

10. Contestants may use notes.