2 Albion students advance in oratorical contest

Staff Reports Posted 18 January 2016 at 12:00 am

Photo courtesy of Susan Thaine

BUFFALO – Two Albion High School seniors, Kyle Thaine and Meredith Patterson, took the top two spots during the American Legion Oratorical District Competition in Buffalo on Jan. 10. Thaine was the first place winner and Patterson took second.

They move on to the zone competition at Mt. Morris High School on Feb. 6. The American Legion Zone Oratorical Contest includes students from the Western New York area. They are finalists of previously held contests stretching from Auburn to Buffalo and Lake Ontario to Pennsylvania.

Patterson won the Orleans County Oratorical Competition last year and Thaine took the county award this year.

The students need to deliver an 8- to 10-minute speech without notes about the Constitution. Each contestant also will speak for 3 to 5 minutes on one of five topics, assigned at the contest. Topics include provisions in the Bill of Rights and Articles of the Constitution.

The competition teaches leadership qualities and the history of our nation’s laws. The American Legion Oratorical Contest also teaches an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges of American citizenship.

The winner of the zone contest will advance to Department Oratorical Contest held March 4-5 in Albany.