Albion student wins state oratorical contest

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2018 at 10:33 pm

Melissa Barnosky advances to National Competition April 14-15 in Indianapolis

Provided photo

Melissa Barnosky, an Albion senior, is the American Legion New York State oratorical contest champion. She won the event today in Albany. She is pictured with Lee Brusino, Zone 5 chairman for the Legion.

Barnosky won a $6,000 scholarship today. She advances to the national competition on April 14-15 in Indianapolis.

Barnosky also made it to the state competition last year and finished third.

Melissa won at the school and county levels. She came in second at the district level to qualify for the zone competition, which she won to advance to the state contest.

Students in the competition deliver a prepared speech on the U.S. Constitution and citizen duties and obligations to the government. The speech must be 8-10 minutes in length. If it is over or under, there are penalty points.

The students also prepare for several assigned topics on various amendments. The students do not know which assigned topic they will have to present until 5 minutes prior. The assigned topic is randomly chosen by one of the members. Then the contestant is informed of the topic.  The speech needs to be 3 to 5 minutes in length without penalty points.

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