2016

ROTARY CLUB OF MURRIETA

FOUR-WAY SPEECH CONTEST for

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Murrieta Valley Unified School District

Headquarters

Entries Due February 17, 2016

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Contents

Contest Details Page 3

Date(s), Prizes Page 3

Eligibility Page 3

Rotary Four-Way Test Page 3-4

Content of Speech Page 4

Delivery Page 4

Judges and Timekeepers Page 5

Levels of Competition Page 6

Disqualification Page 6

Judges Score Sheet Page 7

Timekeepers Score Sheet Page 8

Potential Topics Page 9

Student Entry Form Page 10

Speaker Biography Form Page 11-12

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Murrieta Rotary Club Four-Way Speech Contest

Date: Thursday, Mar. 17, 2016

Place: Murrieta Valley Unified School District Headquarters, 41870 McAlby Court, Murrieta CA 92562

Prizes: Club Level Prizes: First $200. Second $100. Third $50.

District Level Elimination Rounds: Five finalists: $300 each.

Final District Level Award levels will be announced.

Eligibility: Student speakers must currently attend a public or private high school, charter school, or home school within Rotary District 5330. No student may be a contestant in more than one Rotary Club contest in any one year. A District first place winner (finals) may not participate again. The first place winner of the Murrieta Rotary Club Speech Contest is eligible to compete in successive years.

Topics for Speeches: The topics for speeches are to be of current interest and importance and must include and use concepts from the Rotary Four-Way Test as methods of discussion or analysis in the body of the speech. In other words, concepts from the Four-Way Test are to be integrated into the main points of the speech. Topics must be appropriate to analysis by the concepts of the test. For example, it would be far-fetched to discuss terrorism or war in terms of the test concepts. A brief reference to the Four-Way Test in the introduction and/or conclusion is not sufficient.

The Rotary Four-Way Test

Of the things that we think, say or do:

1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

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Importance of the Four-Way Test: The Four-Way Test was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 to address and help to correct problems in the business community. Since then, it has been used by businesses, industry, government groups, civic organizations, schools and colleges. It has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It has become an ethical tenet in our culture.

The Purpose of the Speech is to address an ethical problem using the principles of the Four-Way Test. The problem to be discussed should be something from the speaker’s personal experience or general knowledge. It also may be the result of a course of study covered in school.

While students may choose the topic for their speech, a list of possible topics are included on Page 9. The goal of the speech may be either informative or persuasive. Speakers are urged to develop speech content that is stronger in fact and evidence rather than emotion and feelings. Indeed, the Ancient Greek founders of rhetoric – public speaking and debate – held that the use of logos (words and language) and ethos (truth, credibility and character) are to be more respected than the use of pathos (appeal to emotion).

Content of the Speech must be the original work of the speaker. The speech must be free from plagiarism and free from language that is obscene, profane, unpatriotic, racist or intolerant. Speakers are to keep in mind that an essay does not transfer into a successful speech. Speakers are advised to use conversational style with short, clear sentences. If quotations are used they must be necessary, very short, and must be identified verbally. For example, “In the words of Winston Churchill, he says that …. “ Nonverbal finger quotes are not appropriate.

When presenting important facts from print research, it is appropriate to cite the sources in the following manner: “As I read in Time Magazine last month, it

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reports that ….” Or “According to the Journal of the American Medical Association in June of this year, I found that …”

Speakers are to organize the speech into four essential parts: attention getter (this may be a statement or rhetorical question), introduction, body, and conclusion. The main points, facts, discussion, explanation, and examples should be in the body of the speech. Speakers should have a goal of creating a 6-minute speech. The time limits are 5 minutes to 8 minutes. Points are deducted for under or over limits. No visual aids are to be used. No audience participation shall be invited. Students are to be prepared to speak without the use of a microphone.

Delivery: Speakers are to be prepared to deliver an extemporaneous speech. That means that the speech will be planned, written (at least in outline form), and practiced for ease of delivery. One side of three 3x5 note cards may be used to aid delivery. No more than three note cards may be used. The speech must not be read/delivered from a manuscript or any other word-for-word notes.

Speakers are strongly advised to video record the speech, make corrections and adjustments learned from the video, then video record the final version, and time the video recording for accuracy. Judges will evaluate the speakers’ delivery from the following: volume, vocal variety and clarity, speed of delivery, pronunciation, and non-verbal cues (eye-contact, posture, natural hand gestures and confidence). Note: the use of video recording will help speakers identify poor delivery habits such as the use of fillers (um, ah, like, totally, ok, yea) long pauses, and apologies such as “I’m nervous,” “Sorry,” “That’s not what I meant,” “Let me start over.” The video will also help correct the use of slang and poor pronunciation. Speakers often use non-verbal cues that detract from the delivery. Common distractions are negative facial expressions, hanging on and leaning over the lectern, hands in pockets, hands in hair, hands on clothing, waving a pencil or cards, rocking from one foot to another, holding cards in sight and/or tapping cards.

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Judges and Timekeepers: there will be three judges and two time keepers. The score sheets and time sheets are confidential, and the decision of the judges is final. If there is a protest against any speech or speaker, such protest must be presented in writing to the Murrieta Rotary Club Speech Chairperson, Marsha Brown, prior to the judges’ decision and awards. There will be no tie awards. Judges are to deliberate and vote to break any tie. Judges are to report the winners to the chairperson in written form.

Timing: Each speech must be at least five minutes in length and must not exceed eight minutes. Eight penalty points will be assigned to any speaker for each minute under or over the allotted time. The timer will signal any speaker at the eight minute mark.

Levels of Competition: The first level of competition is judged in Murrieta and sponsored by the Murrieta Rotary Club. The First Prize winner (finalist) will advance to the second level of competition, or Elimination Round held in Riverside on April 23, 2016. From the Elimination Round, five finalists from district clubs will be chosen to go on to the Finals. The District Final Round is the third level of competition and will be held at the Rotary District Conference in Lake Arrowhead on May 14, 2016.

Disqualification: Any competitor will be disqualified if he or she arrives after a contest has begun, or if the speech is determined to be profane, obscene, unpatriotic, racist or intolerant.

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FOUR-WAY SPEECH CONTEST

JUDGES SCORING SHEET

Judges Quick Score: You may enter a letter grade in the box and then find the numerical equivalent below:

20 pts: A = 19-20, A- = 18; B+ = 17, B = 16.5; B- = 16; C+ = 15.5; C = 15; C- = 14

30 pts: A = 28-30; A- = 27; B+ = 26; B = 25; B- = 24; C+ = 23; C = 22; C- = 21

Speaker

#

Content (0-20)

Attention getter, Introduction, Body of Information, Conclusion, Organization, Language Use

Delivery (0-20)

Volume, Vocal Variety, Speed of Delivery, Pronunciation, Non-Verbal Cues (eye- contact, posture, confidence

Four-Way Test (0-30)

Integration into speech

Total Effectiven

ess (0-30)

Interesting, Thought provoking, Essential facts

Total Poin

ts

Less Penal

ty Point

s

-8 points

for each

minute under

or over 5-8

minutes

Net Poin

ts

Rank

Order

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

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Potential Topics for Informative and Persuasive Speeches

Bilingual Education Overtime pay laws Teaching Reading using Phonics vs. Whole World Social Advancement Wolves vs. Ranchers/Farmers rights Right to die laws California Driver’s license for undocumented immigrants High School Exit Exams Mainstreaming in public classrooms Rock Climbers vs. Ecosystems Prenatal care for undocumented immigrants Gun control Minimum Wage laws Recycling laws Keystone Pipeline Snow mobiles in Nat. Parks Censorship of the Internet Campaign financing reforms Censorship of television Calif. environmental laws Censorship of literature Censorship of music lyrics Nuclear power vs. traditional California DUI laws Political Action Committees Police pursuits

College by distance learning vs. traditional classroom Contemporary vs. hybrids Displaying the Ten Commandments in public buildings Wind power vs. traditional Paying college athletes Drilling in ANWR U.S. Embargo of Cuba Off shore drilling Fracking Deep Water Drilling Teen Curfews in SoCal cities Plastic bag ban in CA Packaging regulations vs. recycling Minimum Wage Laws Cloning (not to include human cloning) Voting Rights Genetic engineering of food Keystone Pipeline/oil sands Food supply additives (animal drugs and hormones) Embryo tissue research or stem cell research Dream Act Lumber industry vs. preservation of the forests

Professional sports draft from high school teams Music in the schools vs. funding for core subjects only Electoral College vs. Direct Election Term Limits National Endowment for the Arts supported by tax based money Hemp as a crop Flat Tax vs. Other tax reforms Affirmative Action (either for college admissions or in the workplace) Women’s rights issues (Equal Rights Amendment) Rights for lesbians & gays (Legal Partnership, marriage) Megan’s Law Removing junk food from school California policy on home schooling Endangered species laws Title IX (college sports funding) California Three Strikes Law

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MURRIETA ROTARY CLUB FOUR-WAY SPEECH CONTEST 2016

Student Entry Form

Student Name _____________________________________ age ______

High School ______________________________________ grade ____

Teacher/Coach/Mentor __________________________________

Student Address ___________________________________ City __________

Student e-mail address _____________________________Phone:_______________

The Club Competition will be held on Thursday, Mar. 17, 2016, at 41870 McAlby Court, Murrieta, CA 92562, starting at 1:00 p.m. The District Elimination Competition will be held from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2016, at 1445 Spruce St., Riverside. The Finals for District 5330 are scheduled during District Conference, May 14, 2016 in Lake Arrowhead.

All contestants must be available to speak at both club and district events in order to enter the club contest. Should the Murrieta Club winner not be able to compete, the second place winner shall be the alternate speaker.

Rotary Club you are representing: Murrieta Rotary Club

Please read and initial the following:

Yes, I will be available for the Rotary Club Contest on March 17, 2016_____

Yes, if selected as the club winner or alternate, I will be available to speak at the Elimination Round in Riverside on April 23 and the District Finals at Lake Arrowhead on May 14.

I agree to abide by the rules of the Rotary Club of Murrieta Speech Contest ______.

I am in complete understanding of the fact that my speech must be my own original creation and free from plagiarism and language that is obscene, profane, unpatriotic, racist, or intolerant. Rules for the Club Contest are enclosed.

Student Signature: ____________________________________

Please return this completed and signed entry form via mail to Murrieta Rotary Four-Way Speech Contest, 30813 East Green Drive, Murrieta CA 92563. Entries must be submitted (postmarked) by Thursday, Feb. 17 2016.

Continued on the next page: see entry certificates

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ENTRY CERTIFICATES This competition is limited to 15 speakers and speakers will be entered on an entry post marked basis. An entry certificate will be sent to each speaker in the contest. The entry certificate must be brought to the speech contest and submitted to the chairperson on the day of competition.

Essential for all student speakers: Read all the pages of this announcement 1 - 12. If there are questions call co- chair Marsha Hall Brown at 951-600-0464.

Continued on the following page

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2016 Murrieta Rotary Club Four-Way Speech Contest

Speaker Biography and Fact Sheet

Name ___________________________ age ________________ grade ______

School________________________________________________

School Contact Person ____________________________________________

Student/Speaker e-mail ____________________________________________

Home Contact Information: Parent(s) or Guardian_______________________

Phone number ________________________

Mailing address _______________________________City: ______________Zip:________

Please list your goals, education plans, hobbies, special interests, activities, clubs:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Bring this form to the Speech Contest, Thursday, Mar. 17, 2016