The A-16 Effective Speaking Committee invites your club and the school and the students you sponsor to become part of our A-16 Effective Speaking contest. Tmhis contest is part of the International Lions Clubs Multiple District “A” Ontario and Quebec Lions Clubs Contest. This contest is largest effective speaking contest held in Canada in both languages.

 

Our goal is to provide an opportunity for competitive speaking and to stimulate self-expression and independent thinking among students.

 

The contest is open to students enrolled in public or private schools or their equivalent in Multiple District “A-16”.

 

Winners of the local contests compete at the District final on Saturday March 25th, 2023 at Trinity United Church in Newmarket. (461 Park Ave., the corner of Park Ave. and Main St.) The event will begin at 9:00A.M. The winners of this competition will represent District A-16 at the Multiple District A held in Sarnia on the week-end of May 5,6,7th. Each successful candidate representing A-16 will have their room and meals covered for themselves and one parent.

 

All entry forms must to be submitted by Friday March 17th, 2023. (The sooner the better)

 

 

THE CONTEST

The contest consists of three grade divisions within each of the English and French categories.

                Junior   - Grades 4, 5, 6

                Intermediate - Grades 7, 8, 9

                Senior   - Grades 10, 11, 12

 

Contestants can only compete in one language in a year, may not compete in a lower grade division, but may compete in a higher grade division. Previous years’ first place winners of a grade division may not compete in that division again in the same language category.

 

Clubs or schools setting up a group contest will follow the rules of the A-16 Lions Contest and are responsible for their own awards and recognition.

 

 

PREPARED SPEECH

The contestant will present his or her own selected topic, partisan politics and sectarian religion excepted. The prepared speech must be the original work of the speaker.

 

Junior: The speech should be at least three (3) minutes in length, but should not exceed five minutes.

 

Intermediate and Senior: The speech should be at least five (5) minutes in length but should not exceed seven (7) minutes.

 

A penalty of one point for every fifteen (15) seconds or portion thereof, under or over the time limitation, will be imposed and will be made on the aggregate total of the judges’ points for that contestant.

 

 

IMPROMPTU SPEECH

Please note no English, French or French/English dictionaries may be used when preparing for the impromptu speech

 

Each contestant, in the Intermediate and Senior Divisions, shall be required to give an impromptu speech at least two (2) minutes in length, but not exceeding three (3) minutes, on a pre-selected subject. The same penalties shall apply as described for the prepared speech .Note: The junior division shall not be required to give an Impromptu speech.

 

Each speaker shall draw from a group of concealed topics, on which to prepare the impromptu speech. All contestants shall choose, from the same group of topics. Should the contestant not wish to speak on the subject so selected, he or she shall have one (1), additional draw. This second draw shall be final and the contestant must speak on this subject.

 

Following selection, the contestant shall have fifteen (15) minutes to prepare his or her speech. The contestants will be given time warnings at the twelve (12) and fourteen (14) minute marks.

 

At the end of the fifteen (15) minute period, the pen or pencil used by the contestant will be removed and a further five (5) minute study period will be given. The contestant notes will then be placed in a sealed envelope. The contestants will be taken to a holding room and their notes returned, on departure, to deliver the speech.

 

 

DELIVERY

Brief notes may be referred to without deduction of points, but too frequent references to notes shall count against the speaker.

Props or aids (e.g., uniforms, equipment, signs, etc.) shall not be used. The use of mime or pauses exceeding 10 seconds during the presentation shall cause the contestant to receive a lower score.

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR JUDGING

It is suggested, that in each of the Club, Zone, Regional and District Contests, at least three (3) and in the Multiple District Final contest, at least five (5) qualified and impartial judges for each grade division within each language category, shall decide the winners according to the marking scheme on the score sheet.

 

It is recommended that no judge shall be a member of a sponsoring Lions or Lioness Club or any member of any school faculty having a contestant entered in that particular contest.

 

The judges shall be seated apart and have no communication with each other during the contest. Judges shall total their score sheets.

 

Two (2) or three (3) tellers will tally the totals and designate the places earned by the speakers on each Judge’s score sheet: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. When this has been done, tellers will add the total place points for each speaker and the one who has earned the most first place points shall be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the tellers will then total the place points and the contestant with the lowest total place points will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie with the same number of place points, the tie shall be settled adding the points of the tied speakers and the one with the highest total shall be declared the winner of the contest.

 

The judges scoring will be final and beyond question.

 

 

AWARDS

The Club Contest prize structure should be determined by each individual club following consultation with the District Effective Speaking Chair. The District prize structure should be determined by the District Chair following consultation with the District Cabinet.

 

 Cash prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the Multiple District contest on the following basis:

 

First Place winners

Junior -  $500.00

Intermediate - $1000.00

Senior - $1000.00

 

Second Place winners

Junior -  $250.00

Intermediate - $500.00

Senior - $500.00

 

Third Place winners

Junior -  $100.00

Intermediate - $200.00

Senior - $200.00

 

 

Each contestant will receive a certificate acknowledging his/her participation in the contest. Appropriate keeper awards will be presented to 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners. The winner in each division within each language category will be presented with a MD “A” keepsake trophy