STAY WOKE: To remain vigilant about one's place in the world as it relates to policy, identity, government, culture, institutions, etc.
There are many issues of importance in the world, and opinions about them run the gamut. For this year's annual Speech Contest, we will ask participants to take a stand on an important issue and to stand firm in that position using persuasive speech principles.
Staying woke means being a critical thinker, setting aside group think and speaking with passion. As an extension of the mini-conference, students will be given the opportunity to truly articulate their positions on issues of social justice.
- Students will choose from a list of predetermined topics inspired by stories in the Barry Buccaneer.
- Students will use the Buccaneer as ONE source during oral citations within speech.
- Each student will argue for or against the predetermined topics, which will be what gives the event the appearance of a debate without going through the necessary rounds of debate.
- We will open the floor to questions and answers or open remarks, which will encourage further dialogue on topics addressed during the speeches.
The contest finals will take place on Thursday, Nov. 29 in the David Brinkley Studio. The preliminaries/auditions will place the week of Nov. 1 in Garner 161.
Students must do the following to take part in the competition: Register from the list and state their position on the issue NO LATER THAN Oct. 31.
We welcome persuasive speeches of at least five to no more than seven minutes that engage the contest's theme. All speeches MUST be accompanied by a PowerPoint visual aid, which is consistent with both the program's requirement for the persuasive speech. Students must be coached by speech faculty to ensure the highest quality presentations.
Each student must choose one topic with a “yes” or “no” position that they will prepare to defend at the preliminary round. After the preliminaries, we will choose who will defend what topics when they go to the finals.
Speech Topics
The Catholic Church has taken adequate action against sexual abuse within the institution
Position: YES
Position: NO
Student athletes should be paid for their collegiate sport
Position: YES
Position: NO