When selecting a Speech Meet category and piece for your child, here are some important factors to consider:
Find a piece that your child enjoys. His/her natural passion towards the piece will help bring out the emotion necessary to create a meaningful presentation for the audience. NOTE: The selection must come from the ACSI published handbooks.
Do not select a piece your child has already done in a previous competition.
Avoid pieces that are too short. Short pieces are typically overused. Pick the longest piece that your child can comfortably memorize. Length is not rewarded by the judges, but it is impressive and gives the speaker more time to demonstrate his/her skills and tell a story.
Avoid popular or well known pieces. If you have heard of it, others likely have too. If you have seen students do it repeatedly, find something more unique. You do not want your child to have the same selection as several other students in the room. Also, picking an unusual piece lets your child create his/her own story rather than being compared to previous and/or additional renditions.
Pick a category that fits your child's style. If your child has a more classic style of oration, pick a more serious category like Bible Memorization. If your child has a drama background, pick a more plot-driven category like Fable or Biblical Prose. Also keep in mind that Poetry is the most popular category, and typically has the stiffest competition.
Pick a piece that fits your child's skill set/style. If your child can do voices and accents, pick a piece with different characters. If your child is a natural comedian, pick a comedic piece. When picking a poem, look for one that moves the audience emotionally (makes them laugh, makes them think, or tugs at their heartstrings). When selecting a Bible verse, pick one your child understands well that is meaningful to him/her.
Avoid general, non-specific pieces. For example, a piece about "the wind" or similar is less likely to connect the speaker with the audience.
Avoid the RCS standard selections (Link). These RCS standard selections will be assigned to any student that does not register his/her choice by December 6th.
Pick a piece that is memorable. Imagine yourself sitting in a room judging 25 or more children's poems, for instance. Would the one you selected be memorable even if it was the first one presented? If the answer is no, then you probably need to make a different selection.
Remember, presentation is only half of the process. The piece your child selects is the difference between a good presentation, a great presentation, and a medal-winning presentation. No matter how gifted the speaker may be, the judges are only seeing the interpretation of this particular piece.
Questions? Or for more specific advice on selecting a piece, feel free to email Mrs. Strange: sstrange@rcseaglesonline.org