When: Sunday Feb 25, 2024. Registration is from 12:00 - 12:15, awards at 5:45

Where: St. John’s-Ravenscourt School, 400 South Dr, Winnipeg

Events: Each competitor will compete in two categories: impromptu speaking, and persuasive speaking. There will be two rounds of each. See the bottom of the invitation for descriptions of each category.

Divisions and qualifications: Each school may send six competitors, all of which will be placed in the open category. The top students from this event will qualify to represent their school and Manitoba at the Canadian Junior High Speech Nationals in Vancouver (May 3-5). Additional spots can be requested in the registration form below.

Judging requirements: Schools must bring at least 1 judge per 2 students. As this is a junior event, senior high students in 11-12, or experienced grade 10s are allowed to judge. Please contact us if the judging requirement poses a problem.

Registration: Registration for provincials should be completed by coaches, not students, and is due February 16. Complete the registration form here. We will follow up with coaches individually after the initial registration to confirm the names of competitors and judging details.

Schedule:

12:00-12:15 Judges and Debater Registration 

12:15-1:00 Judges Briefing
1:00 First Impromptu Round 1
1:40-2:00 Break

2:00 Second Impromptu Round 2 

2:40-3:00 Break
3:00 Persuasive Round 1
4:00 Break

4:15 Persuasive Round 2 

5:45 Awards

Category Descriptions
 

Impromptu Speaking [Mandatory]: 2 minutes prep me, 3-5 minute speech*

Speakers will draw three topics, which may be a word, a quotation, a phrase or anything not related to current events. They must choose one of them and then prepare within two minutes. They may write notes but may not bring anything up to speak except for the prompt paper, with no notes on it. The speech must last from three to five minutes. Speakers may speak in favour of, against, in favour of and against, or about the topic. It should be the sort of speech that would be delivered if the speaker were asked to speak on short notice to a general audience on the topic given. They may interpret it within reason, including treating it as a metaphor but must speak about the topic that they have been given. It is strictly understood that competitors will not use prepared material for this event. Wit, humour, logic, philosophy and senment are all equally welcome. Judges will be looking for agility of thought, substance, organizational ability and, above all, the ability of each speaker to communicate with style and originality. Points will be scored for adherence to statement of topic, organization, interest, and delivery. Specific restrictions in this category: The interpretation of the topic and the speech should correlate in a meaningful way. ‘Canned’/‘rehearsed’/’reworked’ impromptus will be penalized. Hate speech of any kind is unacceptable. No props of any kind are permitted. No notes of any kind, other than the topic paper are permitted during the speech.

Persuasive Speaking [Mandatory]: 5-10 minute speech*

This speech is designed to persuade and must be on a serious topic, although this does not mean that humour might not be useful at points in the speech. A problem/solution approach must be taken, i.e. speakers must identify a problem (it need not be an earth-shattering one) and propose, or at least examine, one or more solutions to it. Speeches should be prepared beforehand (i.e. prior to arriving at the competition) and should be from five to ten minutes in length. The same speech should be used throughout the competition. Speakers may use a single note card double sided (4x6 inches recipe card size); although, memorized speeches often have a greater impact because the speaker can connect more directly and consistently with audience. Participants’ speeches are scored on the analysis of the problem, on the persuasiveness of the discussion (logic, appeal), on interest and on delivery.

*There will be 15 seconds grace time for going over time or under time. A 2-point time penalty will be applied to speeches between 15- 30 second over/under time, and a 10-point penalty for speeches exceeding 30 seconds over/under time.