RULES OF PARTICIPATION

Eligibility:

• The Speech Competitor must be an Orthodox Christian (baptized Orthodox or officially enrolled as a catechumen in the Orthodox Church) with a birth year of 2002-2013 (age 8-19 in the year 2021, turning 9-20 in 2022).

• There are no eligibility restrictions based on Orthodox jurisdiction, type of schooling, or country of residence.

• The Speech Competitor AND a Parent/Guardian/Grandparent of the Speech Competitor must be registered for the 2022 Saint Kosmas Conference by February 15, 2022. There are no additional fees for participating in the Oratorical festival beyond the 2022 Saint Kosmas Conference Registration. (The “Family Registration Form for the Saint Kosmas Contests” is for participation in the Art, Photo, and Essay Contests, and is not required for participation in the Oratorical Festival.)

• The Speech Competitor AND a Parent/Guardian/Grandparent of the Speech Competitor must be physically present at the 2022 Saint Kosmas Oratorical Festival at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort in Gold Canyon, Arizona (March 15-16, 2022). Live-stream participation is NOT an option.

• The Speech Script Submission Form with PDF of the speech must be submitted by February 28, 2022 (which holds a spot for the participant to present ONE speech in the festival. If the participant wants to present TWO speeches in the festival, the Speech Script Submission Form must be submitted by January 31, 2022 with at least a draft of the first speech, and then submitted again with the final script and the second speech by February 28, 2022. (If a participant waits until February to submit their first speech, they no longer qualify to present two speeches in the festival. There will be no exceptions to this rule.)

Rules Regarding Topics:

• Speech topics must be chosen from the five topics presented on this webpage.

• If a competitor is presenting two speeches, they must be on two different topics, both chosen from the five topics presented on this webpage.

• The participant is allowed to speak on a topic that they also developed for the 2021-22 Saint Kosmas Essay Contest IF the participant’s speech script is different in form from their essay on the same topic, demonstrating an understanding that there difference in form between speech and essay, and also demonstrating an understanding that the parameters for the length of the speech and essay differ. [Please read the article “A Speech is Not an Essay.”]

Age Divisions & Speech Length:

• SENIOR DIVISION:

  • Birth Years 2002-2006; (age 15-19 in 2021, turning 16-20 in 2022)*

  • Speech Length: Minimum: 4 minutes; Maximum: 5 minutes

• JUNIOR DIVISION:

  • Birth Years 2007-2010; (age 11-14 in 2021, turning 12-15 in 2022)*

  • Speech Length: Minimum: 3 minutes; Maximum: 5 minutes

• NEW! ELEMENTARY DIVISION:

  • Birth Years 2011-2013; (age 8-10 in 2021, turning 9-11 in 2022)

  • Speech Length: Minimum: 2 minutes; Maximum: 5 minutes

*Please note that 9th graders will be split between Junior and Senior Divisions based upon birth year. For Orthodox schools participating that prefer for their 9th grade class to participate in only one age division, 9th graders with birth year 2007 can be moved up into the Senior Division. (However, 9th graders with birth year 2006 may NOT be moved down into the Junior Division.) This rule applies to all participants regardless of type of schooling.

Speech Scripts:

SPEECH SCRIPT Preparation Instructions:

Purpose: Platform speech scripts should contain the exact text of the student’s original speech for the purposes of accountability. Though the speech must be original, it may consist of support from outside sources. The sources of any contributing information must be formally cited so that credit may be given where credit is due. The Script Preparation Instructions below will assist with that process and the student should complete them to the best of his ability. No student should be disqualified from tournament competition due to a script formatting error.

1. The speech must be an original work, written by the student.

2. The student must submit a typewritten hard copy of his speech.

3. All sources must be cited in text.

4. All direct quotations must be underlined.

5. No more than 30% of the speech may consist of direct quotations.

6. A Citation Page must be created on a separate sheet of paper at the end of the speech. (Use www.easybib.com to help document and format each source on the Citation Page.)

7. All direct quotations must be cited on a final Citation Page.

8. Additional sources must also be cited on the final Citation Page.

9. Although direct quotations and indirect references are verbally cited, they may also need to be documented in the text of the speech. (Use http://media.easybib.com/ebook/mla_parenthetical.pdf to help you determine what kind of citation will be needed.)

10. A current Script Submission Form should be submitted with the speech script. If for some reason the student is unable to comply with the script submission requirements, or if he is missing some required element, a brief explanation should be noted in the Script Submission Form for consideration by tournament administration.

SPEECH SCRIPT SUBMISSION:

Important Dates:

• January 31 (Monday): IF the Participant is presenting TWO Speeches, the FIRST Speech DRAFT must be submitted by January 31.

• February 15 (Tuesday): All Participants for the Oratorical Festival should be registered for the 2022 Saint Kosmas Conference by February 15.

• February 15 (Tuesday): IF the Participant is presenting TWO Speeches, the FIRST Speech FINAL SCRIPT ideally should be submitted by February 15.

• February 28 (Monday): The FINAL DEADLINE for Registration in the 2022 Saint Kosmas Conference & Oratorical Festival

• February 28 (Monday): The FINAL DEADLINE for Speech Script Submissions.

• March 15 (Tuesday) 4:00-7:00 PM: Oratorical Festival CHECK-IN (Plus Early-Bird Conference Check-In)

• March 15 (Tuesday) 7:00-8:00 PM: Oratorical Festival ICE-BREAKERS — Location: Gold Canyon Golf Resort, North Campus, Geronimo A

  Participation in the Ice-Breakers Event is exclusively for youth who are on the schedule to be presenting a speech in the Oratorical Festival. Icebreaker groups will be divided according to competition age-divisions. No drop-ins allowed.

• March 16 (Wednesday) 8:00 AM - NOON: 2022 Saint Kosmas Oratorical Festival — Location: Gold Canyon Golf Resort, North Campus, Geronimo A & B

• March 16 (Wednesday) 5:30 PM: Awards Presentation for the 2022 Oratorical Festival and the 2021-22 Art, Photography, & Essay Contests and Group Photo of Winners Present — Location: Gold Canyon Golf Resort, South Campus, Scenic Patio #1

2022 Saint Kosmas Oratorical Festival
TOPICS

ORATORICAL TOPIC #1 (FREEDOM):

(“Freedom” Topic for Junior and Elementary Divisions): We live in a culture that tells us we are free to do whatever we want. Develop a speech on how such an understanding of freedom differs from an Orthodox Christian approach to freedom. As you develop your ideas, make sure to use Orthodox resources to support your argument. Good sources could include, but are not limited to, a story from the Desert Fathers, hymns sung in the Church, writings of contemporary saints and holy elders, and the Holy Scripture.

(“Freedom” Topic for Senior Division): Throughout history, freedom has been understood in a number of different ways. Develop a speech on how Orthodox approach the topic of freedom. Make sure to use Orthodox resources such as the Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, and liturgical texts to support and develop your ideas. In addition, contrast the Orthodox approach with at least one other approach to freedom in the world today.

ORATORICAL TOPIC #2 (BEAUTY):

(“Beauty” Topic for Junior and Elementary Divisions): When envoys were sent by St. Vladimir to Constantinople to inquire into the Orthodox faith, they attended the Divine Liturgy at Agia Sophia and reported back, "We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth." Develop a speech on what this story tells us about the importance of beauty in the Orthodox Church and how such a view of beauty contrasts with that of the modern culture. As you explore the Orthodox understanding of beauty, make use of resources such as Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, hymnography, and/or liturgical texts to strengthen your argument.

(“Beauty” Topic for Senior Division): Fyodor Dostoyesvky famously said in The Idiot, "Beauty will save the world." Develop a speech on what is an Orthodox approach to understanding beauty, and what role beauty plays in the spiritual life. Make sure to use Orthodox resources such as the Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, hymnography, and liturgical services and texts to support and develop your ideas. In addition, contrast the Orthodox approach with at least one other approach to beauty in the world today.

ORATORICAL TOPIC #3 (CHASTITY):

The ideal of chastity is deeply challenged in our culture today. Develop a speech that offers an apologetic to our culture as to why Americans should value chastity from an Orthodox perspective. Use concrete examples and draw from the wisdom of the Church in developing your position. Make sure to use Orthodox resources such as the Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, and liturgical texts to support and develop your ideas.

ORATORICAL TOPIC #4 (OBEDIENCE):

St. Silouan the Athonite writes, "The spirit of obedience is necessary not only in monks but in everyone else, too. Even the Lord was obedient. The proud and those who are a law unto themselves prevent the indwelling of grace and therefore never know peace of soul; whereas the grace of the Holy Spirit enters with ease into the soul of the obedient, bringing joy and quiet."

Develop a speech on what you think St. Silouan the Athonite means when he says these words in relation to our daily lives in families and living in the world as Orthodox Christians. Use concrete examples and draw from the wisdom of the Church in developing your position. Make sure to use Orthodox resources such as the Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, and liturgical texts to support and develop your ideas.

ORATORICAL TOPIC #5 (WISDOM):

As Christians, we are called to seek wisdom in our daily lives. In St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he writes,

For the word, that of the Cross, on the one hand, to those who are perishing is foolishness, but on the other hand, to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it hath been written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will set at nought the comprehension of the intelligent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Did not God make foolish the wisdom of this world? For since in the wisdom of God, the world knew not God through its wisdom, it pleased God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. For indeed, Jews seek for a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom; but we proclaim Christ Who hath been crucified, to Jews, on the one hand, a stumbling block, and to Greeks, on the other hand, foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, God’s power and God’s wisdom. Because the foolish thing of God is wiser than man, and the weak thing of God is stronger than man. (I Corinthians 1: 18-25)

Further, at the feast of Pentecost, we chant, "Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. O Befriender of Man, glory be to Thee!"

In light of this Biblical passage from the Apostle Paul and the hymn of Pentecost cited above, develop a speech articulating how the Orthodox Church understands wisdom and how such an understanding differs from the wisdom of this world. Further, make sure to include why this distinction is important in our daily lives. Make sure to use Orthodox resources such as the Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, and liturgical texts to support and develop your ideas.

SENIOR ORATORICAL DIVISION:

JUNIOR ORATORICAL DIVISION:

ELEMENTARY ORATORICAL DIVISION:

Printable PDF: Oratorical Festival Flyer

Print for your co-op, church, or school

Click Image Below to Download PDF of “Oratorical Festival Flyer”

Dress Code for Students Speaking in the 2022 Saint Kosmas Oratorical Festival:

Men are kindly asked to wear slacks, a long sleeve dress shirt, dress shoes with socks. Sport jackets are optional.

Women are kindly asked to wear long sleeve collared shirts or blouses, and skirts or dresses (calf-length or longer), stockings, and dress shoes. Blazers are optional. Skirts and blouses should be loose fitting and not sheer.