4th District Oratory Winners Announced

by larryw | Jan 5, 2025 | Oratorical

(L-R) Orators included Scarlett Rae Sweckard, Kanad S Bhandarkar, Milan G McKnight, and Saanvi Sharma.  Photo by Ed Reed.

Winners of the 4^th District Oratorical Contest were announced on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at The Grove at Frisco Commons in Frisco, TX.  Four orators from Post 178 participated with two, a winner and her alternate, being selected. The winner received a $500 college scholarship to any college of her choosing.

Each contestant delivered a prepared 8–10-minute oration as well as a 3–5-minute oration on a randomly assigned constitutional topic.  The four contestants included: Kanad S Chandra, Junior at Liberty High School; Milan G McKnight, Junior at Reedy High School; Saanvi Sharma, Junior at Panther Creek High School; and Scarlett Rae Sweckard, Junior at Reedy High School.

Scarlett Rae Sweckard was announced the winner and Kanad S Chandra was selected as the alternate.  Miss Sweckard’s prepared oration was titled “In Defense of the Second Amendment.” The assigned topic oration was the 18^th Amendment.

The American Legion Oratorical Scholarship Program began in 1935 and encourages high school students to study the U.S. Constitution and improve their public speaking skills.  Post 178 annually holds this contest for area high school students to encourage and develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution.

The 1^st Division contest will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025, in Denton, TX.