Corvallis sophomore Michael McKay to compete at nationals
- MICHELLE MCCONNAHA
Corvallis High School sophomore Michael McKay won top honors
at the American Legion of Montana Constitutional Speech Contest in Helena on
March 11. McKay will compete in the National competition, April 22-23, in
Indianapolis, IN.
McKay said he was surprised to win but impressed with the
event.
“I’m always surprised and don’t expect to win,” he said. “I
was more surprised by the incredible generosity of the American Legion and this
competition. They are sending us all-expense paid to Indianapolis. They care
deeply about the Constitution and decided to help high schoolers care deeply
about it by paying our way to college and Indianapolis.”
To reach the state level competition in Helena, McKay won
the local competition sponsored by Corvallis Post #91 and the District 5
contest in Florence. The District 5 contest included students from the
Bitterroot Valley, Missoula, Anaconda and Frenchtown.
Adam Reed, District #5 Oratorical Chair, said he was
impressed with the competitors.
“All the contestants were amazing,” Reed said. “They talked
about the Constitution and it blows your mind when you hear them talk. It was
great to know we have kids in this valley who are brave enough to do this
intense competition. Michael beat all the seniors and won. We’re very proud of
him.”
Reed said the competition has two phases. The first part is
an eight to 10 minute formal speech that each student has written about any
aspect of the U.S. Constitution, including the duties and obligations of a
citizen to the U.S. government.
“My speech was called ‘Fore the People’ a golf-themed speech
all about the rule book of golf and how that protects us and it makes the golf
club into a sport and not into a weapon,” McKay said. “The Constitution is the
same way. It makes our democracy into a constructive way to run a country
instead of a weapon.”
The second phase is a random draw of four constitutional
subjects, which this year are Amendment 7 (trial by jury), Amendment 10
(states’ rights), Amendment 16 (taxes) and Amendment 17 (U.S. Senate). The
contestants have five minutes to prepare then speak for three to five minutes
on the assigned topic.
“The chairman selected the 10th Amendment and Michael just
flew through it, he knew all about states’ rights,” Reed said. “He really knows
the 10th Amendment. That’s where the other kids stumbled but Michael did
perfect through the second phase.”
McKay said for his impromptu-style oration he started with
history.
“I started out talking about the 17th century in England and
how the King had most of the rights and how he would take over anything he
chose,” McKay said. “The forefathers of our country decided to make an
amendment to try to fix that. They decided to let the people have the power and
that was what was radical.”
The American Legion established the oratorical contest in
1939 to help students develop a better knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and
develop the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently. It was also
to prepare students for leadership by knowing the duties, responsibilities,
rights and privileges of American citizenship.
Reed said that with 129 American Legion posts in Montana he
would like to see the expansion of the contest.
“At the state competition, we only had four other posts put
forth competitors and we’d like to get that number up next year,” McKay said.
At the state level, McKay won nearly $1,500 in cash
scholarships.
“If I want to go to an instate school I get $10,000 in fee
waivers,” he said.
At the national level, each competitor receives prize money
for each round of competition. McKay will compete for $20,000 in cash
scholarships and college fee waivers.
“It is an incredible program if you want to earn
scholarships,” he said. “Unless you place first second or third at nationals,
you can attend every year and compete for the same scholarship money until you
graduate high school.”
At the Montana competition, Eric Reed of Harlowton took
second place, Carter Johnson of Big Sky placed third and Isaiah Hesford of
Boulder took fourth.
“After the competition Michael said he wants to keep
practicing, so we’re going to hold some mock competitions for him and help him
out,” Reed said.
McKay said to prepare for national competition he would like
to practice speaking in front of local civic groups and any group that wants to
hear his speech before April 20 should call Corvallis High School at
406-961-3201.
“The more times I can speak in front of people the better,”
McKay said.
This is the first time Corvallis has had a state winner of
the American Legion Oratorical Contest and a big opportunity for McKay.
“I’ve not traveled further east than Utah and I will be
seeing parts of the country I’ve never seen before,” McKay said. “We have a
layover in Minnesota so I’ll get to see that state too. The trip to the
national competition will be quite an experience.”
Doug Mason, of Corvallis Post #91, hosted the local
competition and said the unit is very proud of McKay.
“We knew he’d be doing good things,” Mason said. “At the
state competition everyone said he was doing well and it was close. When they
drew the amendment and students gave a three to five-minute oration he blew
them all away. That’s what he does.”
For information on the National Oratorical Contest, visit on
line legion.org/oratorical.
- MICHELLE MCCONNAHA
Corvallis High School sophomore Michael McKay won top honors
at the American Legion of Montana Constitutional Speech Contest in Helena on
March 11. McKay will compete in the National competition, April 22-23, in
Indianapolis, IN.
McKay said he was surprised to win but impressed with the
event.
“I’m always surprised and don’t expect to win,” he said. “I
was more surprised by the incredible generosity of the American Legion and this
competition. They are sending us all-expense paid to Indianapolis. They care
deeply about the Constitution and decided to help high schoolers care deeply
about it by paying our way to college and Indianapolis.”
To reach the state level competition in Helena, McKay won
the local competition sponsored by Corvallis Post #91 and the District 5
contest in Florence. The District 5 contest included students from the
Bitterroot Valley, Missoula, Anaconda and Frenchtown.
Adam Reed, District #5 Oratorical Chair, said he was
impressed with the competitors.
“All the contestants were amazing,” Reed said. “They talked
about the Constitution and it blows your mind when you hear them talk. It was
great to know we have kids in this valley who are brave enough to do this
intense competition. Michael beat all the seniors and won. We’re very proud of
him.”
Reed said the competition has two phases. The first part is
an eight to 10 minute formal speech that each student has written about any
aspect of the U.S. Constitution, including the duties and obligations of a
citizen to the U.S. government.
“My speech was called ‘Fore the People’ a golf-themed speech
all about the rule book of golf and how that protects us and it makes the golf
club into a sport and not into a weapon,” McKay said. “The Constitution is the
same way. It makes our democracy into a constructive way to run a country
instead of a weapon.”
The second phase is a random draw of four constitutional
subjects, which this year are Amendment 7 (trial by jury), Amendment 10
(states’ rights), Amendment 16 (taxes) and Amendment 17 (U.S. Senate). The
contestants have five minutes to prepare then speak for three to five minutes
on the assigned topic.
“The chairman selected the 10th Amendment and Michael just
flew through it, he knew all about states’ rights,” Reed said. “He really knows
the 10th Amendment. That’s where the other kids stumbled but Michael did
perfect through the second phase.”
McKay said for his impromptu-style oration he started with
history.
“I started out talking about the 17th century in England and
how the King had most of the rights and how he would take over anything he
chose,” McKay said. “The forefathers of our country decided to make an
amendment to try to fix that. They decided to let the people have the power and
that was what was radical.”
The American Legion established the oratorical contest in
1939 to help students develop a better knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and
develop the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently. It was also
to prepare students for leadership by knowing the duties, responsibilities,
rights and privileges of American citizenship.
Reed said that with 129 American Legion posts in Montana he
would like to see the expansion of the contest.
“At the state competition, we only had four other posts put
forth competitors and we’d like to get that number up next year,” McKay said.
The contest is a scholarship program and monetary awards are
given at each level of competition.
At the state level, McKay won nearly $1,500 in cash
scholarships.
“If I want to go to an instate school I get $10,000 in fee
waivers,” he said.
At the national level, each competitor receives prize money
for each round of competition. McKay will compete for $20,000 in cash
scholarships and college fee waivers.
“It is an incredible program if you want to earn
scholarships,” he said. “Unless you place first second or third at nationals,
you can attend every year and compete for the same scholarship money until you
graduate high school.”
Reed said that in the first round at the national contest
McKay would compete against state winners from Oregon, Ohio, Hawaii and
Tennessee.
At the Montana competition, Eric Reed of Harlowton took
second place, Carter Johnson of Big Sky placed third and Isaiah Hesford of
Boulder took fourth.
“After the competition Michael said he wants to keep
practicing, so we’re going to hold some mock competitions for him and help him
out,” Reed said.
McKay said to prepare for national competition he would like
to practice speaking in front of local civic groups and any group that wants to
hear his speech before April 20 should call Corvallis High School at
406-961-3201.
“The more times I can speak in front of people the better,”
McKay said.
This is the first time Corvallis has had a state winner of
the American Legion Oratorical Contest and a big opportunity for McKay.
“I’ve not traveled further east than Utah and I will be
seeing parts of the country I’ve never seen before,” McKay said. “We have a
layover in Minnesota so I’ll get to see that state too. The trip to the
national competition will be quite an experience.”
Doug Mason, of Corvallis Post #91, hosted the local
competition and said the unit is very proud of McKay.
“We knew he’d be doing good things,” Mason said. “At the
state competition everyone said he was doing well and it was close. When they
drew the amendment and students gave a three to five-minute oration he blew
them all away. That’s what he does.”
For information on the National Oratorical Contest, visit on
line legion.org/oratorical.
