4 Way Test Speech Contest Kick-Off

Posted by Mike Pope 
on Nov 10, 2013
 
It’s time for all Rotary clubs in District 5790 to begin efforts to make this Rotary year’s Four Way Test Speech Contest the best ever.   But that can only happen when dedicated Rotarians take the ball and run with it.  Some of you are “seasoned veterans,” having made the contest a successful event in your clubs year after year.  Still others are “rookies,” with either you, your clubs, or both, entering the contest for the first time this year.  Either way, we’ll give you all the tools and all the info you need to have a winning season, culminating in the Super Bowl of contests, the Finals at the District Conference next May.
 

Here are some basics you’ll need in order to have a terrific Four Way Test Speech Contest at your club this year:

 

  • All the rules, forms and a great PowerPoint are located on the district website.  You can click on 4 Way Speech Contest or go to Rotary5790.org.  Click on Vocational Service.  Then click on 4 Way Test Speech Contest.  You’ll find a PowerPoint plus participation forms, rules, judges score sheet and photo consent form.
  • Timeline – here’s a rule of thumb about the timing for the contest
    1. November (that’s THIS MONTH) – determine whether or not your club will participate by holding a 4 Way Test Speech Contest and send me a Club Participation Form (on the website).  I’d like a form from every club in D5790, indicating either that your club WILL or that your club WILL NOT participate.
    2. November-December – find a local high school, or multiple schools, who are willing to work with your club to have a contest.  This can be public or private schools and should be sophomores, juniors and seniors.  The biggest obstacle to many clubs holding contests is the inability to find a school to provide student participants.  You will want to talk to teachers, administrators, superintendents, coaches, etc. but you must find someone on the school campus who will work with students to get them ready to compete.  Set a February, 2013 date for the contest at your club.  The contest is a 5 minute judged and timed speech contest on the topic “What the Four Way Test Means To Me.”
    3. January – Confirm with the school that they will have students prepped and transported to your club for the contest on the date you select to have the contest as your club’s program.  Stay in touch with the school teacher/administrator and offer to assist them with preparing the students for the contest (this could include going to the school and listening to some speeches as they narrow down the participants to 4-5 maximum if you plan to hold the contest as a program at a regular club meeting).
    4. February – Hold your club contest.   I suggest that your club have 3 Rotarians act as judges plus a fourth as a time keeper, who gives the participants a sign when they have one minute left, 30 seconds, and “time is up” where the student needs to be finished. This can be either as a program at your club’s regularly scheduled meeting or at the school or at another location.  For example, one club holds the contest at the school library and moves their meeting that week to the school.  Two other clubs hold a joint contest with students from two or more high schools and hold their contest at a “neutral” location.  The first place winner from each club will go on to a Regional contest.  Each club is responsible for prizes for the participants.  You may choose to give 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes or, if you have more than 3 students, you could also choose to give smaller prizes to the other participants as well.  It’s your club’s call.
    5. March – We have yet to select dates for the Regional contests but they will be held on a Saturday in March .  Last year we had 3 regionals, one in Euless, Weatherford, and Haskell.  This year we hope to do the same.  Info on the Regionals dates/times/locations will be shared once confirmed.  Only the winner from each club contest will go to the Regionals.  The top two from each Regional will advance to the Finals.  Those top two regional winners will each receive $100 cash prizes from the district.
    6. May – The top two from each Regional contest will compete at the Finals, which are held at the District Conference in May.  Top prize for the winner of the finals will be $1,000.  Other prizes awarded as well.  More on this later.

Now you have a good idea about the timeline as well as where to find resources for your club’s Four Way Test Speech Contest.  I will be communicating with each club’s contest chair throughout the contest.

 

Right now please decide if you are going to host a contest this year and shoot me a Club Participating Form.  The participation form is on the 4 Way Speech Contest Link

 

We’d love for ALL D5790 CLUBS TO PARTICIPATE this year.

 

Questions?:  I’m at mpope@firstunitedbank.com or my cell at 661-406-7773.