Competition

  • Sovereign Speech League Handbook for Youth  

     St. Louis, Missouri 

    Introduction

    Welcome to the Sovereign Speech League! This handbook outlines the rules, expectations, and guidelines for participants in the Original Oratory and Dramatic Interpretation categories. Our league intends to serve youth and give them an opportunity to become skilled orators and confident communicators. 

    Section I. General Rules

    Eligibility: Open to participants in grades 4-8 (Grade School Division) and grades 9-12 (High School Division). Participants may be homeschooled, or attend a public, private, or parochial school. Participants must be homeschooled high school participants for the high school contest. This is an in-person event and the league intends to serve youth in the Greater St. Louis Area. 

    Event Format: Competitions are held in person, with rounds judged by trained volunteers or educators.

    Visual aids: No visual aids are allowed. Participants must memorize their speeches.

    Time Limits: Original Oratory: Minimum 2.5 minutes and Maximum 7 minutes. Dramatic Interpretation: Minimum 2.5 minutes and Maximum 7 minutes.  

    Performance and Costumes and Props: No props or costumes are allowed. Anything that you were not born with may not be used. If you usually wear glasses then glasses are permitted. If your character has pigtails, you may not have a pigtail hairstyle but instead you would gesture pigtails during the speech. If your character is known for having tall yellow socks, you may not wear tall yellow socks but may gesture the height of socks during the speech. Floors and walls are not props. Participants in the serious, humorous, or Original Oratory  category may use one chair. Participants may not stand on the chair. Participants in the duet categories may use two chairs. No standing on the chairs is permitted. Costumes may not be used. A participant who is performing as a basketball player should not be wearing a basketball jersey. Children should be suited to the speech. Solo participants may use one chair and may not stand on it. Duet participants may use two chairs and may not stand on it. The chair may not be used as a prop. 

    Duet Pairings: Duet pairings may be different grade levels but not divisions. For example, an 8th grader may perform with a 6th grader but that same 6th grader cannot perform with a 10th grader.

    Facing the Audience: Participants should aim to always face the judges and the audience. Any brief time that a participant turns around may make it difficult to hear the speech and see expression. Participants may look to the side but these movements should be brief. The goal is for the judges and audience to see a participant’s face, expression, and hear them clearly. 

    Gender: Generally, we advise that males play male characters and females play female characters. 

    Attire: Participants should be comfortable and it’s recommended to dress in business casual.

    Judging Criteria and Ballots: For the Dramatic Interpretation , participants will be judged based on a ballot made up of three categories: 1) verbal; 2) non-verbal 3) character (believability). For the Original Oratory  category, participants will be judged on 1) verbal; 2) non-verbal; 3) content of the speech. Time limits must be adhered to. Speeches may be redone in a case in which the participant forgets their lines/speech but points will be deducted. 

    Participant Identification: Each participant will be given a letter (based on category) and number that will be used on their ballot to identify them. 

    Introductions and Closings: Speeches may include a brief introduction but this will be part of the speech’s time allotment. Participants may begin with a brief (15 second) introduction stating your name, the author, and title of the piece. This is permitted but not required.

    Introductions in the DI category may include “Good morning, my name is ___ and I will be performing the speech titled ___ by ____” 

    Duets may use the format. “Hi, my name is___ and my name is___ and we will be performing the speech titled ___by ___"

    Introductions for OO may include “Good morning, my name is ___  and my speech is titled ___.”

    The participant(s) may include “thank you” at the end of their speech.

    Quotations: The speech must be the student’s original work. Quotations, if used, must be cited and limited to 10 percent of the speech. If a speech is 500 words, the quote should be 50 words. A copy of the speech should be available for the judges, if requested. 

    Contest Day: There will be two rounds for each category. Original oratory participants will perform together in front of two judges. Speeches will be performed in grade level order. Grade school participants will perform first in the first division. High school participants perform in the second division. Dramatic interpretation participants will perform together in front of two judges. Grade school participants will go first in the first division. High school participants will perform in the second division. The second round will switch the judges and participants will have an opportunity to perform their speech a second time following the same format order, by grade level within each division. 

    Audience members and participants are expected to watch the entirety of a round and not leave after their speech. Rounds may last anywhere from under an hour to two hours, depending on enrollment. There will be a short break in between rounds for the bathroom, snack or lunch, and to prepare for the next round. Points will be added up for both rounds for a final score. A final score will comprise of point assessments from each of the four judges. There will be awards at the end of the contest based on the scores. 

    Audience: This is a special day for participants. Family members and friends may attend the meet. You may drop your child off for the meet at your discretion. All audience members are expected to sit through each round. Bathroom breaks are not permitted during a round to ensure the competition rounds are not interrupted. Technology use, including recording, is not allowed. Young children who may have trouble sitting through each round should not attend. 

    Technology: Phone (or device) use is not permitted during rounds. Judges will ask that the phones are turned off prior to the start of the round. Any one, audience member or participant, who does not adhere to this rule will be asked to leave. The participants have worked hard to be ready to perform and deserve an environment without distractions. We thank you in advance for your consideration. 

    Signed Handbook: A copy of the handbook will be mailed to the address listed on registration. The signed copy must be brought to the day of the competition for our records. 

    Meet Site: The league is not affiliated with any particular school or district and relies on the generosity of an organization that is willing to host. The meet location will be sent out to all participants one week prior to the meet date. 

    Section II. Categories

    Original Oratory

    Description: Participants write and deliver an original speech on a topic of their choice, designed to persuade, inform, or inspire the audience.

    Guidelines:

    • Content: The speech must be the student’s original work. Quotations, if used, must be cited and limited to 10 percent of the speech. If a speech is 500 words, the quote should be 50 words. A copy of the speech should be available for the judges, if requested. 

    • Topic: Choose a topic that is age-appropriate and engaging. Examples include personal experiences, school-appropriate social issues, or inspirational ideas. (See resources for topic suggestions and template.) 

    • Structure: Include an introduction, body, and conclusion. Clear organization is key.

    • Delivery: Focus on vocal variety, eye contact, and gestures to enhance the message.

    • Grade School Division Notes: Speeches should be simple and relatable, avoiding overly complex issues.

    • High School Division Notes: Speeches should demonstrate depth of thought and polished delivery.

    • Time Management: Stay within time limits, including the introduction.

    Judging Criteria: 

    • Verbal: volume, rate, clarity, tone 

    • Non-verbal: gestures, eye contact, movement, expressions 

    • Content: creativity, originality of purpose, effective use of rhetorical devices (e.g., anecdotes, metaphors), confidence, and audience engagement. 

    Dramatic Interpretation

    Description: Participants perform a memorized selection from a published play, novel, poem, short story, magazine article, or newspaper, bringing characters and scenes to life through voice and movement.

    Guidelines:

    • Material: Selections must come from published works (no original scripts). A physical or digital copy of the source must be available for judges if requested.

    • Performance: Participants act as one or more characters, using vocal changes, facial expressions, and minimal movement to convey the story. No props or costumes are allowed.

    • Introductions: Participants may begin with a brief (15 second) introduction stating your name, the author, and title of the piece. This is permitted but not required. “Hi, my name is ___ and I will be performing the ___ titled ___ by ____” 

    • Grade School Division Notes: Choose pieces with clear narratives and relatable characters. Avoid mature themes. 

    • High School Division Notes: Select pieces with emotional depth or complex characters to showcase acting range.

    • Time Management: Stay within time limits, including the introduction.

    Judging Criteria: 

    • Verbal: volume, rate, clarity, tone 

    • Non-verbal: gestures, eye contact, movement, expressions 

    • Character: character believability, differentiation, and ability to convey the story’s mood and message. 

    Section III. Materials 

    Original Oratory: Please see resources. 

    Dramatic Interpretation: Please see resources

    Section IV. Competition Day

    • Arrival: Arrive 30 minutes early to check in and receive room assignments.

    • Attire: Dress in business casual or performance-appropriate clothing 

    • Rounds: Each participant performs in 2 rounds. 

    • Feedback: Judges provide written feedback after each round. Coaches and parents may review comments post-event.

    • Conduct: Display respect for judges, competitors, and staff. No disruptive behavior. Audience members and participants are expected to sit through each round. There will be a 30 minute break between rounds. 

    • Redoing a speech: A participant may forget their lines and pause while performing their speech. If the participant believes the pause is too much to overcome and continue their speech, they may ask to redo their speech one time. Points will be deducted for this request. A participant may not redo a speech if they simply are not pleased with their performance. There are two rounds to give each participant a second chance. 

    Section V: Preparation Tips

    • Practice: Rehearse daily, focusing on memorization and delivery. Record yourself to self-evaluate.

    • Coaching: Work with a teacher, coach, or parent for feedback on content and performance.

    • Time Yourself: Ensure your speech fits within the time limit to avoid penalties.

    • Audience Engagement: Practice maintaining eye contact and using pauses for emphasis.

    • Material Selection (Dramatic Interpretation): Choose a piece you connect with emotionally to deliver a compelling performance.

    • Material Selection (Original Oratory): Write a speech that you are connected to so that you may deliver an engaging performance. 

    Section VI: Awards

    • Ballots: Participants will receive their feedback and score at the conclusion of the competition. 

    • Certificates: All participants receive a participation certificate.

    • Ribbons: Awarded to top 20 percent of performers in each category and division, based on enrollment. 

    Section VII: Registration and Cancellation 

    Registration must be completed by the listed deadline. There is currently no fee to participate in the meets as we rely on donations and volunteers to organize the meets. Participants should have at least several weeks of preparation prior to the meet. If you need to cancel for any reason after you have registered, please contact us. 

    Section VIII. Costs and Fees

    We want the league to be as accessible as possible for families. The cost is $5 per participant, paid via cash or Venmo on the day of the competition. This covers the awards for the meet as well as any associated costs with the location.

    If you need to purchase a speech, the costs typically range from $5-10. Your family may use this speech more than once, however. Further, we consider the speech meets an intellectually rich and fun experience that your child will remember for years to come.

    Section IX: Contact Information for Questions and Concerns 

    For concerns or questions, please contact us.

    *This handbook is subject to occasional modifications as necessary. 

    We’re excited to see your talent shine! Good luck, and have fun expressing yourself!

  • Our league was founded in 2025 and we look forward to updating you with the next competition date and location. We anticipate a meet in August 2025 to kick off the school year.

  • Register here.