Declamation
The goal of Declamation is to communicate the ideas of the original speaker with clarity, emotion, and purpose without imitating their style or delivery. Students are expected to interpret the speech in their own voice, presenting it in a way that is both engaging and authentic. While the content belongs to someone else, the performance should feel fresh and persuasive to the audience.
Declamation is well-suited for students who are confident, expressive, and process-oriented. Ideal competitors demonstrate strength in powerful language, connecting with audiences, and conveying meaningful messages through strong vocal and nonverbal delivery. A successful Declamation student is persuasive, creative, and capable of memorizing and performing with precision and passion. Students should choose a speech that resonates with them personally—not because of the original speaker’s fame or delivery, but because they understand the message and feel confident they can deliver it effectively.
Judge
Declamation
DEC • Middle School Main Event
Declamation (DEC) is a 10-minute public speaking event (with a 30-second grace period) in which students perform a previously delivered, publicly available speech. The selection may come from any public address. Commencement speeches, political addresses, historical moments, or celebrity speeches are all common sources. Since most original speeches are longer than 10 minutes, students typically excerpt and edit the speech to meet the time limit but must preserve the original message.