The North Penn School District is hosting its annual
Black History Oratorical Competition for students from grades 3-12 this month. Those selected to compete will present their speeches at North Penn High School on Thursday, Feb. 24, from 6 to 8 pm. The event is free and and the public is invited to attend.
The competition is designed to give North Penn students the opportunity to shine through public speaking while honoring Black history. Students submitted video recitations of published speeches or poems from African-American or Black leaders such as Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson, and others.
A committee of diverse educators and community members selected finalists to compete and recite their speeches live. One student from each level (elementary, middle, and high school) is chosen, and the three winners will go on to perform at the
International Spring Festival to be held at North Penn High School April 23.
Students were selected to compete based upon how their performance respects and honors Black history, and embodies messages that inspire and uplift participants to continue towards progress. The competition emphasizes that Black history is not just about slavery and the civil rights movement, but also about reflecting the strength, perseverance, imagination, responsibility, integrity, and talent (S.P.I.R.I.T) of people throughout the African diaspora. Winners from 2020 performed speeches from Maya Angelou, Muhammad Ali and poet Rudy Francisco.
To learn more about the Black History Oratorical Competition, visit the
North Penn School District website. For more information, contact Communication and Development Specialist Virginia Higgins at
[email protected].
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