North Penn School District Hosting Annual Black History Oratorical Competition

North Penn School District is hosting its annual Black History Oratorical Competition. Students from grades three through 12 selected to compete will present their speeches at North Penn High School on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. All are encouraged to attend this inspirational and entertaining evening.

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, or others. A committee made up 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) will be chosen as winners. The winners may have an opportunity to perform at the International Spring Festival held at North Penn High School on April 15.

Students were selected to compete based upon how their performance respects/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 2022 performed speeches from Viola Davis, Elizabeth Alexander, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Fannie Lou Hamer.

The North Penn School District would like to thank our partners from Merck, specifically its League of Employees of African Descent (LEAD) employee business resource group, for supporting the Black History Oratorical Competition and student excellence in the community. Additionally, NPSD would like to thank volunteers from the Parents in Equity (PIE) committee for their support and hard work to make this event a success.

To learn more about the Black History Oratorical Competition, please visit the North Penn website.

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