The American Legion’s high school speech contest on the U.S. Constitution will be live streamed on May 17 at 10 a.m. Eastern.
The 2026 American Legion National Oratorical Contest: “A Constitutional Speech Contest” begins Saturday, May 16, in Hillsdale, Mich., on the campus of Hillsdale College. The 53 high school participants won their respective American Legion post, district and department oratorical competition to advance to the finals where they will speak on the U.S. Constitution. See who is competing.
The competitors will be divided into nine groups for the quarterfinals Saturday morning where before judges they will give an eight to 10-minute oration on the U.S. Constitution and a three to five-minute oration on a phase of the Constitution selected from Articles and Sections. The top 18 competitors will advance to the semifinal round Saturday afternoon where they will again present their prepared oration and assigned topics. The top three finalists from the semifinal round will advance to the finals Sunday, May 17.
The finals will be held at 10 a.m. Eastern on May 18. Watch the competition live here.
Each department (state) winner who participates in the national contest’s first round receives a $2,000 scholarship. The 18 semifinalists will receive an additional $2,000. And the three finalists will compete for first place and a $25,000 scholarship. Second and third place will earn $22,500 and $20,000 respectively.
The National Oratorical Contest winner will be honored alongside other Americanism youth champions at the 107th National Convention of The American Legion in Louisville, Ky., in late August.
- Oratorical