Oratorical champ shares winning insight

At the beginning of the 73rd National High School Oratorical Scholarship Program last Saturday, Tori Beth Black from Iva, S.C., was standing alongside 52 other students from across the country to compete for the same goal - the National Oratorical championship title and an $18,000 college scholarship. But after winning her way through three rounds of intense competition, Black was the last one of the contestants standing at the end of the program Sunday.

 Through her vast knowledge on the U.S. Constitution, family books and words of wisdom from a brother studying law, Black wrote and presented an oration that set her apart from the other contestants, and spoke successfully on Article 5 for the assigned topic discourse. These two detailed speeches, along with many other characteristics Black possess, helped crown the home-schooled high school junior as the 73rd National Oratorical champion. Click here to listen to Black's winning oration, "A Rising Sun," and click here to listen to her assigned topic discourse speech.

After numerous cheers, congratulations and hugs following her win, Black spoke with The American Legion to share her excitement and oration preparation.