![Departments certify winners for National Oratorical Contest](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scalecrop800x479/public/legion/woodwing/45622.jpeg?itok=vUiaRrOS)
Departments certify winners for National Oratorical Contest
Nearly 50 high school students will gather in Indianapolis April 22-23 to speak on the U.S. Constitution for The American Legion’s National Oratorical Contest and compete for over $203,000 in scholarships. The competitors won their respective American Legion post, district and state-level oratorical contests to earn a spot at the national level.
The National Oratorical Contest is held at the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel where the 49 orators will compete in the quarterfinals. They will present a rehearsed eight- to 10-minute oration on an aspect of the Constitution in front of judges, as well as a three- to five-minute speech on an assigned topic discourse. The top nine contestants will advance to the semifinals. After again presenting their prepared oration and assigned topic, the top three semifinal contestants will advance to the championship finals.
The championship finals will be held Sunday, April 23 at 10 a.m. EDT, and will be streamed on Facebook Live at facebook.com/americanlegionhq. The top three finalists will compete for $67,500 in scholarships –first place receives $25,000; second place $22,500; and third place $20,000.
Each department (state) winner who participates in the quarterfinal first round receives a $2,000 scholarship. Those who advance to the semifinal round receive an additional $2,000 scholarship.
2023 department oratorical winners
Alabama: Christine Johnson
Alaska: Madisen Lundamo
Arizona: Caleb Rasor
Arkansas: Alexis Childs
California: Mahee Haswani
Colorado: Mae Webster
Connecticut: Venice Montanaro
Delaware: Alexander Budd
Florida: Nurfat Ishaque
France: Kennedy Lange
Georgia: Andrew Fleming
Hawaii: Lehua Norris
Idaho: Bridger Benson
Illinois: April Zhang
Indiana: Haley Bock
Iowa: Thanvee Paga
Kansas: Ian Fahncke
Kentucky: India Young
Louisiana: Hailey Wolff
Maine: Shawn Jiminez
Maryland: Diya Jha
Massachusetts: Samuel Gonser
Michigan: Andrew Kil
Minnesota: Megan Blonigen
Mississippi: Jonathan Baker
Missouri: Jana Rawashdeh
Montana: Ella Pheifer
Nebraska: Mary Worthing
Nevada: Abigail Cook
New Hampshire: Emily Aloise
New Jersey: Benjamin Duvelson
New Mexico: Zia Miller
New York: Ian Chung
North Carolina: Paige Greene
NorthDakota: Casey Kruger
Ohio: Guhan Krishnan
Oklahoma: Jesse LaBahn
Oregon: Hannah Hurty
Pennsylvania: Amelia Summers
South Carolina: Henry Overbay
South Dakota: Elena Andrews
Tennessee: Abigail Whicker
Texas: Max Kinser
Utah: Jocelyn Brown
Vermont: Jeswin Antony
Virginia: Trenton McMillen
Washington: Emma Lo
Wisconsin: Mya Koffie
Wyoming: Emma Johnson