Folsom’s American Legion Post 362 and a local high school senior are celebrating success after results of the state level 86th National Oratorical Contests were announced by the American Legion Department of California, with local student Mahee Haswani being named the champion.
“We are so proud of Mahee, our two-time state champion in the Department Oratorical Competition! She will represent California at the National finals in May,” Tish Lovisone shared on the American Legion Post 362’s Facebook page. “This is the second year in a row that our post has produced the state winner, out of about 750 posts in California. What a remarkable achievement!”
The American Legion Oratorical Contest was created and exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution among high school students. Since 1938, the program has presented participants with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s laws, the ability to think and speak clearly, and an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges of American citizenship.
The program has featured numerous politicians and prominent contestants over the years, including former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, national television commentator and talk radio host Lou Dobbs, and former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.
Young orators earn some of the most generous college scholarships available to high school students. Over $203,500 in scholarships can be awarded each year. The overall national contest winner gets a $25,000 scholarship. Second place takes home $22,500, and third gets $20,000.
High school students under age 20 are eligible each year for the contest. Competition begins at the post level and advances to a state competition. Legion department representatives certify one winner per state to the national contest, where department winners compete against each other in two speaking rounds. The contest caps off with a final round that decides the three top finishers.
Speaking subjects must be on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, with some emphasis on the duties and obligations of citizens to our government. Speeches are eight to 10 minutes long; three- to five-minute speeches on an assigned topic also are part of the contest.
Haswani, a senior at Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills who represented Area 1 in the contest, submitted her entry titled, “A Piece of Paper,” which earned top honors in the contest and the second championship for Hawswani as well as the American Legion Post 362.. She was presented with a $1200 scholarship for the championship.
The latest version of the National Oratorical Contest was recently held on the department level at Ronald Reagan Palisades Post 283 in Pacific Palisades, which opened its doors to their facility to graciously host the prestigious awards.
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.
Haswani now advances to the national competition scheduled for May, where the champion will be awarded a $25,000 scholarship.
