8th Grade Speech Scholarship Tournament

On Saturday, February 8, 2025, Mount Saint Joseph will be hosting its annual 8th Grade Speech Tournament. This competition is open to all students accepted to The Mount!

Interested students should write a speech on the prompt provided below, and be prepared to deliver it to a panel of current Mount Saint Joseph faculty members and current members of the Speech & Debate Team on the day of the competition.

2025 Prompt: Living by a Guiding Principle

We hold certain principles or values close to our hearts, whether from family, faith, or personal beliefs. Choose a principle that guides you, such as kindness, humility, or service. Where did this principle come from, and how do you strive to live by it? Share a story of when this principle made a difference in your life or others.

The student must write the speech, which must be approximately 5 minutes long. It must be memorized and adhere to the question chosen. Props may not be used. Competitors will be evaluated on the strength of their message and their ability to convey the piece's emotion through vocal variations and natural gestures.

Trophies and recognitions will be presented to the top speakers. For the available scholarships, students in the top 3 speaker positions receive $1500, $1000, and $850, respectively, yearly, contingent upon their participation on the Speech & Debate Team.

Registration will be accepted on a rolling deadline but must be submitted at the latest by January 31, 2025. Space is limited to the first 25 registrants. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact Coach Kirsten Nilsen at knilsen@msjnet.edu.