Writing and Speaking on the West Coast 2023 – 2024

Dear students:

On the historic occasion of His Majesty King Charles III’s coronation, we Canadians witnessed a momentous event that blends tradition with the dawn of a new era. As the solemn echoes of royal pageantry fill the air, we unite in celebration and anticipation.

With a legacy steeped in history, King Charles III ascends to the throne, embodying the principles of duty, continuity, and service to the people. The coronation becomes a symbol of unity, signalling a new chapter of resilience, honour, and dignity.

We will be accepting essays on this topic and it will also form the basis for our Public Speaking contest.

Long live the king!

WRITING CONTEST WINNERS

TBA.

SPEAKING CONTEST WINNERS

TBA.

TOPICS :

The topics in this year’s competition are

  1. Building a Peaceful and Stable Future Together
  2. Protecting Animals and the Environment
  3. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence

The Essays will be due on February 23, 2024

Our Public Speaking contest will be held on March 2, 2024.

CATEGORIES

  • Grades 1-3 * Elementary: 2-3 Minute Prose Reading / 100 words essay
  • Grades 4-5 * Junior: 4-5 Minute Speeches / 400 words essay
  • Grades 6-8 * Youth: 5-6 minutes Speeches / 700 words essay
  • Grades 9-12 * Senior: 6-8 Minute Speeches / 1,000 words essay
  • Notes about the categories:
    • A student’s category is determined by their grade level at school during the 2023-2024 school year.
    • Organizers may contact students to verify that they are in the correct categories; failure to do so may result in disqualification from the tournament. 

REGISTRATION

Registration Fee:

$20 for both the Writing and Speaking Competitions

OR

$15 for each Writing or Speaking Competition (if a registrant only opts for one contest)

Please e-transfer your registration contribution to rcscontestinfo@gmail.com and specify your student registrant’s name in the message when sending money.

To register, please fill out this form by Friday, February 23, 2024 Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.

Best regards,

Fiona Li

Youth Director, Education Committee & Tournament Director

Royal Commonwealth Society of Mainland BC

Email: rcscontestinfo@gmail.com

WRITING COMPETITION RULES

  1. All essays must be written in English.
  2. No entrant may submit more than ONE essay. Entrants must write on one topic only.
  3. Essays are liable for disqualification on the following criteria: the essay is generated by AI; the essay is not certified; no grade is given; the essay is too long or short in relation to the specified word count.
  4. Essays submitted must be written or typed on standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch (21.5 x 28 cm) paper (not 8 1/2 x 14 inch) leaving a 1 – 1 1/2 inch (3 – 4 cm) margin on the left side. The writer’s name, the title of the essay and the topic must be given at the top of the first page.
  5. Emailed essays should be sent in PDF only with the student’s full name, grade and essay category. Essays may not be faxed.
  6. Essays must have been RECEIVED by the deadline date via email to rcscontestinfo@gmail.com.
  7. Any questions or clarifications concerning this contest should be emailed to rcscontestinfo@gmail.com.
  8. The writers of essays may be advised on preliminary planning and source material but NO further help should be given by teachers or families.
  9. We may contact finalists to ask their secondary school teacher or principal to certify that this essay is the student’s composition.

PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION FORMAT

The format of the speech can be persuasive, informative, narrative, etc. as long as it adheres to the provided topic.

Students in all categories will be judged based on:

  • Delivery (vocal expression, body language, fluency), 
  • Content (organization, creativity, adherence to the prompt), 
  • Language (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation).

Students are encouraged to memorize the presentation and although they may choose to use cue cards, judges often find memorized speeches to be more polished and impressive.

SCHEDULE

Please note that all times are in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Saturday, March 2nd.

1:00pm PDT —— Registration

1:30pm PDT —— Welcome & Briefings

2:00pm PDT —— Competitions Begin!

5:00pm PDT —— Results Announcement

PRIZES

  • The top prize winners, in each category, who attend our award ceremony will receive trophies and special prizes.
  • The 4th to 6th place contestants who attend our award ceremony will receive special Royal Commonwealth Society prizes.
  • All participants will receive certificates of participation from the Royal Commonwealth Society. 

DRESS CODE & EXPECTATIONS

  • Students are encouraged to wear formal attire to the competition. This means a collared shirt, tie, dress, etc.
  • Students are expected to find a quiet place with a strong wifi connection.
  • * Backgrounds should be neutral and we ask that students do not use virtual Zoom backgrounds for the competition (Not applicable if the contest is held off-line in person).
  • It is a good idea to test your camera and microphone the day before.
  • Competitors should be visible from head to waist.

TOURNAMENT PLATFORM

The competition will take place online (Zoom invite TBA), and competitors should ensure that they have installed the latest version to navigate to the correct breakout rooms. Specific links will be sent out to registered participants via email before the competition.

Disclaimer:

Voices & Bridges publishes opinions like this from the community to encourage constructive discussion and debate on important issues. Views represented in the articles are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the V&B.