Onsite Only Competition
Individual Competition
The Speech competition is designed to allow students the opportunity to gain speaking experience, as well as increase his/her confidence level in public speaking.
A club may only have one entry. However, a senior club may enter a student in both Division I and Division II.
| Division | Time | Topic |
| Elementary | 1-2 Minutes | Staying Connected with Beta |
| Junior | 1-2 Minutes | Charged for Success with Beta |
| Senior | 2-3 Minutes | Members may choose a topic. |
Competition Guidelines
- A typed/printed bibliography with student name, student ID #, and grade level must be submitted prior to speaking. If no sources are cited within the content of the speech, a typed/printed bibliography stating “no sources needed” or “no sources cited” must be submitted. Students will receive a ten point deduction if no typed/printed bibliography is submitted.
- National Beta will not be responsible for printing bibliographies.
- The speaker will receive a one time five point deduction if the speech is less than the time or exceeds the time allowed.
- Participants must be dressed in business attire.
- Props or costumes are prohibited.
- Random draw will determine the order of speech presentations.
- Spectators will be permitted based on room size.
- Use of electronic devices will not be permitted during competition.
Educational Connections
- Creativity and Innovation
- Oral Communication
- Persuasive Presentation
- Information and Media Literacy
How to Enter
- Visit www.betaclub.org/events/conventions and follow directions.
- Register students and then select competitions to enter.
National Eligibility
All Plaques Awarded at State Convention
Judging Criteria for Elementary and Junior
| Speech | 16-20 | 11-15 | 6-10 | 1-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content | Excellent examples, facts and details used to support the main points. | Good examples, facts and details used to support the main points. | Average examples, facts and details used to support the main points. | Minimal examples, facts and details used to support the main points. |
| Structure | Excellent speech that is easy to understand with a clear beginning, middle and end. | Good speech that is rather easy to understand with a clear beginning, middle and end. | Average speech that is somewhat easy to understand with a beginning, middle and end. | Minimal speech that is difficult to understand with no clear beginning, middle and end. |
| Support | Excellent evidence of support that is well presented to create unity and completeness. | Good evidence of support that is well presented to create unity and completeness. | Average evidence of support that is presented to create some unity and partial completeness. | Minimal evidence of support that is semi-presented that creates little unity and partial completeness. |
| Delivery | Excellent voice that conveys tone and mood with fantastic eye contact. Gestures are natural with appropriate pauses and pacing. | Good voice that conveys tone and mood with nice eye contact. Gestures are natural with adequate pauses and pacing. | Average voice that conveys tone and mood with some eye contact. Gestures are somewhat relaxed or natural with no or a lot of pacing. | Minimal voice that conveys tone and mood with very little eye contact. Gestures that are not relaxed or natural with pacing that can be distracting. |
| Engagement | Used an excellent, creative and attention getting strategy to engage the audience. | Used a good, creative and attention getting strategy to engage the audience. | Used an average attention getting strategy to somewhat engage the audience. | Used a minimal attention getting strategy to engage the audience. |
| Deductions | This will be taken one time by the coordinator. | Did not follow competition guidelines -10 | Did not follow time guidelines -5 | |
Judging Criteria for Senior
| Speech | 16-20 | 11-15 | 6-10 | 1-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interest Level | Excellent selection of speech topic that is appropriate. | Good selection of speech topic that is appropriate. | Average selection of speech topic that is appropriate. | Minimal selection of speech topic that is appropriate. |
| Organization | Excellent organizational structure with a well developed thesis and use of transitions. | Good organizational structure with a well developed thesis and use of transitions. | Average organizational structure with a well developed thesis and use of transitions. | Minimal organizational structure with a well developed thesis and use of transitions. |
| Support | Excellent evidence of support that is well presented, creates unity and completeness using examples, facts and details. | Good evidence of support that is well presented, creates unity and completeness using examples, facts and details.| | Average evidence of support that is well presented, creates unity and completeness using examples, facts and details. | Minimal evidence of support that is well presented, creates unity and completeness using examples, facts and details. |
| Delivery | Speaker maintains excellent eye contact, displays excellent enthusiasm, and speaks with correct grammar, enunciation and competent diction. | Speaker maintains good eye contact, displays excellent enthusiasm, and speaks with correct grammar, enunciation and competent diction. | Speaker maintains average eye contact, displays excellent enthusiasm, and speaks with correct grammar, enunciation and competent diction. | Speaker maintains minimal eye contact, displays excellent enthusiasm, and speaks with correct grammar, enunciation and competent diction. |
| Engagement | Used an excellent creative-attention getting strategy to engage the audience. | Used a good creative-attention getting strategy to engage the audience. | Used an average attention getting strategy to engage the audience. | Used a minimal attention getting strategy to engage the audience. |
| Deductions | This will be taken one time by the coordinator. | Did not follow competition guidelines -10 | Did not follow time guidelines -5 |