SPEECH TEAM

Speech Program for Grades Seven, and Eight

Coach: Mrs. Vivian Powers

SIGN UPS ARE NOW CLOSED ON POWERSCHOOL

Oak Speech Team Program for 2018 – 2019

Oak Middle School is pleased to offer a competitive Speech Team program during the 2018 - 2019 school year.  

There will be eighty slots for students on the Oak team.  A lottery will be used to choose which students will be able to fill those slots.  Students who wish to be part of the lottery must sign up on Power School by Friday, September 28th. The lottery will be held the week of October 1st, and those chosen will be notified on Power School by Friday, October 5th.  Those chosen students must pay the $75 activity fee (payable online or by check), complete the information form on the next page of this sheet, and bring that completed form with them to the first practice.  All practices will be held from 3:00 to 5 every Monday starting October 8th in the Oak cafeteria, and continue until the last tournament is held early in May.  Students who miss more than three practices without permission will be dropped from team membership.  Students will be responsible for obtaining a ride home promptly at the end of practice at 5.  In addition to the time spent in formal practice sessions at school, students should also spend time practicing their pieces at home.  Students can participate in as many as two categories later in the year, including prose, poetry, dramatic performance, original oratory, duo interpretation, declamation, demonstration speech, storytelling, and impromptu.  Six competitive tournaments, held at the site of host schools, are planned during the academic year.  These tournaments, with two exceptions, are held on Sundays.  Departure is from the front of Oak is at about 7 AM, with return as late as 7:00 PM.  Every member of the team must participate in at least two of these tournaments, including the one held here at Oak and Sherwood.  Parents must also come to a parent meeting held in early November and must serve as a judge in at least one of the competitions.  Judge training will be held before the first tournament.  CORI approval is also required for everyone who serves as a judge. 

Students will need appropriate dress – their speech “uniform”.  For boys, this is a dress shirt and tie, pants that are not jeans, and shoes that are not sneakers.  For girls it means a skirt or dress that is at least knee length or a nice pair of pants that are not jeans, an appropriate top, and shoes that are not sneakers.  There is an entry fee of $7.00 for each event a student enters in a competition.  The team uses AA Transportation Co. buses to go to tournaments.  The cost for these buses is substantial.  Those participating in a tournament will need to pay a bus fee in addition to the registration fee.  Depending on the distance to the tournament site, the total cost to compete at an out of town contest will be in the $15 to $25 range. 

The high school speech team provides assistant coaches to help prepare middle school students for competitions.  In addition, adult coach Vivian Powers will be at all practice session.  We welcome other volunteers who might be willing to help with this preparation.  All team members should download and fill out the entry form (found below) and return it when you come to the October 8th practice.  

Thanks!

Vivian Powers, Oak Middle School Speech Team Coach