OCEANetwork Homeschool Speech Contest
We are happy to announce the first ever OCEANetwork Homeschool Speech Contest! Oregon homeschool students in grades 4 -12 can enter the virtual contest by submitting a video recording of their informative / expository speech.
- Gain confidence and practice public speaking skills.
- Dive in and learn more about a topic of their interest.
- Just $5 to register and reserve your spot!
Event & Giveaway Sponsors: Beaverton Homeschool Debate and Speech Club, Exodus Books, and Speelman Daughter Design.
View the 2021 Speech Contest Submissions!
We are proud of all the hard work these students have put into their speech contest submissions! Have fun viewing their videos and cheering them on!
Steps to Participate
- Important: Read the Guidelines before you start.
- Register by Sept. 30 to reserve your spot ($5 non-refundable registration fee)
- Choose your speech topic.
- Decide what visual aids you’ll use.
- Download the speech guide in your grade level to help you prepare:
- Submit your video presentation by Nov. 1.
Who can participate? The virtual OCEANetwork Homeschool Speech Contest is open to any independently homeschooled Oregon student in grades 4-12. Students will choose the appropriate age range to enter under when they submit their video.
Steps to Participate
- Important: Read the Guidelines before you start.
- Register by Sept. 30 to reserve your spot ($5 non-refundable registration fee)
- Choose your speech topic.
- Decide what visual aids you’ll use.
- Download the speech guide in your grade level to help you prepare:
- Submit your video presentation by Nov. 1.
Who can participate? The virtual OCEANetwork Homeschool Speech Contest is open to any independently homeschooled Oregon student in grades 4-12. Students will choose the appropriate age range to enter under when they submit their video.
How the Speech Contest Works (& Important Dates)
Register by Sept. 30 to reserve your spot in the speech contest. The confirmation email will include a link where you can submit your speech video when it’s ready. All speech videos are due by November 1st and will be added to this site for public viewing. We encourage students to share with friends and family!
Our speech contest judges will evaluate the presentations for each age range. One student from each group will be selected to receive a prize!
Important Dates
- Now: Register by Sept. 30 to reserve your place in the contest.Work on choosing a topic for your speech. Need help choosing or organizing your project? See the helpful info in the FAQ below.
- November 1: Submit your videos by this date to make sure they’re included in the contest. Each participant will receive a participation ribbon in the mail.
- November 8: Winners in each group will be announced and prizes sent out the following week!
Speech Contest Prizes!
A big thank you to Beaverton Homeschool Debate and Speech Club, Exodus Books, and Speelman Daughter Design, our event co-sponsors and giveaway donors, for making the Homeschool Speech Contest possible!
We also are grateful to Tammy Arp of the Beaverton Homeschool Debate and Speech Club for her help designing this contest and providing the speech guides and evaluation sheets!
We appreciate all our speech contest participants!
All students who submit their speech videos will receive a participant ribbon and feedback about their speech.
4th - 5th Grade
– Gift Card to Exodus Books ($15 value) for books, coloring books, games, etc.
– Homeschooled T-Shirt in the size and color of your choice ($20 value) given by Speelman Daughters Design
– Beginning Public Speaking by Teresa Moon student and teacher workbook ($30 value) recommended and given by Tammy Arp of Beaverton Homeschool Debate and Speech Club
– 1st Place Winner Ribbon from OCEANetwork
6th - 8th Grade
– Gift Card to Exodus Books ($15 value) for books, coloring books, games, etc.
– Homeschooled T-Shirt in the size and color of your choice ($20 value) given by Speelman Daughters Design
– Painless Speaking by Mary Elizabeth ($9.99 value) given by OCEANetwork
– 1st Place Winner Ribbon from OCEANetwork
9th - 12th Grade
– Gift Card to Exodus Books ($15 value) for books, coloring books, games, etc.
– Homeschooled T-Shirt in the size and color of your choice ($20 value) given by Speelman Daughters Design
– The World’s Great Speeches by Lewis Copeland (Editor), Lawrence W. Lamm (Editor), Stephen J. McKenna (Editor) ($19.95 value) given by Exodus Books
– 1st Place Winner Ribbon from OCEANetwork
Speech Contest Ideas and FAQ
Expand the items below to find ideas to inspire your speech projects, answers to frequently asked questions, & contact info.
display:none;
What topic should I choose for the speech contest?
There are many different ideas you can choose from. What are your interests? What have you always wondered about? What are you good at doing and would like to demonstrate?
You can choose a topic to research and give an informational speech about it or you can choose a how-to demonstration to perform.
Here are some sites with ideas to get you thinking. (Note not all speech topics you find may be approrpiate for the contest. If you are unsure whether your selected topic is suitable, feel free to email meyers@oceanetwork.org.)
- Informative Speech Topics & Ideas
- Demonstration Speech Ideas
- Extremely Interesting Speech Topics That are Meant for Kids
How should I prepare and present my speech?
Once you’ve chosen your topic, write out or at least outline your speech. Be sure to refer to the Speech Guides for your age range (4th-5th or 6th-12th). They will tell you how long your speech should be and what content and presentation elements need to be included. These are the guides that your speech will be judged by as well.
Once you have adequately practiced your speech (you know it well but haven’t memorized it) record a presentation of you performing it. Visual aids or props are required. You’ll also want to review the Guidelines for video presentation considerations. Upload your video through the link given in your registration confirmation email by November 1st at the latest.
Here’s a fun video about expository speeches for inspriation!
Who can participate in the OCEANetwork Homeschool Speech Contest?
The speech contest is open to students in Oregon grades 4-12 who are educated at home in an independent homeschool in accordance with state homeschool laws. Students who live out of state or who are enrolled in a public school, private school, or charter school are not eligible to participate.
Who do I contact if I have questions or problems?
If you have any questions or run into issues with your submission, please contact Tauna at meyers@oceanetwork.org. We’re happy to help and hope you have a wonderful speech contest experience!
Event Support & Giveaway Sponsors
