Public Speaking: Formal Speech #1
Commencement Address
Assignment Overview: For the first formal speech of the semester, you will draft and deliver a 3 minute
commencement address to be delivered at North Penn High School in the year of your graduation, or at
a college/university of your choice in your projected collegiate graduation year.
Venue: Speeches will be delivered in the classroom with a podium.
Graded Requirements:
1. Organizer
2. Written draft of speech
3. Delivered Speech
4. Self Assessment
Total Points Poss.
(20 pts)
(20 pts)
(120 pts)
(15 pts)
(175 pts)
Speech Details:
You will be delivering what is, essentially, a fictitious future commencement address, so you may have
creative license to develop and place this speech in whichever of the context choices you desire (high
school or college). Imagine that you have entered a contest to deliver a commencement address, and
your speech has been selected. Your written speech should reflect organization, central thematic focus,
and relevant, unique content. Your delivery should reflect ownership of the content, strong verbal and
non-verbal delivery (as per the introductory notes), and overall effectiveness for the genre. Use the
sample commencement speeches we view as examples of your own speech construction, but aim for
originality in your speech.
To consider:
 Do you have a compelling story to tell that results in a main message?
 Do you have a creative way to leave your audience with an inspirational message?
 Do you have a clear analogy, allegory, or parable you can present to your audience?
 You have the privilege of issuing the final words to your graduating class. What do you want
people to remember and think about as they leave school?
Sample Commencement Speeches:
For each sample we view, identify the information listed below:
SAMPLE 1:
Bob Ni at NPHS Commencement 2012
Central Theme of Speech: _______________________________________________________
Example of connection to audience: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Strengths in Non-Verbal Delivery:__________________________________________________
Strengths in Verbal Delivery:
SAMPLE 2:
_________________________________________________ __
“Your’e Not Special” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lfxYhtf8o4
Central Theme of Speech: _______________________________________________________
Example of connection to audience: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Strengths in Non-Verbal Delivery:__________________________________________________
Strengths in Verbal Delivery:
_________________________________________________ __
SAMPLE 3: Steve Jobs at Stanford: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA
MESSAGES:
STRENGTHS IN CONVEYING MESSAGES:
COMMENCEMENT SPEECH GRADING SHEET
SPEAKER ______________________________
Each category is valued at five total possible points.
VERBAL
Volume
Inflection
Enunciation Projection Pacing
Ownership
DELIVERY
Each category is value at 5 total possible points
_____ / 30
NON
VERBAL
DELIVERY
Gestures
Effective
Eye Contact Posture
Movement
and Poise
Appearance Ownership
Each category is valued at 5 total possible points
_____/ 30
CONTENT
_____/ 60
TOTAL
SCORE
_____/120
COMMENTS:
Central
Depth of
Thematic Insight
Focus
Style
Clarity
Creativity
(Diction,
and
and ability
word
Evident
to capture
choice,
Purpose
the
syntax)
audience
Each category is valued at 10 total possible points
Intro/Greeting
and
Conclusion
NPHS – Public Speaking –COMMENCEMENT SPEECH PRE-SPEECH ORGRANIZER
NAME _______________________________________
Choose one:
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
Year of Ceremony/Speech:
COLLEGE GRADUATION
_________________
“Working” Theme for Speech:
_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Tone of Speech:
Humorous
Inspiring
Reflective
Other? __________________________
(Yes, you can have more than one tone within your speech)
Some things you think you may want to mention in your speech: