academia & speech
contest manual
Catholic Arts & Academic Competition
Archdiocese of San Antonio 
Department of Catholic Schools
2718 West Woodlawn Avenue  San Antonio, TX 78228
(210) 734-1958  Fax (210) 734-9112
2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
CONTENTS
CONTEST INFORMATION.........................................................................................2
CONTEST ATTIRE......................................................................................................2
SCHEDULE.................................................................................................................2
ENTRY LIMITS............................................................................................................3
BIBLE STORYTELLING.............................................................................................3
BIBLICAL HEROES AND SAINTS.............................................................................8
COMPREHENSIVE MATH........................................................................................10
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING.........................................................................................12
KNOWING MY FAITH...............................................................................................17
ORIGINAL ORATORY..............................................................................................19
SPELLING.................................................................................................................24
WITNESS TO THE WORD........................................................................................28
With God all things are possible.
~Matthew 19:26~
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
CONTEST INFORMATION
Students will deepen their academic knowledge of the Catholic Faith by demonstrating learned
skills and God-given talents.
**BLUE &
ZONE
Date: February 20, 2016 Location: The Atonement Academy
Time: 8:30 a.m.
**RED ZONE
Date: February 27, 2016 Location: Rolling Hills Catholic School Time: 8:30 a.m.
**(See CAAC Handbook for Zone designation – page 4)
Student Entry Fee per category: $5.00
(No fee for substitute entries)
CONTEST ATTIRE
Students participating in testing categories must wear school uniform. Students in
speech/performance categories including Impromptu Speaking, Original Oratory, Bible
Storytelling, and Witness to the Word must wear “Sunday Best” for grades 1st – 4th, and “Business
Professional” for grades 5th – 12th. “Sunday Best” for BOYS is dress trousers, collared button down
shirt, shoes, optional tie. “Sunday Best” for GIRLS is appropriate and modestly fitting dress, knee
length or longer skirts, or slacks with shoes. “Business Professional” includes suits, ties, dresses,
skirts.
Attire: Testing Categories
School Uniform
Speech Categories
“Sunday Best” grades 1st – 4th
“Business Professional” grades 5th – 12th
SCHEDULE
CATEGORY
BIBLICAL HEROES &
SAINTS
ORIGINAL ORATORYPrelims
BIBLE STORYTELLING Prelims
COMPREHENSIVE MATH
SPELLING
WITNESS TO THE WORD Prelims
Comprehensive Math
winners posted
IMPROMPTU - Prelims
KNOWING MY FAITHPrelims
Spelling winners posted
BIBLE STORYTELLING Finals
WITNESS TO THE WORD Finals
ORIGINAL ORATORYFinals
IMPROMPTU - Finals
TIME
1-2
8:30-10
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
11-12
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
8:30-10
10-11:30
10-11:30
11:30-1
X
X
X
X
11:30-1
1-2:30
X
X
1-2:30
2:30-4
X
X
2:30-4
2:30-4
2:30-4
Awards will conclude the contest after final round.
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X
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
ENTRY LIMITS
GRADES:
Spelling
Math
Biblical Heroes
Know My Faith
Bible Storytelling
Witness2Word
Original Oratory
Impromptu
1
3
2
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
5-6
7-8
9-10
11-12
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Schools may enter up to three (3) students per grade or combined level plus one (1) substitute.
Only students submitted as a “substitute” in the category may compete in lieu of registered
student. Students may compete outside their grade level as long as it is greater than their current
grade, not below. (Example: 5th grade student may compete at the 7th-8th grade level but NOT in
a 4th grade level category.)
Performance categories are combined for grades 1st through 12th. Testing categories in grades 1st
through 4th are administered by individual grades; testing categories in grades 5th through 12th are
combined.
BIBLE STORYTELLING
In this category, students will select and prepare a re-telling of a story from
the Bible using creative expression. The performance may be dramatic or
humorous. For practice, teachers can use stories from children's books of
literary merit. Students must say an introduction that includes their name,
title of story, and author or section of the bible the story is found. No
costumes, props or chairs are allowed. Five (5) minutes maximum time.
2015-16 BIBLE STORYTELLING THEME
“Exploring the Old Testament and the men and women who obeyed God’s will”
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Event Description
Students select a published story that meets a specified theme and perform the story for no more
than five (5) minutes. Students select a story that would be appropriate for young children and tell
the story as if presenting to that audience. Manuscripts are not permitted.
Considerations for Selecting Stories
Students in Bible Storytelling select material based on biblical characters or biblical events.
Children’s books are commonly chosen as material. Students can also look for collections of
stories on various themes. Considerations for an appropriate piece include the student’s
personality, physical and vocal performance range, and school standards.
Basic Understandings
Storytelling consists of sharing a story with an audience, performed as if the audience were a
group of young children. The story must meet the theme of the tournament and not exceed five
minutes. Students may use a full range of movement to express themselves. As there are so many
different types of stories that can be performed, it is important to observe rounds to see what other
students are using.
Research
Storytelling research involves going to libraries and bookstores and enjoying their vast collections
of children’s books. Keep in mind that five minutes includes an introduction. Thus, the story
must be fully conveyed in a very limited frame of time. Students should choose stories that are not
only fun but have a story with sufficient plot and character development to keep the audience
entertained and engaged.
Often one of the most difficult tasks is finding a piece that fits the theme. Before going to the
bookstore or library, take a moment to look for lists of stories online. A simple Google keyword
search will net many results. Students may also want to go to sources such as Amazon that
provide recommendations on related books to get some additional ideas.
Structural Components
Your cutting is the 5 minute portion of the story you are performing. The cutting consists of your
arrangement of the narrative and what aspects of the story you’ve decided to tell. Your cutting may
look something like this (taken from Interpretation of Literature, Bringing Words to Life). *Note that
these times are approximations.
Introduction Example: Achbar the mouse is ready to board a great ark, but when
two mice ahead of him are selected, Achbar doesn’t want to be left behind. He
decides to stowaway but will he be caught by the old man- and will they ever see dry
land again? - A Stowaway on Noah’s Ark by Charles Santore.
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INTRODUCTION • 0:30 – 1:00
The student, in his/her own words, discusses the literature. Must be memorized and include the title
and author.
EXPOSITION & INCITING INCIDENT • 1:00 – 2:30
Engages the audience in character, setting, and theme. Sends the conflict into motion.
RISING ACTION & CLIMAX • 2:30 – 4:15
Complicates the conflict. Creates emotional peak of the performance.
FALLING ACTION & RESOLUTION • 4:15 – 5:00
Resolves the conflict. Concludes the story.
Blocking is a term used to describe movement in a performance. Sometimes blocking is expressive
in nature, symbolizing how a character is feeling emotionally, while at other times blocking denotes
events that are occurring in the imagined space. Keep in mind that movement should always be
motivated by elements in the text or derived from the telling of the story. Blocking for the sake of
blocking is not necessary.
Blocking is one type of nonverbal communication, which may also include gestures, facial
expressions, posture, and eye contact. Much of oral interpretation is contained in the nonverbal
elements of performance as tone, setting, mood, and character all can be established through
various physical representations.
Organizing
Students should map out all of the activities of the story. This outline provides a snapshot of what
takes place and allows for easy review when deciding what to cut or keep in the performance. In
addition to maintaining any major plot points in the story, students will want to select the most
humorous and most dramatic parts of the storyline to draw in the audience.
Coaches can assist in choosing the most relevant sections of the story and include those in the
master manuscript. Once you have your cutting, take the time to “beat out” your manuscript. This
means reading the script aloud and making notes as you go. As you read aloud, use symbols to
indicate shorter pauses “/” or longer pauses “//.” Consider the emotional qualities behind each line.
Consider how the lines affect your verbal and nonverbal communication.
Indicate potential choices for blocking, nonverbal expressions, and audience engagement in the
manuscript. Taking notes in the preparatory stages is very important for any type of performance.
Read your script aloud. Eliminate any excess language that sounds awkward or is unnecessarily
redundant. After organizing, some students will consider cutting the piece differently as a result of
choices that are made. As a final step, make sure that the introduction successfully represents the
manuscript and performance choices.
Practicing
As Storytelling must be memorized, the first step after cutting and analyzing your piece is to
memorize it. As it is a short event with simplified language, many competitors might find that
memorizing a story is very easy. Other students struggle to memorize even short performances.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you memorize your story.
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Our brains are a muscle. The more time you practice memorizing, the better you become. The
more cues that you can give your brain to aid memorization the better. Sitting down staring at a
script, re-reading the lines in your head, will not be beneficial. Memorize the story with the intent to
perform it. Type up a clean version with only your finalized text and blocking. Then, tape it to the
wall and actively memorize. Read the lines aloud moving with them as indicated by your cutting.
Sometimes, it’s helpful to do this in front of a mirror, so you can evaluate the effectiveness of your
movements. It is helpful to memorize a paragraph at a time, building off of the paragraph that came
before. This will significantly decrease the time it takes to memorize your performance.
Once memorized, you and your coach can then build off of the choices you’ve made for your story.
Adjustments to blocking, characterization, and line delivery can be made.
Once the student has a solid grasp of the story, the coach and student can do some timed runthroughs with both oral and written comments. Focus on the big picture in early practices. Work on
analysis of blocking, engagement with the audience, and energy. Consider carefully how students
are using their voice, including pause, pitch, tone, volume, diction, and inflection. Eventually the
student will be ready for line-by-line practices. Line-by-line is characterized by intensive rehearsal
on each section of the story, at times on every line, until the best possible interpretation is
achieved at that moment. Make sure the performance is within the time limits.
The student is now ready to do some performances in front of other students, coaches, or even an
audience. Attend tournaments and review ballots. At this stage, feedback is incredibly important.
Take note of all comments, as having a fresh perspective on an interpretation is vitally important.
Students must be willing to take that feedback and make modifications.
Even the most naturally talented of performers need practice! Respect the time and resources of
your coach and school. Be sure to give it your best effort every day and you will be successful no
matter the tournament outcome.
Performance Tips
It may sound cliché, but confidence is key! If you’ve put the legwork in, you should feel confident in
the product you’ve created. Walk into that round with your head held high, ready to show the world
what you’ve got! Trust what you and your coach created. Do what you practiced, and if you feel
compelled to “try something new,” review it with your coach beforehand. Consistency is key. It’s
hard to evaluate what to change in practice if your performance in the round is completely different
than what you’ve been working on.
Pay attention to other performers. Smile! Be a warm, inviting audience member. There is nothing
worse than getting up to perform and having an audience that either stone faces you or won’t look
you in the eye. Think of it this way: if your round is 45 minutes long, you are only speaking for 5 of
those minutes. The remaining minutes are for you to listen, learn, and support your competitors.
Congratulate your competitors on a good performance after the round ends, and make friends
during downtime. Be gracious, and keep criticisms of other performers to yourself, even if someone
else tries to start a negative conversation.
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BIBLICAL HEROES AND SAINTS
Students will complete a multiple choice test on selected heroes from
the Bible and Catholic Saints. Students will have thirty (30) minute to
complete fifty (50) questions. Scantron sheets will be used to mark
answers. The test will include tie breaker questions.
In order to prepare students for the “Biblical Heroes and Saints” test, you’ll want to compile notes
that touch on each of the listed people. Start with your Religion textbook. It is more important to
understand the significance of the person to our faith. Use the textbook, internet, and other
resources to develop notes.
3rd & 4th Grade
3rd & 4th Grade
OLD TESTAMENT
Joseph (son of Jacob)
David
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Miriam
Joshua
Samson
Ruth
Esther
Daniel
NEW TESTAMENT
Jesus, Our Savior
Mary of Nazareth
Paul
Peter
Mary of Bethany
John the Baptist
SAINTS
St. Joan of Arc
St. John Bosco
St. Juan Diego
St. Agnes
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
St. Theresa of Avila
St. Philomena
St. Cecilia
St. George
St. Augustine
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Patrick
St. Rose of Lima
St. Gregory the Great
St. Margaret Mary
St. Monica
St. Gerard
After God rejects Cain’s offering, Cain becomes jealous of his brother:
A. Seth
B. Abel
C. David
D. Adam
St. Bernadette was best known as a saint who received visions from the Virgin Mary in a cave near:
A. Madrid
B. Israel
C. Rome
D. Lourdes
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BIBLICAL HEROES AND SAINTS
5th & 6th Grade
5th & 6th Grade
OLD TESTAMENT
Gideon
Deborah
Queen of Sheba
Joseph (son of Jacob)
David
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Miriam
Joshua
Samson
Ruth
Hannah
Samuel
Esther
Daniel
NEW TESTAMENT
Jesus, Our Savior
Mary of Nazareth
Paul
Joanna the Apostle
Peter
Martha
Mary of Bethany
Woman with the illness
John the Baptist
Zechariah
SAINTS
St. Joan of Arc
St. John Bosco
St. Juan Diego
St. Agnes
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
St. Theresa of Avila
St. Margaret of Scotland
St. Philomena
St. Cecilia
St. George
St. Benedict
St. Augustine
St. Andrew
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Patrick
St. Rose of Lima
St. Gregory the Great
St. John Berchman
St. Leo the Great
St. Margaret Mary
St. Monica
St. Thomas More
St. Gerard
St. Louis
After Cain slayed Abel, Adam and Eve had another child named:
A. Seth
B. Lamech
C. David
D. Enoch
Emperor Napoleon III’s wife helped St. Bernadette achieve her vision to build a:
A. Church in Paris
B. Statue of Mary
C. Church at the cave
D. Shrine for Jesus
E.
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COMPREHENSIVE MATH
Grades 5-6, 7-8: The students will have thirty (30) minutes to complete a
fifty (50) question multiple choice test. The test will consist of basic math,
algebraic equations, and geometry. Calculators are NOT permitted.
Scantron sheets may be used to mark answers.
Grades 9-10, 11-12: The students will have forty (40) minutes to complete a sixty (60) question
multiple choice test. The test will consist of basic mathematics, algebra I and II, geometry,
trigonometry, math analysis, analytic geometry, pre-calculus and elementary calculus. Students may
use calculators. Contestants will be allowed the use of any commercially available silent hand-held
calculator. Small, hand-held computers are NOT permitted. Scantron sheets will be used to mark
answers.
EXAMPLES OF COMPREHENSIVE MATH TEST
Grades 5-6, 7-8
Mary has 8 more apples than John. Together they have 14 apples. How many apples does John have?
A. 6
Evaluate:
B. 22
C. 11
D. 3
C. 4
D. 12
(11 +19)/2(5)
A. 3
B. 2
Grades 9-10, 11-12
If x+y=5 and xy=1 then 𝑥3 + 𝑦3 =
A. 125
B. 124
C. 122
D. 115
E. 110
The area of a rectangle is 300 sq. cm. The ratio of its length to its width is 4:3. The perimeter of the
rectangle is
A. 125
B. 112
C. 100
D. 70
E. 35
GRADING THE COMPREHENSIVE MATH TEST
Students will receive five (5) points for each correct answer. No points will be given or subtracted
for unanswered questions, and one (1) point shall be deducted for an incorrect answer. In the
event of a tie, the formula for percent accuracy shwll be used to break the tie. The formula is:
percent accuracy=number of problems correct (/) divided by number of problems attempted. The
contestant with the highest percent accuracy shall be awarded the higher place.
Example for tie for 2nd place and 5th place: Awards will be read as 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 5th.
3rd and 6th place will not be awarded. Only six (6) students will receive top recognition regardless
of the actual ranking.
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PRACTICING FOR COMPREHENSIVE MATH
One of the main keys to success on the math contest is knowledge. The more problems they work
and the more knowledge they gain, the more successful they will become. Time testing is not
important while practicing. Identifying types of problems and working them without time constraints
is more advantageous than time testing.
1. Students should learn to look for and identify “quick hitters”. These are the obvious crunchers,
drawings, and one-liners. Pass out page 1 of a math test and have the students put “QH” next
to the ones they think are quick hitters. After discussing why they marked the ones they did on
page 1, move to page 2. Do not work them at this time.
2. After finding the quick hitters on all of the pages, have the students work them.
3. Do the same as #1 and 2 above except have them look for “do-ables” and mark them "DO".
"Do-ables" are the ones that they should be able to do if they have enough time and can
remember how.
4. Do the same as #1 and 2 above except have them look for the “can’t-dos” and mark them
"XDO". "Can’t-dos" are important to mark because the coach can see where the weak spots in
the student's math knowledge are.
5. Students should be encouraged to practice and learn number sense tricks, since many times
the tricks show up on the math test.
6. Students should be very familiar with their calculator. Also, they need to learn when to use
their calculator and when not to. Paper and pencil and/or mental math is sometimes much
faster than punching buttons. (You may want the students to mark all of the problems they
think they need to use a calculator on with a "C". You can see if they are wasting time using
the calculator.)
7. I suggest that students create cards (3x5) with drawings, formulas, and shortcuts. Let them use
these when working on tests. They can carry them with them to look over when they have free
time.
8. Time testing can take place a couple of days before competition. One time test before actual
competition is plenty.
9. Working problems is the key to success. The more problems they choose to work the better
they will become.
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IMPROMPTU
Grades
3-4, 5-6: Contestant draws three topics, selects one and prepares a speech
within three minutes, then presents without notes and without props (such as anything
held in hand or touched). The contest gives participants experience in thinking,
organizing, formulating clear thoughts, and delivering those thoughts to an audience
effectively. The total maximum time limit for each student is seven (7) minutes.
Event Description
Impromptu is a public speaking event where students have seven total minutes to select a topic,
brainstorm their ideas, outline the speech, and finally, deliver the speech. The speech is given
without notes and uses an introduction, body, and conclusion. The speech can be light-hearted or
serious.
Considerations for Impromptu
Students who do Impromptu take their prompt and organize a speech following a basic structure.
Students consider the use of humor, personal anecdote, historical perspectives, news stories, and
logic to help formulate their ideas when preparing the speech. The speech should be easy to follow
with a central thesis and supporting points.
Basic Understandings
Impromptu is a public speaking event that tests a student’s ability to analyze a prompt, process his
or her thoughts, organize the points of the speech, and deliver them in a clear, coherent manner.
Students’ logic is extremely important. They must be able to take an abstract idea and put together
a speech that has a thesis and supporting information.
Structural Components
In an Impromptu round the speaker draws three prompts from an envelope. After drawing the three
prompts, the student must select one and begin brainstorming their ideas for the speech. In total, a
student has seven minutes. This seven minutes may be divided up by the student however they
see fit. For instance, they could brainstorm and outline their ideas for 3 minutes and then deliver a
speech for 4, or brainstorm and outline for 1 minute and speak for 6 minutes. There is no minimum
amount of time required for brainstorming and no minimum amount of time for speaking. Therefore,
the student should work to develop the best possible structure and reasoning in as short amount of
time as possible. Sometimes kids think that it’s more impressive to speak for longer, but if the
ideas aren’t clear or well developed, it can detract from the overall performance.
Organizing
An Impromptu speech follows a basic structure where a student presents an introduction, body,
and conclusion.
The introduction is an opportunity for the speaker to grab the audience’s attention. This can be
done in a number of ways, including a startling fact, relevant humor, current event, or a narrative. .
After getting the attention of the audience, the speaker should establish a clear thesis that relates
to the Impromptu prompt. Finally, the introduction should provide a preview of the points that the
speaker is going to cover.
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The body of the speech includes two to three points that are related to the thesis. The points
should be logically developed with supporting details. The supporting details do not need to be
backed up with quotes or evidence, like other events, because students do not have access to
research. Therefore, a student’s logical reasoning with analytics is sufficient in most cases. The
student should identify a claim and provide a justification for why that’s true before telling us why it
matters (an argument!).
For example, let’s say that your prompt was the Chicago Cubs. You don’t have to be a baseball
fan to know that the Cubs have long struggled to play great baseball and are often the topic of
jokes. You might create a thesis related to how important it is to persevere in the face of adversity.
You might use arguments and examples from history where perseverance mattered more than
winning. Tie that back to the Cubs fans sticking with their team through tough times. You might
argue in another point about how important it is to maintain a sense of humor in the face of
adversity. Certainly Cubs fans have to maintain a sense of humor about their ball club.
The conclusion of the speech provides a wrap up of what the speaker discussed. The conclusion
should tie into the attention grabbing device, re-establish the thesis, and remind the audience of
the main points that were addressed.
Practicing
Delivering a speech on the spot, or with limited time to prepare your ideas, can be intimidating.
Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind that our brains are a muscle. The more time you practice
memorizing, or simply memorize things, the better you become. Memorizing is a process, and
getting comfortable with such a short amount of time to memorize your outline will get easier with
time.
There are a number of activities you can do to practice. First, naturally, is to do practice Impromptu
rounds. Have a coach or teammate give you sample prompts and time your prep and speech as if
you were in a real round. Make notes of what went well and what could have been improved upon.
Practice a wide range of prompts so that you can be prepared for anything you might come across
in a tournament. If there is an area that you are really comfortable with speaking on, practice that
first and then get into the areas you are less confident.
Next, you can do improvisation games. Talk to interpretation students or coaches, or a drama
teacher, to get ideas. One popular exercise is to have someone give you a random character,
prop, and situation. For example, a doctor with a can of soup gets a parking ticket. The goal is to
tie all of the elements together to create a story in a short period of time. You can also add a
partner to make it more fun. The more you can prepare for spontaneous exchanges where you are
thinking on your feet, the better.
Finally, think about common threads you can use on multiple topics. Is there a personal story that
you can share and tie into multiple prompts or topic areas? Is there a statistic that can have
various meanings? Is there a historical example that has different implications? Is there a book you
love with an array of themes? It may be possible to think of a wide range of potential examples that
you could easily adapt to various topics.
It is important, especially after you have done Impromptu for a while, not to “can” your speeches,
even if by accident. Canning is the process by which students walk into a round with a speech fully
prepared and just try to tie that complete speech to the topic. Canning speeches is a practice
which goes against the purpose of the event, which is to have students think on their feet and
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respond specifically to ideas that can be derived from the prompt. There is a difference between
preparation and canning. Students who practice Impromptu speaking understand their arguments
and examples well enough to choose them wisely, based upon the specific prompt, and talk about
that prompt throughout the speech.
Performance Tips
It may sound cliché, but confidence is key! If you’ve put the legwork in, you should feel confident in
the product you’ve created.
Pay attention to other performers. Smile, be a warm, inviting audience member. There is nothing
worse than getting up to perform and having an audience that either stone faces you or won’t look
you in the eye. A majority of the round is not your speech; therefore, take the opportunity to listen,
learn, and support your competitors.
Congratulate your competitors on a good performance after the round ends, and make friends
during downtime. Be gracious, and keep criticisms of other performers to yourself, even if someone
else tries to start a negative conversation.
Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you.
~James 4:8~
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IMPROMPTU PRACTICE TOPICS
Grades 3-4 & 5-6
My three favorite animals.
What you'd find under my bed.
Why your mom/dad is special.
The best surprise ever.
I lost it!
If cats/dogs ruled the world.
My favorite day of the year.
If I could design a school.
Handling anger in a positive way.
How to impress your parents.
A job I'd love to have.
If I could have dinner with anyone.
My favorite book.
Your favorite saint.
What I've learned from cartoons.
Three things I'd change if I ruled the world.
The worst chores at home.
If I were in charge of school lunches.
My gift from God.
What is your favorite animal?
Why you need a baby brother.
How to save money.
Three things that scare me.
How to walk a dog.
The importance of prayer.
Things I'll never eat.
Today’s miracles.
Things to remember when you're camping.
What you would find in my closet.
The best letter of the alphabet.
A day that stands out.
How we can be like Jesus.
If I had a million dollars to give away.
A trip to remember.
If I could only eat three foods forever.
Why books are important.
Three surprising facts about me.
How to plan a party.
A day in my life.
If I could travel through time.
An important lesson I've learned.
Why we pray the rosary.
The smartest cartoon character.
Why sports are important.
Why I deserve an allowance.
The best theme park rides.
Whom do you admire most?
How to achieve your dreams.
How to annoy an older sister.
Loving our neighbors.
How to spend a rainy day.
How to be a good steward.
Great things about my town.
The best parts of a parade.
Interesting things you see in the sky.
An experience with a bully.
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KNOWING MY FAITH
Students will complete a multiple choice test on Catholic prayers, Church
teachings, Catholic beliefs, and The Bible. Students will have thirty (30)
minute to complete fifty (50) questions. Scantron sheets will be used to
mark answers. A study topic guide will be provided prior to the contest.
In order to prepare students for the “Knowing My Faith” test, you'll want to compile notes that touch
on each of the listed people. Start with your Religion textbook. The topics that students will be
tested on come directly from the Archdiocese Religion Curriculum Guide so none of the listed
topics should be foreign material to the designated age groups.
The purpose of the contest is not simply to memorize information and recall it, though there will be
a substantial number of questions that ask for detail recollection. It is more important to
understand the significance of the person or topic to our faith. Use the textbook, internet, and other
resources to develop notes. Get a good understanding of the primary principles of each topic and
then work on more specific points from there.
KNOWING MY FAITH – 7TH & 8TH GRADE
Define, list, and/or explain the following:
The Bible
Apostle’s Creed
Original sin
The Beatitudes
Paschal Mystery
The Annunciation
Pentecost
The Creation in Genesis
Tithing
The Seven Sacraments
Forgiveness in Reconciliation
Role of Consecrated life
Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
Number of books in Old and New Testament
The Ten Commandments
Human dignity
Role of the Pope
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Holy Trinity
Infancy Narratives in New Testament
Church as “bride of Christ”
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
God’s presence in the Eucharist
Uniqueness of the Priesthood
Role of Laity
The Mysteries of the Rosary
Sample Question:
“For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” What is Luke referring to in this
scripture?
A.
Reconciliation
B.
Tithing
C.
Charity work
D.
Becoming a priest
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KNOWING MY FAITH – 9TH & 10TH GRADE
Define, list, and/or explain the following:
The Bible
Apostle’s Creed
Genesis and Exodus
Original sin
The Beatitudes
Theology of Stewardship
Forgiveness in Reconciliation
Role of Consecrated life
Sacred life-conception to death
Scriptural vision of life (justice, peace, equality
and stewardship)
Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
Atheism, Monotheism, Polytheism, and
Agnosticism
Number of books in Old and New Testament
Gospel Parables
The Ten Commandments
Human dignity
Paschal Mystery
Seven Sacraments
Uniqueness of the Priesthood
Role of Laity
Catholic Moral Values
Cardinal Virtues
Liturgical Seasons of the Year
The Mysteries of the Rosary
Sample Question:
"Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, in everlasting
fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat; I was
thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you covered me
not; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me" What gospel is this penalty found in:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Matthew
Luke
John
Mark
KNOWING MY FAITH – 11TH & 12TH GRADE
Define, list, and explain the following:
The Bible
Gospel Parables, Genesis and Exodus
Human dignity
Paschal Mystery
Role of Consecrated life
Cardinal Virtues
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Atheism, Monotheism, Polytheism, and
Agnosticism
Marriage as covenant and commitment
Divine Revelation
Titles of Jesus
Original Sin
Liturgy of the Hours
Mortal Sin, Venial Sin, Sins of Omission, and
Sins of Commission
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Apostle’s Creed and Nicene Creed
The Ten Commandments
The Beatitudes
Seven Sacraments
Catholic Moral Values
Corporal Works of Mercy
The Mysteries of the Rosary
Liturgical Seasons of the Year
Communion of the Saints
God’s covenant with humanity
Dogma, Doctrine, Creed, Tradition,
Magisterium, and Infallibility
Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity
Stations of the Cross
2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
Sample Question:
“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and
now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” What is
this scripture referring to in Genesis 3:22?
A.
Free will
B.
Man’s devotion to wife
C.
Victory over evil
D.
Original sin
ORIGINAL ORATORY
Grades 7-8, 9-10, 11-12: Students will be able to select one of five topics,
recognize the critical issues of the topic and defend any point of view. The
speech must be recited from memory. The maximum time limit for each
speech is ten (10) minutes. Topics will be Catholic-based.
Event Description
Students deliver a self-written, ten-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their
ability to quote words directly, Original Oratory competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic,
and emotional appeals. Speech may be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is
delivered from memory.
Basic Understandings
Original Oratory is a speech written by the student with the intent to inform or persuade the
audience on a topic of significance. Oratory gives students the unique opportunity to showcase
their voice and passion for their topic.
An Oratory is a well-researched and organized presentation with evidence, logic, emotional
appeals, and sometimes humor to convey a message. Oratory speakers must be articulate,
engaging, and smooth with their delivery at both a vocal and physical level. Students will want to
watch examples or videos of Oratory to determine what types of style, delivery, and content might
work best for them.
The Oratory speaker must also consider the audience as a vital component of the speech. What
does the student want the audience to think, feel, believe, or be motivated to accomplish? Some
students want the judges and fellow students to change attitudes. Others may simply want the
audience to think about ideas though a different lens by challenging norms. As style and content go
hand-in-hand, it’s vital that students think carefully about their message, style, and composition of
the audience as they construct the speech.
Research
Oratory research is as diverse as the topics students select. Oratory research might include
newspaper and magazine articles, academic journals, non-fiction books, interviews, and credible
digital content. Depending upon the topic, it might be possible that a student’s own meaningful
experiences may be in the speech.
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The key to researching a powerful Oratory is to start with the message the student wants to deliver.
Students will look to more personal and emotional styles to motivate the audience in a values
based Oratory.
Source materials need to be incorporated throughout the speech with oral citation. The citation
style varies with the type of source. For example, students should provide author and title of books,
although some students will also provide the source credibility of the author. The name of the
source and date may be sufficient for newspaper articles. It is important to recognize that whether
the material is quoted directly from the source or paraphrased, sources must be cited. When
drafting the Oratory, indicate direct quotations from sources using both quotation marks and some
other marking such as highlighting or underlining. Remember: only 150 directly quoted words
may be used. Choose your quoted text wisely. Once all the research is gathered, the sources
should all be compiled into a works cited page.
Structural Components
After research has been conducted, the student can develop the composition of the speech. Let’s
go back to the idea of a message as the guide to the speech. Based upon the research and the
student’s own thoughts on the topic, the student needs to craft a thesis statement. The student
should outline two to four major arguments to support the thesis.
Arguments are made up of three important components. First, a student must clearly establish a
claim. This is a declarative statement that establishes the point the student sets out to justify in the
speech. Next, the student must clearly establish why the argument is valid.
This is known as the warrant for an argument. This means that Oratory speakers go beyond just
asserting their claims to explaining why their claims should be accepted by the audience. Finally,
the student must provide an impact for the argument. Why does the argument matter? Who is
affected by this argument?
Now let’s pull all of this together. Oratory speeches consist of an introduction, body (with 2-4
major points), and a conclusion. Students can group their research to support each element of
the speech. For example, if the student finds a great personal narrative from a source which might
grab the audience’s attention, it can be marked for the intro. The process continues until each
portion of the speech has evidence that backs up the claim, warrant, and impacts for each
argument.
Organizing
Students should start with the body of the speech which features the major arguments and ideas.
Students should take their main points with supporting research and decide an order. Major points
might inform the audience of an issue, challenge assumptions the audience may have, compel the
audience to make a personal change, or encourage the audience to visualize what the world might
be like. Some questions to consider: What argument or idea makes the most logical sense to start
with? What does the audience need to know or understand before they can accept later
arguments? Which point most persuasively calls the audience to action? Many students want to
start by writing the introduction first, but the student can’t introduce a speech without understanding
what is in that speech and how the arguments will be organized.
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
After the body of the speech has been established, the student can outline an introduction and
conclusion. The introduction should engage the audience, establish the significance of the topic,
transition to a thesis statement, and preview the major points that will be covered in the speech.
After the body of the speech there is a conclusion which involves a restatement of the thesis, a
review of the major points, and final thoughts that engage the audience and call them to action.
With a complete outline now developed, the student can write the speech section by section. It is
important for the coach to review each part of the speech for consistency of style and approach.
Although the speech needs to be conversational, some students will feature more formal language
choices, or incorporate some type of humor throughout the speech, or take a more personal or
narrative approach. There is no “right” or “wrong” voice but it needs to match the student’s
thoughts, ideas, and engagement with the audience.
Practicing
Students don’t have to wait until the speech is completely written to practice it. Students should
take sections of the speech, such as the introduction and conclusion, or one of the major points in
the speech, and talk it out. An effective writing technique is for students to verbalize their thoughts,
record them, and then review those recordings to see how their language sounds to the human
ear. This will help the student identify what style might be most appropriate for delivery of the
message. Although not all students are comfortable being recorded, their ideas, expressions, and
turns of phrase can be captured while experimenting with the content.
Once the speech is written, many students struggle with memorization. This doesn’t have to be the
case! One effective practice technique is breaking the speech up by section or paragraph, such as
their introduction, and practicing that section until it is solidly memorized. Once that section is
memorized, they can move on to the next section and so on. Students can print out the speech in
large type, tape it down a hallway, and read their speech aloud, complete with gestures, to
reinforce memorization.
Team and family members are also extremely valuable when it comes to practicing the speech
after it is memorized. Since the audience is such a vital component of Oratory, it is important to
perform in front of real and varied groups. Students may seek out community groups, such as a
local Rotary club, or community centers, such as a senior living facility, and perform their
speeches. Students should perform as often as possible in front of an audience to help them get
more comfortable before their tournament. This also provides an excellent opportunity to see how
the speech sounds to an audience and test any humor that they might want to use.
Performance Tips
Students need to recognize that they spend only a small percentage of their time speaking and
most of the tournament listening to others. Oratory students need to make sure that they are
excellent audience members. That means students are engaged in the round, thinking about the
arguments and analysis of others’ speeches, and being responsive to the speakers. Students need
to keep all of their comments about performances to themselves until after the tournament is
complete as it is disrespectful to make comments with other students present, in particular critical
comments about specific student performances.
After a period of time, students may become a bit bored with their speeches after delivering them
over and over again. That is okay! Once the speech is written the student needs to recognize that it
is not carved in stone. Making changes to the manuscript is a natural part of the process of
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
speechwriting. After a tournament the students should take the comments on ballots and reflect
upon how those comments can improve the speech content and style. Additionally, students need
to be reminded that every performance is important, that there is always someone in the room who
has never heard that speech before, and that they need to keep up their energy every round of
every tournament. Perhaps the writing can be refreshed a bit or perhaps a section of the speech
needs a bit more polish, but that should not deter your performance for that particular audience.
Every speech should be given with the same dedication and enthusiasm as the first.
2015-16 ORIGINAL ORATORY TOPICS
The sacrament of marriage
Religious freedom in the United States
The dignity of the human person
The first commandment and the modern day idol
Mary’s role in the life of the human person
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
~Psalms 51:10~
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
SPELLING
1st & 2nd Grade
The students will be given a multiple choice test. The proctor will say the word and
the student selects the correct spelling. Test will contain fifty (50) words. Students will
see four (4) spellings of the same word. Students must fill in the circle next to the
word that is spelled correctly. Test proctor will say the word, use the word in a sentence and say
the word once more. Words will not be repeated nor with the test proctor be able to go back to a
previous word.
Example: Test proctor will say “Look at the words in row X. Find the correct spelling for the word
communion…I went to communion at Mass on Sunday…communion.”
Student sees:
comunion
cummonion
comonion
communion
3rd & 4th Grade
The students will be given a multiple choice test. The student selects the correct
spelling of a word from a list. Test will contain fifty (50) words with a thirty (30) minute
time limit. Students will see four (4) words. Fill in the circle next to the word that is NOT
spelled correctly. Test proctor CAN NOT say the word or provide any assistance. If all
the words seem to be spelled correctly, fill in the circle for NO MISTAKE. Students must fill in the
circle to only ONE word in each row. TRACKING MARKERS will be provided.
Student sees:
coat
create
crayan
cross
No Mistake
GRADING THE SPELLING TEST
Students will receive one (1) point for each correct answer. Challenge / tie-breaker words will be
marked with an asterisk (*) and students will receive one and a half (1.5) points for each one
answered correctly. Challenge words will make up 20% of the test. These are words not included
in the study list. In the event that multiple students receive equal scores, they will each receive
the same ranking/award and will replace subsequent award placement. Scantrons may be used
to record answers for this test.
Example for tie for 2nd place and 5th place: Awards will be read as 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 5th.
3rd and 6th place will not be awarded. Only six (6) students will receive top recognition regardless
of the actual ranking.
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
PREPARATION TIPS FOR STUDENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Write the words multiple times.
Find synonyms for each of your spelling words.
Draw an illustration for each word.
Sort your spelling words into categories based on the similarities you can find
between them.
Break your spelling word up into syllables.
Act out your spelling words. See if your classmates can guess the words.
Shout your words as you jump rope.
Bounce a ball and spell your words to the rhythm.
Write each spelling word using a different color.
Use a stick to scratch your spelling words in the dirt.
Use a whiteboard or chalkboard to write your words.
Read your spelling words out loud in as many different silly voices as you can think of.
Write your spelling words on flash cards. Then choose one without looking and hold it on
your forehead with the word showing. Ask a friend to give you clues to help you guess the
word.
Write and perform a short skit or reader’s theater that uses a portion of your spelling words.
Put your favorite song on and turn up the volume. Sing your spelling words along with the
music.
Go on a word hunt in your spelling words. Can you find any smaller words within your
words?
Count the letters in each spelling word. Write your words in order from least to most letters.
Take a practice test. Ask an adult to read the words to you so you can write them without
looking at the list.
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
1st & 2nd Grade Spelling Words
Grades will be tested and ranked separately.
airplane
along
annoy
answer
area
attention
author
badge
baseball
beautiful
began
belong
between
bigger
border
brother
burned
burst
buying
cannot
chance
change
children
choice
choose
chuckle
clarify
classify
classroom
climate
close
cloud
collect
community
confession
connect
country
cowboy
crawl
cried
cross
crown
culture
curled
current
cycle
dance
dawn
destroy
difference
different
digit
direction
disappear
earth
element
else
enough
example
expand
explorer
families
family
father
federal
feeling
focus
folklore
follow
fountain
fuel
giggle
ginger
graph
grassland
ground
group
growl
handle
harmful
high
history
honorably
hope
idea
identity
important
inches
iron
joyfully
knee
knife
knock
knot
known
lady
lasso
laughed
laundry
least
leaving
logical
lonely
lovely
lunar
main
married
matter
middle
mirror
modify
motion
mountains
music
mystery
national
national
natural
near
nicely
notebook
once
own
pardon
party
passed
pencil
personally
playful
please
police
poor
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position
predict
pretty
prior
question
raise
reflect
religion
rewind
river
round
royal
scream
season
second
settled
shall
shouted
showed
shower
sign
signal
sister
society
solve
something
source
space
speech
stage
starts
state
steal
steel
stream
street
strong
survive
symbol
taught
tenderly
thankful
theme
those
thought
together
trade
tribal
tube
uncle
understood
until
upon
value
vision
voice
wetland
whether
whose
wife
wild
without
women
worried
wrap
wrinkle
wrist
young
2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
3rd & 4th Grade Spelling Words
Grades will be tested and ranked separately.
admitted
aeronautics
alb
allowable
altar
altitude
ambient
ambiguity
ambivalent
ancestor
anniversary
Antarctica
antibiotic
antithesis
apostrophe
apprentice
archaeology
articulate
artisan
assimilate
astronomical
atmosphere
audible
audience
audio
audition
auditorium
auditorium
autobiography
avenue
awkward
Bethlehem
biographer
biography
Brazil
breakable
breathe
brilliant
burglar
business
category
centennial
certificate
chasuble
chlorophyll
circumstantial
collegiate
colloquial
commission
communion
complaining
concession
condensation
conflict
connection
conscience
constitution
continent
controlled
convection
decadent
defendant
deposition
diagram
diffusion
digestive
dissatisfied
dividend
divisible
effect
emperor
encounter
encyclical
entrance
entrepreneur
erosion
esophagus
essential
ethnicity
evaporate
exciting
exhausting
expelling
experience
external
façade
finance
folklore
forbidding
fungus
giggling
glucose
graphic
gravitational
greatest
groundwater
gullible
helium
hesitate
hundredth
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hurricane
hydrogen
illustrated
immigrant
indentured
infant
influential
information
intolerant
invisible
irrigation
Jerusalem
jewelry
knitting
laughter
launch
loveliest
magnificent
melody
merciless
Mercury
millionth
mischief
misconception
mission
Mississippi
mitochondria
molecules
mosaic
museum
necessary
oblique
obnoxious
ordination
oxygen
partial
particular
passive
pentameter
perennial
performance
persecution
photosynthesis
pilgrim
politician
possibility
precipitation
prejudice
preposition
prescription
production
publicity
purgatory
quadruple
quarrel
reasonableness
received
recession
reclamation
refraction
rehearse
religion
reservoir
respiration
restaurant
ridiculous
sacrificial
salvation
sanctification
sanctuary
sausage
seminary
sense
separate
servant
settlement
sheepish
simplify
sleeve
soprano
spatial
specialize
standard
subcommittee
substantial
substitute
symbols
technique
technology
thousandth
throughout
tolerating
tornado
tragedy
trombone
unpredictable
vascular
ventricle
wheelbarrow
worthwhile
2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
WITNESS TO THE WORD
5th&6th, 7th&8th, 9th&10th, 11th&12th Grade
In this category, individual students will memorize a monologue / literary selection
based on a person from the Bible and perform with expression. The performance may
be dramatic or humorous. Eight (8) minutes maximum time.
In this category, students will memorize a monologue / literary selection based on a person from
the Bible and perform with expression. The performance may be dramatic or humorous.
Material chosen for use in this category shall meet the following restrictions: (A) Selections may
be published, printed material, online material or transcribed material from movies or
documentaries; (B) Selections from plays, screenplays, movies and documentaries may be used
in this category; (C) Speeches may be used in this category; and (D) Selections shall be read in
the English translation; however, incidental use of foreign language words and phrases in any
selection may be used as in the original.
The art of interpretation is to be regarded as recreating the characters in the story presented and
making them seem living and real to the audience. Presentation shall be from memory and without
the use of physical objects or costume. A selection for interpretation must be a cutting from a
single literary work: one novel, or one short story, or one play, or poem. Monologues are
acceptable. During the presentation, contestants must name the author and the book or magazine
from which the cutting was made. Adaptation may be done for the purpose of transition.
The selection should be judged for its appropriateness as contest material and its suitability to the
particular contestant using it.
This is a contest in interpretation. The contestants should be evaluated on poise, quality and use
of voice, inflections, emphasis, pronunciation, enunciation, physical expression, and especially the
ability to interpret characters consistently. Narrative, if included, should be vivid and animated so
as to be an interesting and integral part of the story rather than just "filler" between portions of
dialogue. The final test of good interpretation is the ability to use all these factors so successfully
and unobtrusively that the hearer forgets that this is a contest and in a created atmosphere is
carried away to the time and place of the story being unfolded.
Students must say an introduction that includes title of story and author. No costumes, props or
chairs are allowed.
Introduction Example: The transfiguration was confirmation for Peter, James, and John
that Jesus was Son of God. However, Simon Peter’s wife grapples with how knowledge of
Jesus’ true identity should and actually would, affect her faith and life. - ‘Perched on the
Edge of Heaven: Simon Peter’s Wife Struggles with the Implications of the Transfiguration’
by Jacqueline Sharer Robertson
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2015-2016 ACADEMIA & SPEECH CONTEST MANUAL
Lord Jesus,
You understand the difficulties humans face,
and the pressures that we might be under.
We humbly ask that you guide us as we take this test,
and speak through us in our oratory and interpretation,
so that we may do our best.
Open our minds,
Clear our thoughts,
Relax our minds and bodies,
And grant us perfect concentration,
So we may use the knowledge we have gained,
To build up your kingdom,
For the good of all.
Amen
For questions, contact:
Veronica Montalvo, Director of Enrichment Programs
Veronica.Montalvo@archsa.org
(210) 734-1958
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