On February 25, 2024, the 86th National Oratorical Contest was held on the Department level at Ronald Reagan Palisades Post 283, Pacific Palisades, CA. Post 283 was a tremendous help in ensuring the success of the contest by opening the doors to their facility, providing volunteers, and supplying food and a cake to those who attended.
Thanks also goes to the Commissioners who worked so diligently with students who participated: Arlene Salvador, Area 1; Larry Maggio, Area 2; Josephine Thomas, Area 5; Danielle Baker, Area 6; Mildred S. Wright-Pearson, Area 3. Commissioner Area 4, Gil Soto, did not have a student in the contest this year.
I would like to give further thanks to Fred Shacklett, District 19 Historian, who took pictures that can be found at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1txLLDqdAdS55nE4hjXCyZMoR98l9sT2s?usp=sharing
The results of the contest are as follows:
Area 1, Contestant #2; First Place, Mahee Haswani, Oak Ridge High School, “A Piece of Paper”, 12th Grade, Post 362
Area 2, Contestant #3; Fifth Place, Maya Panchal, Los Altos High School, “Responsibilities, Rights, and Civic Duties of a US Citizen”, 9th Grade, Post 558
Area 3, Contestant #5; Second Place, Ahsan Suhail, Clovis North High School, “Look on the Works”, 11th Grade. Post 147
Area 5, Contestant #4; Third Place, Samson Rakhshani, Edison High School, “Truth Found in Our Constitution”, 12th Grade, Post 133
Area 6, Contestant #1; Fourth Place, Ricardo Torres, Loyola High School, “Don’t Become Silent About Things That Matter”, 10th Grade, Post 283
I want to thank and recognize the six judges who took time to help in this process:
David Card – Navy Veteran, Practiced Law Banking, a successful Landscape Architect
Sue Pascoe – Editor of “Circling the News”, Degree in Sociology
Robert Spoeri – Judge for Department of Industrial Relations/Workers Compensation, daughter and son are Eagle scouts and participants in Boys & Girls State Program
Jonathan Varat – Professor in Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, and Separation of Powers; served as Dean of UCLA Law School
Marilyn Walsh – Retired English educator, a volunteer for Church and local American Legion Auxiliary
Maryam Zar – Commissioner on the Los Angeles Commission of the Status pf Women; the Chair of the Pacific Palisades Neighborhood Council and vice-chair of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils
The Oratorical Commission thanks all of you for your support.
Orate for Americanism
Mildred S. Wright-Pearson
Department Oratorical Commissioner/Chair
Third Area
Department of California
Author: caLegion Contributor
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