High School Student Speech Competition
Our Youth Speech Competition provides an opportunity for students in grades 10, 11, and 12 to speak publicly and freely on a designated topic of general interest.
The competition starts at the local club or school level and proceeds through several levels of competition ending several months later with a state wide competition. In between there are zone, region, and district levels of competitions where the winner of each level has the opportunity to proceed to the next level.
Eligibility
The competition is open to all students, including foreign exchange and home schooled students in grades 10, 11 and 12, provided they are sponsored by a Massachusetts Lions, Lioness, or Leo Club.
A student may participate in only one club level competition in a school year. Each Club in the District may sponsor one student beyond the club level competition.
Prizes and Awards
There are prizes and/or awards for each contestant at every level of competition. The prizes at the State Competition are $1,500 to the winner and $500 to each runner up. Prizes at other level of competition are at the discretion of the Clubs or District Governor.
Best in the State
The competition culminates with five statewide district winners vying for the title of BEST IN THE STATE at the annual Lions State Convention.
Statewide Participation
Massachusetts (known as Lions Multiple District 33) is divided into five separate Lions Districts.
- 33-Y - western Massachusetts
- 33-A - central Massachusetts
- 33-N - the northeast & North Shore of Massachusetts
- 33-K - the greater Boston area
- 33-S - the southeast, including Cape Cod and the islands
Each District has between 30 and 60 clubs, each of which is permitted to conduct a local Lions Youth Speech Competition. During the 2011-2012 Lions year approximately 500 students from across the state participated in our competition.
The levels of competition follow these guidelines:
| Competition | Participants | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Club competition | typically 4 to 6 participants | one qualifier per club |
| Zone competition | typically 4 to 6 clubs per zone | two qualifiers per zone |
| Region competition | typically 2 zones | one qualifier per region |
| District competition | typically 5 regions | one qualifier per district |
| State competition | 5 districts | one winner |