Scroll down for descriptions of public speaking and performance of literature categories, as well as details of differences between categories and rules among various Speech associations.
2025-26 Topics #
Moments in History #
Choose one or both time periods:
- 1700-1799 and/or
- 1930-1939
Examples of areas students might consider: politics, military action, historic sites, monuments, natural disasters, ethnology, legends, folklore, science, inventions, medicine, arts, entertainment, geography, transportation, sports, religion, heroes, villains, personalities, significant speeches, fashion, and fads.
Public Address #
Choose one topic question:
- To what degree, if any, is the perceived disparity between men’s and women’s sports a concern?
- What role, if any, should the United States play in international conflicts and/or development?
- To what extent does generative artificial intelligence influence human thinking and creativity?
- What role, if any, should civility play in public discourse?
- What should be done, if anything, to protect and promote natural biodiversity in Wisconsin (consider discussing invasive species and the reintroduction of native species)?
Special Occasion #
Choose one occasion:
- Reality show audition
- Pitch to support a new podcast series
- Speech to raise funds for a cause/charity
- Criminal allocution statement
Storytelling #
Prepare a story for each topic area. Each topic area number corresponds to the round to which that topic will be assigned at festivals (e.g., Round 2 = story of advocacy/allyship). Students get to choose which topic to perform at State.
- First-time experience
- A story about siblings
- Scary/horror story
Category Descriptions #
Public Speaking #
Students write original speeches, and may use one 4″ x 6″ note card, where students are encouraged to outline or include speaking points, rather than word-for-word manuscripts (so they can engage better with audiences).
| Max. Time | Max. Time | Visuals | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expository Speech | 5 min. | Present a speech with a narrow enough topic to be developed adequately in the time provided to share knowledge, educate and/or raise awareness. | |
| Extemporaneous Speech | 7 min. | 30 minutes prior to speaking, the contestant will select a question from which to phrase a direct and clear answer and support it with evidence and reasoning. | |
| Impromptu Speech | 5 min. | Spontaneously provide a direct response to the prompt drawn with an original, well-organized and imaginative interpretation, supported by personal examples. | |
| Informative/Demonstration Speech | 10 min. | 1-2 speakers offer new information, fresh perspective, and/or instruction to allow an audience to gain knowledge and understanding of a topic and/or process. | |
| Moments in History | 6 min. | Explore an historical topic within prescribed topics, using such sources as archival records, diaries, personal interviews, letters, newspapers, etc. | |
| Oratory Speech | 10 min. | Persuade with compelling language by offering a solution to a problem; to take action in response to a situation; or potentially reinforce and strengthen attitudes. | |
| Public Address | 8 min. | Selecting from prescribed topics, contribute to public dialog on a contemporary issue by presenting a well-informed speech (or two brief pro-con speeches within the 8-min. time limit) directly responding to a question about that issue. | |
| Special Occasion | 6 min. | Responding to a prescribed topic area, deliver a speech appropriate to a specific occasion and its probable audience by entertaining, persuading, or informing. |
Performance of Literature #
Contestants interpret literature to convey the human existence, exploring psychology of characters, to mine the artistry of language, and/or cultivate arguments surrounding themes/issues. Key: Book = performed from manuscript; Brain = memorized.
| Category | Max. Time | Mode | Original | Quality | Genres | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farrago | 10 min. | Variety (poetry, short stories, speeches, essays, drama, songs, novels) | Material from a variety of literary genres address a central theme. | |||
| Group Interpretive Reading | 12 min. | Any except drama | 2-5 readers compile and present a script with symbolic interpretation such that the audience imagines action being described rather than witnessing it being performed. | |||
| Play Acting | 12 min. | Single play (dramatic literature) | 2-5 performers act a scene or cutting from a single play with emphasis on character development, ensemble, and appropriate physical movement. | |||
| Poetry Reading | 8 min. | Poetry, verse, song lyrics | One or more poems center on a theme or emotion; delivery mines the artistry of language. | |||
| Prose Reading | 8 min. | Short stories, cuttings from novels, drama, essays, nonfiction | One or more works of prose — including short stories, cutting from novels, drama, essays, or other non-fiction work — center on a specific theme or emotion. | |||
| Radio News Reporting | 5 min. | Provided script of news, sports, weather, and a commercial. | 30 minutes prior to reading, the contestant organizes from a variety of types of news as well as a commercial, a precise newscast cut and edited to 5 minutes. | |||
| Solo Acting Humorous/Serious | 10 min. | Any genre | The contestant convincingly acts characterization(s) to transport the audience to the world of the material peformed. | |||
| Storytelling | 8 min. | Any genre; most often, narrative prose | Chronicle and perform events in a coherent, unified, clear, and interesting manner, while seated and conveying a sense of audience for one of the prescribed topic areas. |
See this table of category rule differences among various Speech organizations with a presence in Wisconsin.
