The 2024 High School Student Four-Way Test Speech Competition/Contest

 

Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 9am.
Location: Harlingen Convention Center, 701 Harlingen Heights Drive, Harlingen, TX 78552  
Who: Winners from the 13 Areas will compete for the 2024 District 5930 Championship.
 
  1. Local and Area competitions must be completed on time, in order to send information about the students to District 5930 for the 2024 District Championship. 
a. CLUBS should complete their contests by Saturday, March 30, 2024.
The CLUB coordinator needs to submit the following information for the first     AND second-place winners to the AREA Coordinator:
  1. full name
  2. e-mail address
  3. mobile phone
  4. club affiliation
The AREA Coordinator is typically your Area’s District Governor (if it is not, the District Four Way Test Contest Chair, Anna Putegnat Garcia will know who to direct you to)
 
  1. b. AREA contests should be completed by April 10, 2024. The AREA coordinator needs to submit the following information for the first AND second-place winners to the District Four Way Test Contest Chair, Anna Putegnat Garcia:
    1. full name
    2. e-mail address
    3. mobile phone
    4. club affiliation
This must be provided to Anna Putegnat Garcia by 5:00pm on Monday, April 15, 2024. Anna’s email address is annaputegnat@gmail.com, and her phone number is (484) 319-1455.
 
 
2. The DISTRICT contest will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Harlingen, TX at the Harlingen Convention Center. The competition will start at 9:00am. Students need to report to Anna at 8:15am at a room to be designated at the Harlingen Convention Center. Competition judges will meet with her in this same room at 8:45am. 


THE FOUR WAY TEST

The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions: Of the things we think, say or do
  1. Is it the TRUTH?
  2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
  3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
  4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
During the spring semester many Rotary Clubs hold a Four-Way Test Speech Competition. It is a competition offered to high school students where the student must prepare a five to seven minute speech to illustrate the Rotary Four-Way Test.
 
The student is judged on Content (50%), Organization (30%), and Delivery (20%). The student must follow the Four-Way Test Theme throughout, must relate the speech to his/her own activities, must present a human-interest appeal, and must choose language that is clear, vivid and persuasive. The student must demonstrate organization of thought including an introduction, clear and orderly points and a brief conclusion that drives home the point of application. And finally, the student must be effective in his or her speech delivery including volume, grammar, gestures and attitude toward the audience.
 
One of the links on this page is the “FAQ” document. You may find it helpful in recruiting students to participate.  It is designed to state in one place all the information a student needs to know, and Clubs are encouraged to use it.

One of the links on this page is the “FAQ” document created by Tim Dowling, the Four Way Test Coordinator. You may find it helpful in recruiting students to participate.  It is designed to state in one place all the information a student needs to know, and Clubs are encouraged to use it.

RULES

  1. Participants must be enrolled in an area High School. All grade levels can compete.
  2. The speech must be between 5 and 7 minutes in length. Even one second out of that range will disqualify the contestant.
  3. The speech must relate to Rotary's Four Way Test.
  4. Contestants will be allowed note cards. The speeches do not have to be memorized. But students who do not use note card typically score better than those who do. 
  5. Any contestant that does not place first at one Club can continue participating at subsequent club contests in the Area if the participating Club permits it.
  6. Past District First place winners are ineligible to compete at the District competition (they are eligible to compete a Club and Area competitions).
  7. Contestants are allowed to change speeches when competing at different Clubs.

SELECTING JUDGES

Club Level: Three or five Judges are suggested. Past Presidents and members with a background in Education, particularly English, Speech or Drama, are recommended.
Area Level: Three or five Judges are suggested. Try to get Past Presidents or experienced judges from the general membership whenever possible.
It is strongly suggested that the Area have a meeting with all of the Clubs’ judges to make sure that scoring will be as uniform as possible throughout the different Club contests.
It is suggested that judges not sit together and not be introduced until the competition is over, or identified if the Club or Area competition is conducted virtually.
District Level: There will be five judges. Our intention is to have all judges who have had previous experience in the 4-Way Test Speech Competition.
It is suggested that judges not sit together and not be introduced until the competition is over.
 

Observers: Usually all persons present at any of the competitions are mentally selecting their favorites. One idea is to place the score sheets at all or most seats so everyone is aware of the actual grading criteria. Most folks are not aware that the Four Way Test portion is half of the score. Also this way the speaker is not sure who is judging and will be more likely to speak to the whole crowd.

TIME KEEPER

It is very important to have a time keeper at all levels of competition communicate with the contestants on a consistent basis. It is very important to adhere to the time requirements. A second too short or a second too long will disqualify the contestant. The speeches must be between five and seven minutes. After all have spoken, the time keeper will give the judges all contestants' times.

AWARDS

Awards at the Club and Area levels should be determined by each Club and Area. Some typical award amounts are:
1st Place       $200 - $300
2nd Place      $100 - $200
3rd Place        $75 - $100
4th Place          $25 - $50
Consideration should be given to awarding to every contestant who shows up to the Area Contest some monetary award. The District will be providing plaques for the students that place 1st at Area. The expenses at the Area level should be divided among the Area’s clubs as much as possible.
 
Assistant Governors:  Please get the Club presidents/boards to agree together on what they want to award to their Club winners.
District level awards:
1st Place
$1,500
2nd Place
$1,000
3rd Place
$750
All other participants at the District level will receive $100 for attending and competing.

HANDLING OF AWARDS

It is suggested that each Club/Area use whatever method it prefers. If you are holding awards until graduation, consider giving your winners a certificate and letter they can use to claim the award at graduation. It is OK to give the monetary award directly to the students - it does NOT violate their UIL status. Use your own judgment or Club policy on this.
Awards at Area may be given to each club that sponsored the winner or to the winner directly. Suggestion – the treasurer of one of the clubs can bill the other clubs for their agreed portion, and that designated treasurer can distribute all the awards to the students as agreed by all.
The District awards will be sent to the students directly.

Recommended guidelines for contests:

  1. Assistant District Governor can assign an Area Coordinator or he/she can assign himself/herself to be the Area Coordinator. Each Area Coordinator needs to make sure if possible that every Club in the area has a Club contest coordinator.
  2. Area Coordinator along with the Assistant District Governor should make contact with Club presidents and Club contest coordinators plus the school contest sponsor.
    1. Review time keeping procedures
    2. Review contest dates (local/area/district) (try to avoid conflicts with UIL (or similar private school) competitions
    3. Review contest rules and procedures
 3. Local and Area competitions must be completed on time, in order to send information about the students to District 5930 for the 2024 District Championship. 
a. CLUBS should complete their contests by Saturday, March 30, 2024. The CLUB coordinator needs to submit the following information for the first  AND second-place winners to the AREA Coordinator:
  1. full name
  2. e-mail address
  3. mobile phone
  4. club affiliation
The AREA Coordinator is typically your Area’s District Governor (if it is not, the District Four Way Test Contest Chair, Anna Putegnat Garcia will know who to direct you to)
  1. b. AREA contests should be completed by April 10, 2024. The AREA coordinator needs to submit the following information for the first AND second-place winners to the District Four Way Test Contest Chair, Anna Putegnat Garcia:
    1. full name
    2. e-mail address
    3. mobile phone
    4. club affiliation 
This must be provided to Anna Putegnat Garcia by 5:00pm on Monday, April 15, 2024. Anna’s email address is annaputegnat@gmail.com, and her phone number is (484) 319-1455.
 
4. The District competition will be held in Harlingen, TX at the Harlingen Convention Center at 9:00am on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Students report to Anna at 8:15am and judges at 8:45am.  Area Coordinators are responsible for making arrangements for transportation and lodging (if necessary) of the Area winners to the District competition (and the Sponsoring Club is responsible for these costs; the Club might also consider covering mileage, lodging, and meals for parents and a school sponsor; the District will pay for lunch for all contestants, and one guest of the student). 
 

Other recommendations:

  1. Scholarship recommendations:
    1. Winners should receive a letter (from contest coordinator) stating their award level for future reference in collecting the award, especially if the winner is a freshman, sophomore or junior.  The letter should contain competition date, Rotary club name, and award level.
  2. All contestants should receive a certificate of competition for their participation in the contest at the Club and Area levels.
  3. Contestants or coordinators should never disclose the Club names or the schools that a contestant represents until the end of the competition, at which time each contestant can introduce himself/herself, tell the Club his or her future plans for college, and introduce anyone accompanying him or her to the competition.
  4. Time Keeping 
    1. Any speech less than 5 minutes or longer than 7 minutes is disqualified.
    2. Time keeper should hold up a sign with a number “2” at the five-minute mark and a number “1” at the 6-minute mark and a “1/2” at the 6.5-minute mark. This means that the student has 2 minutes, and then 1 minute, and then 30 seconds left in the speech.
    3. The numbers “2” and “1” and “1/2” should be letter size (11” x 8.5”) big.
    4. Time keeper should let everyone know the times of the contestants only after they have all finished.
 
It is very important that the Judges be Rotarians who are familiar with the contest and the Four Way Test.  A brief (10 to 15 minute) meeting should be held by the contest coordinator with the judges at the Club, and Area and District contests to review the rules and procedures and to answer any questions they may have.  There should be between three or five judges at each of the competitions.