LANSDALE – The North Penn School District is hosting its annual Black History Oratorical Competition. Students from grades 3-12 selected to compete will present their speeches at North Penn High School on Thursday, February 24, 2022, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public. All are encouraged to attend this inspirational and entertaining evening.

The competition is designed to give North Penn students the opportunity to shine through public speaking while honoring Black history. Students submitted video recitations of published speeches or poems from an African-American or Black leader such as Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson, or others. A committee made up of diverse educators and community members selected finalists to compete and recite their speeches live. One student from each level (elementary, middle, and high school) are chosen as winners. The three winners will go on to perform at the International Spring Festival held at North Penn High School. 

Students were selected to compete based upon how their performance respects/honors Black history, and embodies messages that inspire and uplift participants to continue towards progress. The competition emphasizes that Black history is not just about slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, but also about reflecting the Strength, Perseverance, Imagination, Responsibility, Integrity, and Talent (S.P.I.R.I.T) of people throughout the African Disapora. Winners from 2020 performed speeches from Maya Angelou, Rudy Francisco, and Muhammed Ali. 

To learn more about the Black History Oratorical Competition, please visit the North Penn website.