WENDELL - A pair of East Wake High School students will represent the Knightdale and Wendell posts of The American Legion at the district level of the Constitutional Speech Contest through The American Legion’s Oratorical Program on Jan. 28.

But they’ll have an extra opportunity to practice, first.

Five East Wake students wrote and recited 8-to-10-minute speeches on Thursday, Dec. 15, on the rights and responsibilities of citizens toward the Constitution as students, parents and faculty members served as an audience in the school’s chorus room.

Faculty and students evaluated speeches by Austin Easley, Juan Zetina, Graham Zechman, Dade Lamkins and Nick Schwab. The speakers were judged on speaking skills, volume, eye content and speech content — were the speeches logical, and how good were the examples the speakers cited and the connections they made to the Constitution.

At the end of the contest Wendell Post 148 member Greta Crayton recognized Lamkins, a sophomore, as the overall winner.

Lamkins spoke on changes in the amount and types of citizens who have become eligible to vote.

“His passionate oration focused upon how poor voter turnout has been in recent elections, asking the audience to wonder why something so valuable and cherished, fought for and by so many, has been so unfulfilled,” East Wake civics and economics teacher Jamie Lemmond said.

Schwab, also a sophomore, was named runner-up of the contest. He spoke on how the government by and for the people must also be of the people, and argued for greater participation by all citizens in all areas of government for that to happen.

The preliminary, school-level contest was the first of many steps in the Constitutional Speech Contest, which was established in 1935. Winners at the school level go on to compete at the post level, then to the district, division, state and national levels so long as they continue to win.

The American Legion awards scholarships at various levels of the competition. The organization has awarded over $3,000,000 nationally over the years, and currently awards $138,000 annually to winners competing at the national level. Thousands of dollars are awarded at the post, district and state levels. Each individual can win up to $18,000 in scholarship funding.

Crayton said both Lamkins and Schwab deserved to compete at the district level and found a way to make that happen.

“Since both of the boys are from Knightdale I thought it would be appropriate for Lamkins to represent Knightdale Post 592 and Schwab to represent Wendell Post 148,” she said. “That way both the boys can go to the district level since only one speaker will represent each post.”

With post representatives already determined, the Saturday, Jan. 7 post level of the contest will serve as a practice speech for Lamkins and Schwab. The post speeches will be given at Wendell Post 148 at 10 a.m.

The district level of the contest will be held at Fuquay-Varina Post 116 on Saturday, Jan. 28. The winner of the district round will go on to compete in the division level of the contest at the N.C. State Capitol.

Crayton said the speech competition is just one way The American Legion helps the youth of the nation.

“Youth a lot of times don’t have the opportunity to go on for higher education to become more affluential citizens,” Crayton said. “We open doors for our youth. Whatever background they have they can enhance their skills if given the opportunity. This is a giving back to our society.”