American Legion Oratorical
2023 Department\State ORATORICAL CONTEST
Distrct #7 has another Champion at the Department Contest - 3rd time in a row.
2023 State Champion HS Junior Megan Blonigen of Eden Valley Post 381 repeats.
Eden Valley-Watkins High School Junior repeats as Department of Minnesota American Legion Oratorical Contest Champion. Megan Blonigen of Eden Valley competed 02-25-2023 (Saturday) in the state-wide competition. Semi-Finals which were held at the Osseo American Legion Post in the morning, and she was selected as one of the four finalists. The finalists competed at the Anoka American Legion Post in the afternoon. These competitors were all excellent speakers; with all of those attending learning a little more about our nation's constitution and the 6th & 10th Amendments.
Great job one and all - but especially to our very own District #7 Champion Megan Blonigen.
District #7 is so very proud of her!! A special Thank You to the Eden Valley-Watkins High School teachers and staff - Megan speaks very highly of you and your staffs efforts to support her in her speech competitions! Megan will now compete at the National American Legion Oratorical Contest in Indianapolis, IN - which comes with a potential of winning a 1st Place $25,000 in scholarship funds.
The National Oratorical Contest will be held at the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel April 21-23 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Each Department (State) participant will receive $2,000.
Each first round winner who advances to and participates in the second round, but does not advance to the final round, will receive an additional $2,000. Final Scholarship awards: 1St $25,000., 2nd 22,500. 3rd 20,000
Commander Karen Welander & Chip Manson attended the Final Contest.
District #7 Contest
Click on= Application Excel Form- - Rules Form- MS Word format
District #7 Chairman Rueben Nathe-426 Brown Avenue, Litchfield, Mn 55355 -
Ph: 320-593-8654- E:Mail Ruebenn@hutchtel.net
2023 DISTRICT #7 ORATORICAL CONTEST
American Legion District #7 & National High School Oratorical Contest News Release-101
On Sunday February 5. 2023 District #7 of Minnesota American Legion held its annual Oratorical Contest which was hosted by the Willmar American Legion. The Chairman Rueben Nathe of Litchfield, Mn conducted the contest. He was assisted by District Commander Karen Welander a member of the Willmar Am. Legion and many volunteers from throughout the 14 counties of the 7th District. Our host was Willmar Post #167 who also provided volunteers. 
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The 2023 1ST Place award winner is Megan Blonigen of rural Paynesville and Eden Valley High School 11th Grader of Eden Valley-Watkins Megan will receive a $700.00 scholarship and the opportunity to advance to represent the Seventh District in the State/Department contest. Megan also won the District 7 Contest lst year, she advanced to the Department\Sate Contest and advanced to the National Contest & advanced to the semi -finals and earned $6,200. in scholarship funds.
2nd Place award winner of Litchfield Travis Crusoe and a High School senior of the Litchfield school district and will receive a $500.00 Scholarship award.
The Minnesota Dept\State contest will be held Saturday February 26th It will be hosted by the OSSEO & ANOKA American Legion Posts. The Minnesota Contest winners will receive scholarship awards 1st place $1,500. 2nd place, $1,000. 3rd place $700., 4th place $500. – The Minnesota winner will advance to the National Contest-
The National Contest will be held April 21-23, 2023 Indianapolis, Indiana The National winners will receive scholarship awards 1st place $25,000. 2nd place, $22,500. 3rd place 20,000. Each Department\State winner who participates in the first round of the National Contest will receive a $2,000 scholarship+ if advancing to the 2nd level an additional $2,000.
Congratulations Megan — Wishing the Best for Megan as she ENTERS the State\Dept. Contest to represent the 7th District &
POST # 381 Eden Valley .
FEBRUARY 5, 2023 1:00PM AT: WILLMAR MINNESOTA
District #7 AWARDS
1ST PLACE $700.00 2ND PLACE $500.00 3RD PLACE $250.00
District #7 POSTS INTERESTED WHO HAVE QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT
D#7 Oratorical Contest Chairman listed above/
Information Link to 2022 Contest
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National Link for information from previous contestant videos can be found at or Click on www.legion.org/oratorical
2023 ORATORICAL CONTESTS
National Contest Hosted at Am. Legion National Headquarters, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
- April 21,22,23 2022
Department State Contest Winners advance.. At Anoka Am. Legion February 25, 2023
Department \MN Scholarshp Awards
1st $1500. 2nd 1000. 3rd 700. 4th 500
1st Place $700.00 2nd Place $500.00 3rd Place $250.00
References of Actual Presentations from Past National Contests-
CLICK ON YOU -TUBE VIDEO- -- -Past Sample - Past Nat'l Contests Winners
- #101 -NATIONAL CONTEST- 2019 FINALIST #101 ------MALE
#102 NATIONAL CONTEST- 2019 FINALIST #102----FEMALE
-#2022-National Contest-2022 CHAMPION & Finalist # 2022 - FEMALE
NOTES: DISTRICT #7 Oratorical CONTEST- Some details.
1. Each District #7 Post can submit one Champion for District Contest.
2. All MN Post adjutants should have received the Dept/State flyer in October.
3. Posts should register and reserve a spot for Contest ASAP or two weeks prior to District Contest. contact District #7 Oratorical Contest District 7 Chairperson if questions or need of additional information.
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Rueben Nathe, Litchfield - E:mail ruebenn@hutchtel.net **Phone 320-593-8654
- Leave a message if not home ---We'll return your call. Thank You
Past years Contest Champions
-National Contest-2022 CHAMPION & Finalist 2022 - FEMALE
2022--EMMA NOBLE- Alabama-
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See National Finalist Video's- bottom-- below :
2022 CONGRATULATIONS MEGAN BLONIGEN-District #7
2022 DISTRICT 7 CHAMPION Megan Blonigen of Eden Valley-Watkins advanced to the Department/State Contest and for the second year in a roll District #7 advanced to the Championship.
Megan won the Department/State Contest and this year moves on to the National Contest to be held April 22,23,24, 2022 at National Headquarters in Indiannapolis, In-- Congratulations to the Eden Valley Post and Megan Blonigen District #7 is very proud of your accomplishments and wishes you the best of luck as you go for the National Scholarship and the 1st Prize of $25,000. Win it all Megan... We are cheering for you. 
2022
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2021 Hazel Chvatal HS Sr of Litchfield was
District #7 & Minnesota State Champion
Hazel's winnings from local, District and State were $7,700. - COVID #19 cancelled the National Contest.
The purpose of The American Legion’s National High School Oratorical Contest is to develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States on the part of high school students. Other objectives of the contest include the development of leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently, and the preparation for acceptance of the duties and responsibilities, the rights and privileges of American citizenship.4
Contests: -- National/ Mn/Department/State/Mn //
/ Mn District 7 /// Local Post\Community Programs
District #7 only had 2 contestants last February 2021 -1st place 700.00 Hazel Chatvatal of Litchfield- & Landon Muonio 2nd Place $500.00 of -Watkins. 3-6 went unclaimed.
We hope to do better in 2022 with your help.
Suggest that Posts appoint an Americanism Chairman and or an Oratorical Contest Chairperson. Include your Auxiliairy-SAL to support.
It is sometimes hard to find students interested in a speech contest. However, the scholarship prizes are great that the American Legion offers are well worth the effort. See below.
Local Posts might also offer a scholarship but is not required to do so to enter a local student in the District Contest. Posts only need to determine annually who will represent their Post by contacting District # 7 Oratorical Contest Chairman .
If District #7 Posts have more than one contestant they should conduct a local contest. Posts can be more flexible when conducting the local contest by allowing notes and prompting. The extemporaneous feature or assigned topics is not required for the local contest.
Suggest Posts contact local school district Councelsors or Principle to assist in any way by communicating with the students. Get them the information
Links for information from previous contestant videos can be found at Oratorical Contest | The American Legion
2023 NATIONAL CONTESTS INDIANAPOLIS, IN April 21,22,23 2022
Scholarship AWARDS: 1ST PLACE $25,000 2ND PLACE $22,500.00 3RD PLACE $20,000.00
ALL STATE\DEPT WINNERS $2,000.00--------***
1ST ROUND ADVANCE $2,000.00
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MN DEPARTMENT CONTEST February 25,26, 2023 Hosts: Osseo & Anoka American Legions AWARDS 1st Place $1,500.00 2nd Place $1,000.00 3rd Place $ 700.00 4 Place $ 500.00
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MN DISTRICT #7 CONTEST- - February 5, 2023 -1:00PM Host: Willmar American Legion
AWARDS 1st Place $700.00 2nd Place $500.00 3rd Place $250.00
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NOTES: DISTRICT #7 Oratorical CONTEST-
1. Each District #7 Post can submit one Champion for District Contest.
2. All MN Post adjutants should have received the Dept/State flyer in October.
3. Posts should register and reserve a spot for Contest ASAP or two weeks prior to District Contest. If District #7 has less than 5 registered contestants as of two weeks prior to Contest-
Posts may also send their 2nd place local contestant. Check with chairperson if allowed.
Contact District #7 Oratorical Contest District 7 Chairperson if questions or need of additional information.
***********************************************************Thank You
Rueben Nathe, Litchfield -
E:mail ruebenn@hutchtel.net
--Phone 320-593-8654 - Leave a message if not home ---I'll call you get back.
CLICK ON YOU -TUBE VIDEO- ---SAMPLE SPEECH
- NATIONAL CONTEST- 2019 FINALIST #101 -------------------MALE
--NATIONAL CONTEST- 2019 FINALIST #102----FEMALE
Click on below for Video of Champion's presentation.
--National Contest-2022 CHAMPION & Finalist 2022 - FEMALE