Public Speaking Home Page - 2010 Regionals

For more detailed rules, please click on contest rules.

Public Speaking, started from 2006 Regionals, is a pilot contest and is one of the growing lists of contests offered by NSF. This contest is offered with a view to help and educate our children on how to prepare and present a speech before their peers or to a group of people. We all face situations on a regular basis at work, school, and local meetings to deliver speeches to groups of individuals, coworkers and others on topics we have been involved with. At times, people feel stressed out during the preparation and in anticipation of giving a speech.
NSF contests are developed with a view that as our children start preparing for these at an early age, they can become successful communicators and deliver better speeches and become successful. Since public speaking is an art, one can develop the skills for better speaking with determination and hard work.
The contests are conducted every year in two steps. First, children participate in a regional contest, conducted in various states throughout USA. Qualified winners of the regional contests are invited to participate in the National Finals. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from each contest at the Nationals are awarded scholarships of $1,000, $500, and $250 respectively, redeemable in the winners' freshman year of college.
The Public Speaking bee is open to children of Indian origin in grades 6 to 12.  Younger children are encouraged to participate, on equal basis, solely with the aim of familiarizing them with the contest.

There are several goals for conducting the Public Speaking Bee.  To enumerate a few:

  • To make public speaking not as a chore or stressful event but to make it as an enjoyable task
  • To better prepare for excelling in public speaking
  • To stimulate enthusiasm and a love for public speaking
  • To develop important skills in delivering a better and powerful speeches
  • To develop creativity and ingenuity in situations where one needs to deliver speeches at a short notice
  • To provide for the satisfaction, joy, and thrill of meeting challenges
  • To be hardworking, persevering, and determined to meet any challenges
  • To meet other students of Indian origin and develop friendship

Public Speaking Bee is split into 2 levels based on grade. The grade eligibility is calculated as of February 1. For more information on the rules, please see contest rules.