Oratory Competitions

In recognition of the importance of public speaking, the College has established four competitions:

Howland (in Greek)
Delta (in English)
25^th March
Three Hierarchs

All students in the Third Year of High School (graduating class) participate in the Howland and Delta oratory competitions.  They present a speech on a general topic that is determined by a committee of teachers chaired by the Athens College and Psychico College Directors.

Competition Procedures

The procedure is similar for both the Howland and Delta competitions.  A common topic of a general nature is given to the Third Year High School students who then write a speech of no more than seven hundred words.
The speeches are graded by four College teachers.  The top ten are then presented orally by the students to a judging committee comprised of members from the School Administration and the Faculty.

Following the oral presentations, the competition is narrowed down to five students who then deliver their speeches before a panel. Panel members include eminent public figures from academia, the sciences and the arts, all unrelated to the College. 

The final presentation is held at a special assembly in the College Theater where the winner of the Howland, and respectively of the Delta, oratory competition is selected and presented with his/her award in the presence of the assembled students and teachers.

All Second Year High School students participate in the 25^th March Oratory Competition and all First Year High School students in the Three Hierarchs Oratory Competition. 

For each of these competitions a topic is assigned and the students write an essay using resources they deem appropriate, including materials from the College Library.

The essays are graded by College teachers and the six best are selected.  They are then presented orally by the contestants to a Secondary Committee comprised of members from the Administration and the Faculty.  The winning speech for each is delivered during 25^th March and the Three Hierarchs school celebrations respectively.