Event Date and Time
-
Location
TBA

On February 24, 2024 at 11:00am, The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association is hosting the 2024 Bi-County High School Oratorical Contest starring Honorary Judge Alexander Williams Jr. as guest speaker. Themed Implicit Bias: Can We Overcome It, participants in the oratorical contest will speak about variations and the effects of implicit bias on communities and measures to overcome it. 

Contest Details:

Each contestant must deliver a prepared oration of not less than three (3), nor more than five (5) minutes in length, which must be an original effort. It is highly recommended students prepare essays on which to base their speeches, but only a 50-word-minimum outline of the proposed speech is required and must be attached to the application.

Prompt:

The growing concerns surrounding implicit bias and exactly what it is has led to an increasing debate regarding general systemic racism and structural inequality. In recent years, the issue has given rise to the need for proactive education and discussion on this issue in our everyday personal, educational, and professional lives. Given the effects of implicit bias, what are your views on whether or not implicit bias can be ultimately overcome, and how that can be done?

Application Details:

Eligibility Requirements:

Contestants must be in either grade eleven (11th grade) or twelve (12th grade) and must attend high school or reside in either Prince George’s or Montgomery County, Maryland. Private school students and home-schooled students may also participate.

Note: Due to space and time limitations, ordinarily no school may sponsor more than three (3) contestants. In the event of an excessive number of finalists, priority will be given to those students whose applications are received earliest.
 

Prizes:

First Prize: $1,500.00 and a plaque
Second Prize: $1,000.00 and a plaque
Third Prize: $750.00 and a plaque
 

Applications must be completed and submitted online through the “Eventbrite” platform available on the bournebar.org website or emailed to Shere.Mackall at shere.mackall [at] mdcourts.gov

Applicants must complete the following before February 21, 2024:

  • Official Entry Form and Participation Information Sheet
  • Oratorical Prompt
  • Register for the Bi-County Competition

Application Deadline: February 21, 2024

2024 Bi-County High School Oratorical Contest Entry Form and Participation Information Sheet

2024 Bi-County High School Oratorical Contest Registration
 

The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association is the largest and most active specialty bar association in Maryland.  We are committed to the principles of legal excellence, community service, and increased minority participation in the practice of law.

2024 Bi-County High School Oratorical Contest: Implicit Bias: Can We Overcome It?