Eleventh -Annual Senator Edward W. Brooke III Oratorical Scholarship Competition

Oratorical Competition April 13, 2019

On Saturday, April 13, 2019, the Theta Iota Lambda Chapter (Springfield, MA) of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. hosts the Eleventh-Annual Senator Edward W. Brooke III Oratorical Scholarship Competition. The event is open to high school-aged young men of African or Latino descent currently attending school in Western Massachusetts and that someday desire to attend college.  
The program provides the young men the opportunity to learn the art of public speaking while learning about a topic relevant to their lives. This year’s topic is: “How I see Myself, How the World Sees Me” asks contestants to locate themselves as young men of color—their histories, capacities, belief systems, and aspirations—in the swirling cloud of messages that they already receive from the world around them. Overwhelming media outlets, the entertainment industry, or political apparatuses portrayal of young men of color tend to be negative and lacking in possibility, aptitude and hope. This year’s theme offers our contestants the opportunity to tell the world who they are and what they will be. Participants have one-on-one mentoring sessions and workshops to prepare them for the competition.  The top three orators are awarded scholarship money that they will receive upon enrollment at a college.     
2019 Scholarship Awards: 
First Place $1,500.00 
Second Place $1,000.00 
Third Place $750.00 
For over a decade the Theta Iota Lambda Chapter (Springfield, MA) of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has sought the support of the Western Massachusetts community to find and secure young men to showcases in our event. This year is no different and we ask for your help in identifying Black and Latino men residing in Western Massachusetts who would like to participate in the Eleventh Annual Senator Edward W. Brooke III Oratorical Scholarship.  Past oratorical contestants who are in high school may compete if they have never won “First Place”.   
Students can register by completing the online registration form or bringing the complete application the day of the orientation. We have also included a copy of the rules, entry requirements and judging criteria. Online registration is on our web site at http://oratorical.springfieldalphas.com. After completing the online application, the registrant will be contacted with confirmation of registration and provided with details regarding times, dates and locations of the mandatory workshops. For additional information, please contact Kareem Nulan, our Director of Education, at kareem.nulan@gmail.com.   
The Lee B. Revels Mentoring and Scholarship Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 organization and the non-profit corporation of Theta Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.  The Foundation is funded via grants from corporations, other foundations, civic groups, and faith-based institutions, as well as individual sponsorship by fraternity members and friends of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  Contributions are 100% tax deductible.  A few initiatives of the foundation include Project Alpha (a teen pregnancy prevention program targeted to males ages 12-18), an Oratorical Scholarship competition, a Leadership Development Institute for rising junior and senior high school students and scholarships for graduating high school seniors and college students.  More information about Theta Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and its foundation is available on our website: www.springfieldalphas.net. 
James H.Lightfoot III, President, TIL Chapter 
Persons seeking additional information regarding the Oratorical Scholarship Competition should contact a committee member:
Kareem Nulan, Director of Education, TIL Chapter 
202-494-5275, kareem.nulan@gmail.com 

Arthur R. Shurn, Director Communications, TIL Chapter 
413-222-9601, arthur@shurn.com 
Vincent D. Jackson, President, Lee B. Revels Scholarship & Mentoring Foundation 
972-489-7191, vincent.jackson06@gmail.com 
Thank you for your support.