In front of a live audience and without notes, Scott Chaloff, Class III, recently won third place in the American Legion National High School Oratorical Championship. This 65th annual championship, held at on the campus of Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) also earned Scott a $14,000 college scholarship.

Scott began the weekend as one of 53 state champions and advanced through the top three rounds of competition. In each round Scott delivered a prepared 8 to 10 minute speech and then a 3 to 5 minute oration on a randomly assigned constitutional topic.

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.