Chrysostom Oratory
Competition
A Rhetoric Contest for ACCS Students
Entry Deadline: May 1st, 2025
Are you an ACCS school?
Are you an ACCS student?
Talk to a teacher or administrator about entering. Many students enter their junior or senior thesis. Each school can enter one male and one female competitor.
Interested in learning more?
Keep reading for contest overview and to see past winners.
The ACCS National Oratory Competition
High school students from ACCS member schools will compete with their peers from other ACCS schools for a $500 grand prize. Each member school may enter one male and one female student. (Previously, only one entry per school was allowed.) Student(s) must be a junior or senior.
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- Enter: Ask your ACCS school for entry forms. Schools can access entry forms and details on the MRC (Member Resource Center).
- Deadline: May 1, 2025
- Grand Prize: $500. The first-prize winning student will present their speech at the annual ACCS Repairing the Ruins Conference. The student will receive an all-expense-paid trip for the winner, one parent, and one friend to the conference. Additional prizes may be awarded depending on conference location and venue.
- Second Prize: $500
- Timeframe: The award is presented at end of the school year.
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2024 First Prize: Mariana Eidson “Live and Let Die: The Problem of Death Denial and When to Pursue Palliating Solutions” Jonathan Edwards Classical Academy White Creek, TN Delivered June 21, 2024 at Repairing the Ruins in Atlanta, GA |
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2023 First Prize: Jillian Barr “More than a Catchy Tune: What We’re Missing in Modern Music” Wilson Hill Academy Austin, TX Delivered June 23, 2023 at Repairing the Ruins in Pittsburgh, PA |
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2022 First Prize: Mary Blake Fletcher “Persuasive Technology: the Cigarette of the 21st Century” Westminster Academy Memphis, TN Delivered June 24, 2022 at Repairing the Ruins in Frisco, TX |
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2021 First Prize: Hannah Kim “Fact Became Myth: The Mythology of Modern Science” Veritas Classical Academy Fullerton, CA Delivered June 17, 2021 at Repairing the Ruins in Frisco, TX |
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2020 First Prize: Benjamin Ault Rockbridge Academy Crownsville, MD |
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2019 First Prize: Charity Kim (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Veritas Classical Academy Fullerton, CA |
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2018 First Prize: Abraham Martin (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) School of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO |
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2018 Second Prize: McKinley Traylor (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Trinitas Christian School Pensacola, FL |
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2017 First Prize: Kana Turley Tall Oaks Classical School Bear, DE |
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2017 Second Prize: Abby Wallen Rockbridge Academy Millersville, MD |
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2016 First Prize: Hannah Thompson (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Evangel Classical Christian School Alabaster, AL |
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2016 Second Prize: Katherine Cvancara (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) The Oaks: A Classical Christian Academy Spokane, WA |
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2015 First Prize: Rachel Cooley Rockbridge Academy Millersville, MD |
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2015 Second Prize: Colby Gilley Trinitas Christian School Pensacola, FL |
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2014 Champion: Alexa Cripe (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Rockbridge Academy Millersville, MD |
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2014 Runner-Up: Khristian Trotter (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Trinitas Christian School Pensacola, FL |
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2013 Champion: Sarah Chaffee (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Tall Oaks Classical School New Castle, DE |
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2013 Runner-Up: Stephen Fletcher (Repairing the Ruins Presentation) Trinitas Christian School Pensacola, FL |
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2012 Champion: Phoebe Hu Tall Oaks Classical School New Castle, DE |
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2012 Runner-Up: Daniel Dawson Rockbridge Academy Millersville, MD |
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2011 Champion: Kelly Weber Tall Oaks Classical School New Castle, DE |
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2011 Runner-Up: Henry Overos Ad Fontes Academy Centreville, VA |
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2010 Champion: Anna Kitchin Rockbridge Academy Millersville, MD |
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2010 Runner-Up: Krista Wilford The Ambrose School Meridian, ID |
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2009 Champion: Anna Hollidge Rockbridge Academy Millersville, MD |
