Selma-Dallas County students compete for bragging rights in fourth annual Juneteenth Oratorical Contest

Foot Soldiers Park recently held their fourth annual "Still We Rise” Juneteenth Oratorical Contest that also serves as a lesson in public speaking for young people.

Students from public high schools in Selma-Dallas County and a private academy participated, including Selma High, Southside High, Keith High, Dallas County High and Ellwood Christian Academy.

Participation required research, study and creativity. Smooth transitions, tone, gestures and theme presence were all on the table as the judges sought to crown this year's winner.

But the students don't just appear on stage at Selma High School and suddenly are ready to give a presentation. A lot of work is poured into it beforehand on the side of Foot Soldiers Park and the schools. In addition to them practicing at school with peers, rehearsing with their counselors and any random family member who will listen, a professional training workshop is provided. 

This year's lead judge, Dr. Gloria Batiste-Roberts, hails from Houston, Texas, and is a social work professor at Texas Southern University, where she is also Head Debate Team Coach and 2026 reigning international debate champion (won title in Incheon, Korea). So, while she was in person for the competition, the workshop she provided was virtual. Contestants were given an agenda that included training on preparation, content, vocal delivery, overall stage presence and appearance, and special tips, like breathing techniques and overcoming fears.

A special treat to the workshop was a "Ted Talk" that was designed for girls, any girls, interested in law as a future career path. Carmen Benjamin, who was not a contestant, but who attended the Ted Talk, stated, "I think I just may have found my graduate school today."

The overarching theme each year is "Still We Rise." Students may be as creative as they wish and write an original piece, or they can use the work of any famous orator except Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (because most of them do those speeches in January during the national holiday that recognizes Dr. King's birthday and service).

And so, the day arrived. Buses and parents/guardians rolled in at the Selma High School auditorium bringing excited, anxious and somewhat nervous students to officially sign in to stand before judges. The arrival finds them being assigned a contestant number and ushered backstage to await Lead Judge Dr. Batiste-Roberts for a pep talk and vocal warmup exercise. As they wait, Carmen Benjamin and Zachenzie Milhouse, previous contestants, serve as mentors to the newbies, helping to ease their fears, give pointers, listen as they practice one final time, and just let them receive a warm welcome from a peer.

Batiste-Roberts enters the chat. She circles the students up and begins the exercise that helps to loosen them up and give their vocals some pep. While the students find some of the noises during the exercise to be quite tickling, one even sounds like blowing bubbles, they indicate afterwards that they could feel the difference in their vocal delivery. Ziah Motley, a first-timer and ninth grader, said, "I am more confident now that I have gone through this process. I will definitely be back next year." Batiste-Roberts left a copy of the vocal exercise, stating "I hope that the schools will find it valuable. This can help them throughout the year."

First up, "Contestant No. 15."  That is all the judges hear. No name. Just a number, a stage, and a microphone. One by one, they came forward from behind the stage curtain where they had been waiting in a holding room to be told that they are "next." Some breathed before taking the mic. One did a neck roll exercise.  Others went straight into their presentation. Speeches that ranged from focuses on civil rights, skin tones and colors, race relations, Juneteenth history, societal stereotyping, what's next for the future, and so much more.

The students were judged by a five-panel committee of esteemed and qualified handlers—Dr. Gloria Batiste-Roberts (professor and debate team head coach, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX), Judge Collins Pettaway, Jr. (4th Judicial Circuit, Selma), First Lady Jeannie Evans (speech and nursing educator, former nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital and former First Lady of Selma), Wanda Howard Battle of Montgomery, founder of Legacy Tours focused on civil rights history, a master storyteller with a specialized vocal performance degree from Spelman College) and Austin Williams, Interim Executive Director of YMCA Selma, with master's degree in marketing communications.

None of that matters without criteria. The judges were given strict contest rules that ranged from how many points are available for content, delivery and presentation, and how many points may be deducted for not meeting time limit standards. Students were given rules that included all speeches must be between three to five minutes. A student may not go under three minutes or over thirty seconds past five minutes (the time allowed to conclude any sentence they may be in the middle of when time is called by the timekeeper who provided verbal time to judges after each contestant). 

At each break, former contestants and FSP's National Youth Advisory Board members were offered the opportunity to speak to the audience and to the contestants who had completed their presentations. Carmen Benjamin, Immediate-Past Secretary opened with an original speech and closed with the one she presented in 2025 as a contestant. She also talked on the impact that being in the competition has had on her. "Before this, I was shy about getting up before adults and just simply talking through a speech presentation," she said. "Now, I am very confident. I can take this anywhere and be successful at it with no problem at all."  She also encouraged the young people present to take the opportunity to develop their leadership skills.

The contest also has secondary and sometimes unexpected benefits. Part of the goal is always to network, teaching young people how to extend their reach by meeting others and finding connectivity. Alonzo Brown, a 10th grader, traveled to the contest with the JAG class from Southside High School with counselor Kim Savage-Purdie. He made sure he met lead judge Batiste-Roberts. He has decided that he wants to attend Texas Southern and be in the band and on the Debate Team. Batiste-Roberts promised to share a photo she took with him with the TSU’s band director and looks forward to having him. Just by simply attending, Brown now has a direct contact at the university. 

Zachenzie Milhouse, Immediate-Past Treasurer and who has won first place on the middle and high school level, spoke during a break on how "I was a golden egg choice. Ms. [Angela] Benjamin saw something in me and allowed me to join YAB at an early age." She told of how she hit the ground running after that and of how impactful the experience is and the oratorical contest process was for her, then encouraged others to take advantage of the opportunity.

Middle schools are invited but did not have participants to attend this year. One middle school, RB Hudson, indicated they will not miss this opportunity again. They are the reigning middle school champions but encountered difficulties before the event. "We have never missed this great opportunity for our scholars to elevate outside the classroom, and we will not miss it again," stated Principal Dr. Ken Hamilton, who swung by to return the traveling trophy.

Selma High School serves as the host venue. The Coalition of Concerned Families sponsored the workshop and lead judge. 

In the end, there can be only one first place winner this year. This winner also would become the person that would do something special for their school. They would snag the coveted "School Traveling Trophy"—the highly sought after win of the day—earning the school 365 Days of Bragging Rights. The first place winner would either be from the reigning school champions or from a new school altogether. Whatever the case, the anticipation in the building was on high alert as the announcement of it was prolonged to build that anticipation.

The following students are the 2026 winners of the 4^th Annual Juneteenth Oratorical Contest. A total of 500 points are available for a perfect score.

Third Place:

DeAngelo Carrion-9th Grade-Selma High School

Score: 459

Second Place:

Madison Smiley-11th Grade-Southside High School

Score: 480

First Place:

Marquel Carter-10th Grade-Ellwood Christian Academy

Score: 491

This means the traveling trophy was taken from 2025 reigning school, Selma High School, and delivered to the new champion school, Ellwood Christian Academy. In a ceremony where the reigning school representative has to touch the trophy for the final time and hold it high once more, this school must allow the prevailing school to come and "take" it. This is one of the most fun highlights of the day. It is also the one that garners the most smiling faces.

So, how likely is an oratorical contest to be a confidence booster, skills enhancer and all out educational tool for the toolbox? Speak to the contestants, counselors and audience. Then, you be the judge.