Richard Contreras-Behrens in Legion Oratorical contest

High school sophomore Richard Contreras- Behrens became the first-ever Olney student to participate in the American Legion Oratorical Scholarship Contest on Dec. 14, and will advance next month to a district-level competition.

Mr. Contreras-Behrens delivered a prepared eight-minute speech on the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving citizens the right to vote at age 18. He then spoke extemporaneously for three minutes on a topic selected by the judges -- the Seventh Amendment -- the right to a jury trial in civil lawsuits.

The judges, Mayor Rue Rogers, Assistant City Attorney Dan Branum, OISD School Board President Summer Branum, teacher Charlotte Givhan and Olney Enterprise Editor Gina Keating, scored Mr. Contreras- Behrens and gave him feedback.

He will compete on Jan. 11 at the district competition against as many as 18 other students if all the Legion posts in the district send students.

If he wins at the district level, Mr. Contreras- Behrens then will speak at the division level and, if he wins at division, he will compete at state and then national contests, American Legion Post 414 Commander Chris Garcia said.

Mr. Contreras-Behrens won $500 in scholarship funds the local contest. The Legion Oratorical contest began in 1938.