download-word Public Speaking Application – Word format download-pdfPublic Speaking Application – PDF format download-pdfPublic Speaking Instructions – English

Objective

The objective of this scholarship is to recognize and showcase pre-teens and teens of Chinese heritage for their extraordinary talents, efforts, and accomplishments through English public speaking.

Applicant Qualification

All Chinese American students, legally resident in the Greater Washington, D.C. area, which encompasses Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia (DMV), are eligible to apply and enter the competition for this scholarship.

Selection Criteria

The Rho Psi Society will appoint a group of judges as the Evaluation Committee to evaluate each applicant and his/her English public speaking performance. The main criteria of performances are listed below:

  • Content (impactful speech messages)
  • Originality
  • Creativity
  • Delivery Skills
  • Effectiveness of Presentation(s)

Conflict of Interest: When the situation arises that a judge was/is a teacher/coach of the contestant or is related to the applicant, (1) both the contestant and the judge shall promptly disclose this fact during competition/judging and (2) the judge shall not participate in the evaluation of said contestant.

Application, Competition, Award Ceremony, and Publication of Submitted Videos

Application

  • The deadline for application is January 21, 2024 (Sunday).
  • The 2024 application form (in Word or PDF) can be downloaded from www.rhopsi.org.
  • Complete the 2-page application form and E-MAIL the filled form to Dr. C.J. George Chang at gchang2012@yahoo.com. Each applicant and one of applicant’s parents (or legal guardian) must sign the application form. The applicant must provide an e-mail address, mailing address(es), and telephone number(s) for communication purpose.

Competition:

  • In the first stage, the applicants will receive by January 28, 2024 (Sunday) through an email the 2 themes of speech competition and specific related instructions. Applicants are to choose their own speech topics (2) within the scopes of those 2 themes and shall send 2 videos (2 speeches; 4 min each; contestant is disqualified if any speech is over 4 min) by February 18, 2024 (Sunday) to Dr. C.J. George Chang through WeChat (gchang2016wc) or LINE (gchangline2015) ONLY. [Subject “2024 RP-EPS”, contestant’s full English name, and Age group (A, B, or C) in the message heading]. (We do NOT accept weblinks when submitting speech videos)
  • In the second stage, the winners/finalists (10) of the first stage (notified by an e-mail) of each age category will be notified by March 10, 2024 (Sunday) with our final round of speech theme (1). Finalists are to choose their own speech topic (1) within the scope of that theme, and should submit one video for a 4.5-min speech (contestant is disqualified if any speech is over 4.5 min) for the final round of competition due on March 10, 2024 (Sunday) through WeChat or LINE to Dr. Chang. (We do NOT accept weblinks when submitting speech videos)

Scholarship awardees will be informed individually through an email and at the Rho Psi
Society webpage (www.rhopsi.org) around April 20, 2024 (Sunday).

Award Ceremony

  • An online award ceremony will be held on May 4, 2024 (Saturday) at 10am, and all scholarship awardees are required to attend. The scholarship certificates and award checks will be mailed out to scholarship awardees afterward.
    Publishing of Scholarship Awardees’ Videos on Rho Psi Society webpage (www.rhopsi.org)
  • By applicant’s and/or applicant’s guardian’s application signature, the applicant agrees to grant the Rho Psi Society the right to publish applicant contest videos at the Rho Psi’s official Website or other chosen news media, together with the name of the applicant and his/her accomplishments.
  • The application package and videos submitted will NOT be returned.

Scholarship Awards in four (4) categories:
Each applicant may choose only one (1) of the following 3 age groups:

Group A: 8 – 10 years old(your age on 1/1/24)

  • First Place (1): $350
  • Second Place (1): $250
  • Third Place (1): $200
  • Honorable Mention (4): $100

Group B: 11 – 14 years old (your age on 1/1/24)

  • First Place (1): $500
  • Second Place (1): $400
  • Third Place (1): $300
  • Honorable Mention (4): $150

Group C: 15 – 18 years old(your age on 1/1/24)

  • First Place (1): $700
  • Second Place (1): $500
  • Third Place (1): $400
  • Honorable Mention (4): $250

As Rho Psi Society offers multiple scholarships each year, you are welcome to apply and compete for multiple scholarships each year. Please note that if you win more than one scholarship in the same year, you will receive multiple winning scholarship certificates for the scholarships that you win. The monetary award that you will receive is the one having the highest dollar amount among all those scholarships that you win.

Q&A: C.J. George Chang gchang2012@yahoo.com, gchang2016wc (WeChat), or gchangline2015 (LINE).

Dr. Chang is the coordinator and NOT a judge for this scholarship competition.