IMPROMPTU SPEAKING

 Impromptu Speaking provides members with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills around preparing and delivering a speech extemporaneously. This competitive event consists of a speech, with the topic being given on site.

Event Overview

Division: High School
Event Type: Individual 
Event Category: Presentation
Event Elements: Speech with a topic on site
Presentation Time: 10-minute preparation time, 5-minute presentation time
NACE Connections: Career & Self-Development, Communication, Leadership, Professionalism

Equipment Competitor Must Provide: Pencil

Equipment FBLA Provides: Two notecards for each competitor and secret problem/scenario for preliminary and final rounds

District

Check with your District leadership for District-specific competition information.

State

Eligibility

·         FBLA membership dues are paid by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on December 1 of the current program year.
·         Members may compete in an event at the State Leadership Conference (SLC) more than once if they have not previously placed in the top 10 of that event at the National Leadership Conference (NLC). If a member places in the top 10 of an event at the NLC, they are no longer eligible to compete in that event.
·         Members must be registered for the SLC and pay the state conference registration fee in order to participate in competitive events.
·         Members must stay in an official FBLA hotel to be eligible to compete.
·         Each district may be represented by participant(s) based on the Florida FBLA scaled quota system found on the Florida FBLA website.
·         Each member can only compete in one individual/team event and one chapter event (American Enterprise Project, Community Service Project, Local Chapter Annual Business Report, Partnership with Business Project).
·         Each competitor must compete in all parts of an event for award eligibility.
·         If competitors are late for a presentation time, they may be disqualified or placed later in the schedule.  The decision is solely up to the judges.
·         Participants must adhere to the Florida FBLA dress code established by the Florida Board of Directors or they will not be permitted to participate in the competitive event.

Recognition

·         The number of competitors will determine the number of winners. The maximum number of winners for each competitive event is 5.

Event Administration

·         This event is two rounds: a preliminary and final round.

·         Preliminary Round (Speech)

o   Preparation Time: 10 minutes
o   Presentation Time: 5 minutes (one-minute warning)
o   Question & Answer: None

o   The presentation is judged at the SLC. Preliminary presentations are not open to conference attendees.
o   Competitors/teams are randomly assigned to sections.
o   The speech topic may be related to FBLA or business-related topics. The speech topic will be given to the competitor at the beginning of their assigned preparation time.
o   Two notecards will be provided to each competitor and may be used during event preparation and role-play presentation. Information may be written on both sides of the notecards. Notecards will be collected following the role play.
o   No additional reference materials or props or visuals are allowed.
o   Competition ethics demand that competitors do not discuss or reveal the role play until the event has ended.

·         Final Presentation (Speech)

o   Preparation Time: 10 minutes
o   Presentation Time: 5 minutes (one-minute warning)
o   Question & Answer: None

o   An equal number of competitors from each section in the preliminary round will advance to the final round.
o   The presentation is judged at the SLC.
o   The speech topic may be related to FBLA or business-related topics. The speech topic will be given to the competitor at the beginning of their assigned preparation time.
o   Two notecards will be provided to each competitor and may be used during event preparation and role-play presentation. Information may be written on both sides of the notecards. Notecards will be collected following the role play.
o   No additional reference materials or props or visuals are allowed.
o   Competition ethics demand that competitors and audience members do not discuss or reveal the role play until the event has ended.

Scoring

·         The preliminary presentation score will determine the finalists.
·         The final presentation score will determine the winners.
·         Judges must break ties. All judges’ decisions are final.

Recording of Presentations

·         No unauthorized audio or video recording devices will be allowed in any competitive event.
·         Participants in the events should be aware FBLA reserves the right to record any presentation for use in study or training materials.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

·         FBLA meets the criteria specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act for all competitors with accommodations submitted through the conference registration system by the registration deadline.

Penalty Points

·         Competitors may be disqualified if they violate the Competitive Event Guidelines or the Honor Code.

Electronic Devices

·         All electronic devices such as cell phones and smart watches must be turned off.

National

Be sure to see the National guidelines at https://www.fbla.org/divisions/fbla/fbla-competitive-events/