HOW TO GET STARTED:

• Write your own speech in the form of a story, poem, or a play.

• You will need to write the majority of the speech.  20% may be material from other sources.

• Your speech can be serious, funny, or both.
• You should write an introduction to your speech.  It can include a teaser." You can get away with the most movement and acting in this category.
• You can use a chair to stand by or sit on.

• 8 minutes

Description of Topic:
    Creative Expression is an even in which the participant creates and performs his or her own
presentation of a topic or idea.  Creative Expression can incorporate different performance styles, such as
impersonation and storytelling, and can be either humorous or serious.   Participants could use anything from their own nonfiction, to fiction, to poetry.  Creative Expression pieces cannot run over eight minutes and must include an introduction.

POSSIBLE TOPICS:

Topic:  Food as a Means of Cultural Experience

Description of Topic:  Most people recognize that food is an important part of culture.  Oftentimes food
preferences and special dishes reflect history and geography.  One can learn much about a culture merely
through the sense of taste.

Justification of Topic:  The topic is a creative approach to describing how one can experience culture
through foods.  Personal experience and humor can be used to make the topic, to which most everyone
can relate, even more appealing.

Description of Topic:  The starry eyes, the constant sighs, the "kissies" and "huggy-wuggies", the other
sickening sentimental terms of endearment -- have you ever noticed that one of the most annoying
things on earth can be a couple in a state of puppy love?  This stage of a relationship can last anywhere
from two weeks to two years, usually typically ending in the sixth month of togetherness.  Let us analyze
this temporary state of insanity through which many couples pass by pondering on these three
questions:  What are the signs of puppy love?  What can a person in puppy love do to lessen its sickening
effects on others?  And how can a person survive life with a friend or family member who is a victim of
puppy love?

Justification of Topic:  The topic is a humorous and creative approach to looking at love, or, really, a
particular stage of love.  The speaker may personalize this topic with his or her own experiences, whether
from life or observation.  The topic may be appealing in that most people know a couple or someone
who has experienced "puppy love."

Topic:  State-to-State Prejudices

Description of Topic:  The other week I had a joke email to me:  What do you call someone with two
teeth and half a brain?  A Cheesehead.  Sports teams, governors, vacation spots, bizarre news headlines,
and all sorts of other factors can exist that cause a state to be the butt of a joke.  These small jokes, meant
in good humor I am sure, display a bit of the rivalry that exists partially because of differences between
some states.  Rivalries between states can lead to prejudices, both justified and unjustified.

Justification of Topic:  The topic is a creative, possibly humorous, approach to looking at the serious
subject of prejudice.  The speaker can take a look at both mean-spirited and good-humored prejudices or
preconceived notions about certain states.  The topic is appealing in its local flavor and humor.

Topic:  Talking to plants

Description of Topic:  My grandmother grows the biggest, hardiest, most colorful roses of anyone I know.
Her garden is a modern-day Eden with all the lush, perfect vegetation and floral beauty.  In fact, even
those lowly houseplants that K-Mart sells on clearance absolutely flourish in my grandma's hands.

What is the secret behind her "green thumb"?  I asked her one day, and she told me that the key to
raising a good plant is communication.  Yes, my grandmother talks, sings, and even listens to her plants.
That led me to wondering, is there something to communication with one's greenery?

Justification of Topic:  The topic can be both serious or humorous, depending on the speaker's
perspective.  The topic can be researched through both personal and professional experience, thus taking
a creative approach to gardening tips.  The topic holds appeal in its "Martha Stewart" gardening tip twist
and in what elements the speaker inserts into the speech.

Topic:  Voyeuristic Tendencies in Society

Description of Topic:  With reality TV shows like "Survivor," "The Mole," and "Temptation Island" and
web cams that put on display the lives of average people for the world to see, one can see how pervasive
Andy Warhol's "fifteen minutes of fame" idea is in American society.  Why is our society so fascinated
with looking into the lives of others?  Why do people flock to watch people in their most intimate and
personal moments being made public?

Justification of Topic:  The topic is a creative look into a sociological issue facing our country.  The topic
can be either humorous or serious or a combination of the two, depending upon the speaker's
perspective.  The topic is appealing in that is a contemporary subject with which many people are
familiar.