Unit 4—Commemorative (FA2015) Page 1 Unit Five Comme.docx

Unit 4—Commemorative (FA2015) Page 1
Unit Five: Commemorative Speaking
Total points for this unit: 125 Readings: 18 and review 12
Commemorative speaking, also known as special occasion
speaking, gives speakers experience in one of our most
commonly used speech. A manuscript is used instead of an
outline because the intention is not to be “informative” or
“factual”, but to use stylistic delivery skills that affect the
audience more thoughtfully and emotionally. Manuscripts are
used for speakers who give speeches at weddings, funerals,
graduations, anniversaries, and breaking-ground ceremonies,
to name a few.
Time: 4-5 minutes
Prepare and present a 4-5 minute speech that pays tribute to a
person, concept, organization or institution.
Harsher penalties will be applied, up to a full letter grade, for
going over/under time.

Student Critique Sheet: None
Self-evaluation: No self-evaluation with this unit.
Visual Aids: No visual aid requirement for this speech, but you
may use them if you choose to.
Manuscript:
You will bring two manuscripts: one you will use during your
speech, (marked up with delivery notes), and the
other I will use to follow you as you speak. Avoid spelling,
typographical or grammatical errors. Failure to
proof your written work will result in a reduction of your grade.
Not including a final draft of your
manuscript for grading will be a 20 point deduction.
PREPARE FOR SPEECH DAY IN TWO STEPS:
STEP ONE (D2L): Before you come to class… You will attach
a copy of your completed, typed outline,
including your works cited, in the D2L drop box. If you have
not attached your outline by the time I get home
and grade your speech you will lose points on your speech.
using your own name:
White_Shaun_Commemorative_FA2012
—if I cannot
open it then it does not count.

Sheet
STEP TWO (Folder): Before you come to class…On the day
you are scheduled to speak you will provide a
folder with the following documents:
PENALTIES FOR NOT PROVIDING THE CORRECT
INFORMATION:
*I will never accept late outlines or other materials.
speech cannot be graded--ZERO!
speech: 20 point deduction
D2L: 5 point deduction

Your speech should accomplish the following:
“paint the picture” of your subject.
three stylistic devices in your speech.
pauses, vocal variations, and artistic phrasing. .
Suggestions
deliberating on a subject that is truly praiseworthy.
In order for a human action to be considered praiseworthy, it
must be intentional and your audience must
perceive it as virtuous.
whom you have a personal relationship. Parents,
grandparents, siblings, spouses, significant others, children,
aunts and uncles, are natural choices. You may also
think about a favorite coach, neighbor, teacher, etc. While it is

more difficult, you can also choose objects or
places such as Rocky Mountain National Park, the Poudre
River, Mile High Stadium, etc.
stract concepts are definitely the most challenging, but it
is theoretically possible to praise ideas such as
democracy, nature, freedom, art, music, etc. However, the more
abstract the topic, the more difficult it will be to
invent and amplify virtues.
great memories, spend some time on word choice
and artistic phrasing. It doesn’t have to sound “flowery”, if
that’s not your style, but it should sound honest and
sincere.
Delivery
Unlike the other speeches of the semester, this assignment will
be read from manuscript. That means you will
deliver the speech exactly as it is written. Since this is a
manuscript speech, there is no excuse for falling
outside of the time limits. Therefore, when you have finished
polishing and editing your speech, you will need

to time it exactly. Cut or expand the speech to fit precisely
between 4-5 minutes. Then, produce a clean
manuscript to hand in to me. This should be double-spaced and
be free of typographical, spelling, grammatical,
and punctuation errors. A substantial part of your grade will be
based on the quality of the manuscript you
submit.
Your reading copy: Prepare a reading copy of your manuscript –
the one you will use to deliver the speech.
The reading copy should be marked up with underlining and
instructions on pauses, intonations, volume and so
forth. The reading copy may be typed triple-spaced or printed
in oversized type. That is up to you. Many
students find it helpful to glue their sheets of paper to stiff
cardboard, or print on card stock, for ease of
handling. You will not be allowed to use the podium so you
want your manuscript to be formatted and
constructed in a way that will allow maximum ease and freedom
when delivering the speech.
Practice: To be successful, you should rehearse the speech until
it is nearly memorized (or actually
memorized). Above all, on the day of the speech, you must
avoid the impression that you are reading from your

manuscript for the first time. You should also be so familiar
with your manuscript, that once you begin a
sentence or a line of text, you can finish it without looking back
down. As you are delivering your speech, try
to maintain good eye contact with the audience. You want to
sound spontaneous and sincere, even though
every word has been carefully planned and rehearsed.
Performance: You should use dramatic pauses; vary the tone of
your voice; vary the volume and rate; and use
gestures and facial expressions to underscore the meaning of the
words.
The best way to approach this assignment is to give a sincere
speech from your heart. A speech that is well-
practiced and smooth in delivery will come across as a very
eloquent speech.
Sometimes students feel that they don’t know anyone famous or
heroic or successful enough to praise publicly
in a speech. They are embarrassed that their subject is not

wealthy or powerful. But as we all know, seemingly
ordinary individuals often lead extraordinary lives, but they do
it quietly and privately. Hard work, dignity,
integrity, or love of life, are all wonderful virtues that are
exhibited every day by people who may not be
“successful” by materialistic standards.
Manuscipt: Instead of an outline, you will write a manuscript,
which will look similar to an essay. The construction of
the manuscript will require that you include the following:
f the speech, reveal the
topic, and clearly identify the virtues.
them with examples and stylistic language.
readdresses the virtues.
bolded in the manuscript.
and bolded in the manuscript.
Stylistic devices: Descriptions of the stylistic devices can be
found in your textbook, chapter twelve. Good public
speakers use imagery and rhythm devices to make their

speeches more interesting and help to “paint the picture” of the
person, place, or thing they are speaking about. You are
required to employ a minimum of three different devices from
the following:
antithesis

Professor Critique Sheet: Commemorative Speech—125 points
Speaker Name:_______________________ Time ______ Points
______ Grade_____
Time: 4-5 minutes—your final grade is adjusted if you are
over/under time.
Not including a manuscript in the folder is a 20 point deduction.
INTRODUCTION: 13 pts.
Captured attention and interest (4)_____
Established proper mood (4)_____
Clear preview (virtues are clear, labeled, and in bold) (5)_____
BODY: 36 pts.
Main points are unified and cohesive (3)_____
Virtues clear (6) _____
Virtues well illustrated (6)_____

Pathos/emotional appeal (5)_____
Correct word usage and grammar (5)_____
Concrete language/vivid description (5)_____
Employed at least three different imagery devices: (6)____
Use of visual aids (not required):
CONCLUSION: 12 pts.
Reinforced appropriate mood (4)_____
Virtues restated (labeled and in bold) (4)_____
Meaningful last line/impact (4)_____
DELIVERY: 49 pts.
Eye contact (10)_____
Vocal variety (5)_____
Volume (5)_____
Rate (5) ____
Smoothness of delivery (5)_____
Tone and tension (3)_____
Use of pauses (4)_____

Facial expressions and gestures (4)_____
Avoided distracting mannerisms (4)_____
Did the delivery appear extemporaneous (4)_____
MANUSCRIPT: 9 pts.
Grammatically correct (3)_____
Labeled and bolded the imagery devices (3)____
Corresponds to oral presentation (3)_____
SPEAKER MANUSCRIPT: 6 pts.
Cues for speaker are present on manuscript (3)_____
Cues for speaker effectively helped delivery (3 )_____
Did the speaker submit a copy in the D2L drop box? Yes______
No (-5 pts.)______

Arela Fannin
The Most Unlikely
The most unlikely to be the high school quarter back. The most
unlikely to tutor a student. The most
unlikely to succeed. (Rhythm: repetition) And that is why Sean
Rehm, a best friend from my past, is the most
unlikely to ever be recognized as an inspiration to anyone. He’s
a degenerate street skate-boarding, graffiti punk
after all. Possessing strength, love and wisdom beyond his
years, I observed and admired his will to forever
stay true to himself. (Preview virtues) Through many
tumultuous years we remained magnetically connected.
This charismatic soul became, the most unlikely to inspire, the
most unlikely to change my life!
Wise beyond his own comprehension, the words he spoke to me
I could not yet understand. It wasn’t
until almost twenty years later after many philosophical
readings and ancient scriptures were digested that I saw
and read these universal secrets in which a lost boy of the world
once shared with me, while we lie awake
through some nights discussing the mysteries of life as young

teens will do. I was fourteen, and he, four years
older than I. We were inseparable as soon as our first encounter.
I opened my mind when he proposed that no
matter where you go there you are, to retaliate to my complaints
about wanting to run away! He taught me to
fight, to hold my fist just right as I wailed into his six pack
while he laughed. The big brother I never had,
rescued me from being a weak standing white lily in the ghetto,
to a strong rooted tall sunflower able to take on
what life may rain upon me (Imagery: metaphor). Through
observation of his unconventional drifter happy
lifestyle, I related to his ideas and admired his free spirit.
Instilled within my core were his values against the
government’s injustices against humanity, as he spoke of beliefs
of what the future held for the American
This is an excellent example of a commemorative speech.
Throughout the speech, she is sincere, honest,
and expresses gratitude for her friend. Her use metaphors,
similes, and parallelism (imagery and
rhythmic devices) give the speech a rich tone of expression and
rhythm. As you are writing your speech,
refer to chapter 12 to help you choose stylistic devices that give
your speech a rich “flavor” of expression.
You are required to use at least three different stylistic devices.

Be sure to bold your virtues in the introduction and conclusion
of your speech.
population. Genetic modifications, oil-sucking earth polluters,
and satellite controlled video surveillance to
name a few. I was appalled, and fascinated at times, as he
explained his perspectives while lighting twenty
dollar bills on fire in front of me saying, “money is nothing but
paper, it’s so easy to make and so easy to burn.
Amidst the rolling hills of North County San Diego where the
Hells Angels manufactured some of the
purest crystal meth in the 90’s, I witnessed lifestyles vividly
unimaginable. Sean was a part of this double life
where I somehow ruled my household at the time, and so by
loving me, he shielded me from over-using a sick
substance in which he sold as well as habitually used. I watched
as he lost his contract with Transworld, a
skateboarding magazine. And, well-renowned pros, whom once
admired his risk-taking ollies over the huge
blue city street mailboxes, shied away. He began to repel
friends, once his addiction took over. No longer did

we see his amazing unique graffiti art covering random city
street walls, as he slipped away to the dark inside
dwelling where one staples blankets to cover home windows. No
longer did his skin shine golden in the
California sun as it did once before, when he ripped up the
waves for hours, arriving to crisp waters before all
awoke. He wanted to experience his real love in life in one of
its purest forms. No longer did his blue eyes
sparkle like the shimmering waves (Imagery: simile), and with
the thirst to change the world’s view, as he
rapidly descended, deteriorating into drug disillusionment
(Rhythm: metaphor).
Because of love I was able to escape. Love led me away from
the horrors like death. Unconditional love
for myself as well as strength to persevere through shit,
followed by the inner wisdom to flee from the grips of
demonic grasps saved my soul. The love for the child whose
mother we found stiff stuck with death needle in
her arm told me to leave. The love for my mother’s safety as
she withered away with leathered biker crews, a
first time user at age 40 losing her job, kids and home, told me
to leave. And Sean’s blaring honesty towards me
about all which was truly happening around, told me to leave.
No more raids, no more fights, no more death.

(Rhythm: repetition) To face indescribable scenes, watch all
loves fade to dust and rise up from the ashes a
warrior of love, I knew through watching my best friend’s
journey, that I would never live a life of despair
which encompassed the meth world. I loved Sean so much that I
left. I left all whom I once knew, I left my
family’s home, and I left behind a life which would never be
lived again (Rhythm: repetition) I became an
advocate for high school students speaking publicly about the
unknown dangers of crystal use. I became a
nanny for Sean’s nieces and went into early childhood education
where I held a career for many enjoyable
years. I never saw Sean again as he remained true to his
lifestyle, and I often wonder what ever became of the
one whom inspired me to live a life of love by staying true to
myself and beliefs!
He was the most unlikely to ever inspire, yet inspiration to
forever leave the dark depths encompassing
meth which lead to death, is what this unlikely best friend
passed on to me. The strength, love and wisdom

(reinstate virtues) in which he wholly possessed as his virtues
were the very tools I chose to take with me, as I
built a new foundation confidently, lovingly and with purpose. I
will never forget his words to me, “No matter
where you go, there you are!”

Unit 4—Commemorative (FA2015) Page 1 Unit Five Comme.docx

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Unit 4—Commemorative (FA2015) Page 1 Unit Five Comme.docx