Write an essay describing the person’s life, his or her contributions/achievements, obstacles overcome, interesting anecdotes, and his/her influence on you. Remember to explain “because of this person, I am able to …” Be sure to incorporate several stylistic and rhythmic devices, as discussed in class. Type the manuscript double spaced. Be sure to practice reading it aloud several times
Do your homework – make sure the facts are correct
Grab the audience’s attention with your opening sentences
Talk about the character of the person being commemorated, rather than just giving facts
about him/her
Match your subject to your audience
If you are commemorating an historical event, try to link it with a current event to make it
come alive
Speak about a person/event that really means something to you. Involve yourself in the
speech.
Make your speech brief and eloquent.
Enhance your speech with unusual information.
Summarize what the person means to you.
Leave your audience saying “How interesting.” – “I didn’t know that.”
Aim to express feelings, arouse sentiments, and inspire. Do not just list achievements,
accomplishments, or background information.
Use stylistic devices to enhance imagery, rhythm, and creativity of the speech (i.e., antithesis,
alliteration, parallelism, repetition, similes, metaphors)
STEPS:
Choose a person who has affected/influenced you. Fill in the statement “Because of this person I am able to………….”
Research the person’s life – collect background information, little known facts, interesting anecdotes, etc. –
Think about how this person has impacted your life.
Write an essay starting with background information, or an interesting story about the person
– DO NOT REVEAL THE PERSON’S NAME UNTIL LATER ON –
Paint an interesting picture of some of this person’s achievements, obstacles he/she had to
overcome, experiences, risks he/she took
Describe the influence this person has had on you – perhaps the things you have accomplished
because of this person – has he/she motivated you in some way to take some sort of action?
Reveal the person’s name later in your essay
After you have written at least 2 pages about this person’s life/achievements/influences on
you, GO BACK and start adding stylistic devices to make it sound more creative and interesting
After you are satisfied with what you have written, practice reading it aloud several times
until you are easily able to read it with expression – Be sure to type it double spaced so it is easier to read.
Kate Middleton Abraham Lincoln Nelson Mandela John F. Kennedy Elon Musk
Billy Jean King Winston Churchill
Bill Gates
Muhammad Ali Mahatma Gandhi Mother Theresa Christopher Columbus Charles Darwin
Elvis Presley
Albert Einstein
Paul McCartney Queen Victoria Marie Antoinette Leonardo da Vinci Betty Friedan Jawaharlal Nehru Vincent Van Gogh Franklin D. Roosevelt Thomas Edison Alexander G. Bell Rosa Parks
Neil Armstrong Rachel Carson
SUBJECTS FOR COMMEMORATIVE SPEECHES Sp. 211 Dr. Friedman Warren Buffet
Steve Jobs
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dalai Lama
Walt Disney
J.K. Rowling
Richard Branson Henry Ford
Anne Frank
Helen Keller
Florence Nightingale Michelle Obama
Coco Chanel
Louis Pasteur
Maya Angelou
Amelia Earhart
Jackie Robinson
Jesse Owens Madonna
Malala Yousafzai
Babe Ruth
Stephen Hawking Wright Brothers Alexander Fleming Ben Franklin
Princess Diana
Harriet Beecher Stowe Susan B. Anthony
Last Completed Projects
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