Introduction and Acceptance Speeches

Student Name: ______

Write down the name of your partner: ______

STEP 1: For this activity, you will be interviewing each other and then planning a one-minute speech either introducing an award recipient or accepting an award.

For the first part of the activity, interview your partner, asking the following questions and recording the answers:

1. Give your background (Where are you from geographically? What is your family like?).

2. What talents do you possess?

3. What hobbies do you have?

4. What honors or awards have you been awarded in your life? 5. What is your best characteristic (physical trait, personality trait, etc.)?

6. If you could win any award in the world, what would you want it to be and WHY? YOU CAN CHOOSE AN AWARD THAT ALREADY EXISTS OR YOU CAN MAKE ONE UP.

STEP 2: Now, you need to decide who is going to receive an award and who is going to introduce the award recipient. Record your choices below:

Award Presenter: ______

Award Recipient: ______

STEP 3: Which award are you presenting? You can choose any award in the world, including the answer to number 6 in the award recipient’s interview. It can be funny, creative, or serious…but must be school appropriate! Some ideas are listed below…

Athletic Award (Heisman Trophy, Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young Award, etc.) Scholarship (cash award) Academic Award (Top Speech Student, Highest Average in PE, etc.) Academy Award (Oscars, etc.) Music Award (Grammy, etc.) Record Holder (Best time in a marathon, Fastest shower, etc.) Community Service Award New Invention Award (be creative!) Scientific Discovery Beauty Contest Winner Dance Contest Winner Volunteer Award Job Performance Award (Teacher of the Year, Most Likely to be Right on Time, etc.) Pulitzer Prize Novel Peace Prize Championship (Superbowl, World Series, Gum Chewing Championship)

Which Award are you presenting/receiving? ______

STEP 4: Create/find a prop to be your award that you are presenting/receiving. You can use the art materials at the back of the room or an object in the room to use as your award. It can be a fake check, plaque, or trophy or any object you can find that makes sense as the award.

What is your prop? ______STEP 5: Write your speech for your role. Follow the outlines below and plan your speech on the attached handout. You can choose to either write it out in complete sentences or as an outline.

For the Presenter of the Award (3 minutes max): 1. Make appropriate introductory remarks to the audience, welcoming them to Schaefer Awards Day. 2. Describe the award you are presenting and why the award exists, as well as its history (make it up!) 3. Give information about the recipient of the award from your interview, building the speaker up---but don’t go overboard and embarrass the recipient. Tell anecdotes about the recipient from your interview. 4. Introduce the award winner by name as your last part of the speech.

For the Recipient of the Award: (3 minutes max): 1. Address the audience and show excitement and humility. 2. Express gratitude for the gift and acknowledge the other worthy people nominated for the award. 3. Give thanks and credit where deserved (be creative!), but don’t just list a bunch of people to thank. Thank only a few significant people. 4. Give remarks for your future plans now that you have won this award or tell a funny anecdote. 5. Repeat thank-yous and end with a memorable statement. Write your Speech here…