example campaign speech in classroom

Campaign Speech

When you think of campaign speeches, the first thing that pops out of your mind is election period– be it a presidential election or a school-associated election. But just like a persuasive speech , you must be able to get your message across the public otherwise, they would never vote for you. Sure, you are famous and well-loved by the public, but what makes you different from the rest of the other renowned and beloved politicians and other student leaders? That is where you need to stand out from the rest of your competitors.

• Speech Examples
• Special Occasion Speech

All competitors promise the same thing– programs that will benefit the masses and a better state of living. Take for example the victory of current Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. In the 2016 national elections, he won in a landslide vote. Despite his many controversies and jokes bordering on insults, he is seen as a genuine genuine person who speaks from within (no matter how offensive he may seem). But perhaps what made him win the elections were the promises he made to the Filipino people such as: shifting to a federal form of government, addressing abortion and contraception issues, creating an improved agrarian and tax reform program, and forging a partnership with China while maintaining strong relationships with the United States, among others. You may also see youth speech .

Campaign speeches do not only try to persuade the masses to vote for them, but also to do their best to excite, and motivate, and compensate for weaknesses in other parts of the campaign. Good speakers try their best to make it look natural, but truth be told, it is actually harder than it looks. There are some specific techniques that you can apply in order to make your speech more effective. Whatever purpose your campaign speech will be used for, make sure that you deliver it in a way that will convince everyone that you are the right candidate for the job. You may also see  Self-Introduction Speech .

Listed below are some campaign speech examples you can use:

1. delivering your own student council speech.

Speak slowly.  Never, ever rush your campaign speech. If you do so, you might end up not making sense at all. Even when your content is top-notch, but if your delivery and speaking skills are not really good enough, it will not mean a thing, especially to your audience. Research actually shows that people fear delivering a speech more than death itself. It is perhaps because of the anxiety and tension placed on you as you give your speech. To deal with that, just breathe in the middle of your speech. The moment you begin inhaling and exhaling, use that time to recover the words that you are going to say and then, continue your speech.

Talk to the audience like you’re having a conversation . Talk casually, but not too casually. Remember, when you deliver a campaign speech, the audience is not going to be just your friends, but also your colleagues, peers, former instructors, and people with authority or power. Though it does not hurt to crack a joke once a while to lighten the atmosphere, make sure that it is not only the jokes they recall. Speak casually, yet speak in a way that the public’s undivided attention is needed. You may also see orientation speech .

Keep your words simple and direct. Students are known to have a short attention span which makes it a challenge for the candidates to get all their points across without boring the audience halfway. Deliver it in a way that is short and easy enough to make your audience understand all the points that you are trying to emphasize, especially with your promises. You may also see presentation speech .

Read it aloud to see how it sounds.  Best to try and practice your speech in front of a mirror. Try to visualize yourself speaking in front of the student body. Once you’ve done so, rehearse like it is going to be your first and last speech you will be delivering to the students. If ever you need assistance in doing so, it is best to grab a friend to help guide you on the points you should emphasize. You may also see motivational speech .

2. Structuring a Campaign Speech

Tailor your message to your audience in specific ways. Before you start writing, think about the audience you are addressing. Who is this speech for: the students or the general public? Remember, content is king and presentation is queen. Even though there is no right or wrong way in presenting your speech, each type of audience is different that the same campaign speech would have the same expected impact twice. Understand your audience well enough to make adjustments to your speech as to custom-fit the necessary points you wish to deliver towards them.

Outline your speech. All forms of writing has a beginning, middle and end. Outlining your thoughts first will help you stay on track as you write the speech. The beginning needs to catch people’s attention and raise the questions you’re going to answer. The middle needs to provide the answers, and the end connects the answers back to the questions. In very simple terms: You tell them what you’re going to tell them. Then, you tell them. Then you tell them what you told them.

Make your point quickly. Once you begin your speech with a theme or a main idea, go directly with what you are trying to say. For example, if you beat around the bush too much, you will not be going anywhere. You have to convince them to listen to you. There’s a lot of ways to get this done. You can use a story, a challenge, a joke, or just vividly describe a problem. You just need to get the audience’s attention quickly. Earn their attention and don’t expect it to come to you. You may also see informative speech .

Support your theme. Once you’ve got their attention, don’t let go. The middle of your speech needs to explain the issues you raised in the introduction speech and convince people that you can do something about them, but you need to vary the way you tackle the issues.

You want to have a good mix of facts, feelings, and action. If you only talk facts, your audience will get bored. Only talk feelings, and you’ll wear them out. Only talk action, and it invites disbelief, because you haven’t offered enough factual and emotional support for your argument. You may also see thank-you speech

Raise the stakes at the end. The conclusion is just as important as the introduction. It’s the last chance you have to leave an impression, so make sure they remember you by raising the stakes. Make it bigger than that—something that makes them feel weaker for not supporting you and stronger for supporting you. You may also see appreciation speech .

Play to your strengths. Identify which appeals you have on your side and emphasize those aspects of your argument. Should you be lucky enough to have all three, you don’t have much more to do than make sure all the words of your speech are in the right order. However, most arguments are going to be weaker or stronger in one or more areas.You may also see declamation speech .

If your biggest appeal is associational, your argument is less about specific points than it is about you. Design your speech to emphasize your biography and why it makes you trustworthy. People elect a person, not a set of ideas.

If your biggest appeal is emotional, keep your speech short, so that the audience doesn’t notice the logical flaws. Foe example, adjust your energy level to the audience’s. If they’re agitated, start slowly. If they’re bored, then start off at a higher energy level. Always work to an emotional crescendo, however. Never start at the emotional level you want to finish at. You may also see informative speech .

If your biggest appeal is logical, break up the facts with feeling. You can’t risk boring your audience to death, so you need to break up your logical propositions into bite-sized chunks. Think of it as the spoonful of sugar principle—a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.You may also see welcome speech .

Make your audience understand with clear logical appeals. Logical appeals are actually the strongest appeals, but they are the slowest to take effect. It takes longer to make someone understand a problem than it does to make them mad–or make them believe you’re a part of their group.You may also see farewell speech .

Stoke the passions of your audience with an emotional appeal. Emotional appeals are some of the most powerful appeals, particularly when you want to turn your audience against something or someone.

Whether you end up winning or losing at the end of the day, accept that defeat with grace and humility. Never allow that loss to discourage you in doing better the next time around. Adapt, learn, grow, and observe. Even in victory, there is always room for improvement. The art of persuading others is an art that takes time to master. It is a slow and long process, but you will eventually get there. Keep that head high and walk in confidence! You may also see leadership speech .

Campaign Speech Generator

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write a Campaign Speech announcing your candidacy.

Create a Campaign Speech focusing on key policy proposals.

Student Council Speech Ideas & Tips to Help You Win

Whether you want to be president or head up PR, we've got you covered with tips and example student council speeches.

Lori personal and professional experiences have helped her cultivate a broad writing portfolio, spanning publications on subjects like education and parenting.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Kate is an experienced writer who has written hundreds of articles for publication.

Getting involved in student council is an amazing way to have a little extra influence in your school, but you have to win an election to get that influence. If you want to convince people to vote for you, you'll need a great student council speech that they'll remember on election day.

Serving on your school's student council gives you a say in student activities and a voice with the school administration, and that's a pretty big deal. It also looks good on college applications. However, to make it onto the student council, you'll first need to give a speech and gather votes from the other students. We've got you covered with writing tips, examples, and ideas to give you tons of extra confidence (and hopefully that win you want).

Winning Student Council Speech Ideas

You've probably done a little (or a lot) of persuasive writing in your classes, and you can totally build on that to write a great speech. You'll also want to make your speech memorable and fun to listen to since you need these kids to think of you when it's time to vote.

• Funny Student Council Speech Ideas to Help Everyone Relate to You
• Tips for a Winning Student Council Speech for Treasurer
• Self-Introduction Speech Examples & Tips to Help You Be Confident & Calm

Use these suggestions to help you craft a speech they'll never forget. It's important that you make sure your speech suits your school and position.

Open With a Humorous Story

Start your speech with something that will make everyone laugh . That can be a joke or a hilarious anecdote — there are no wrong answers as long as you amuse people and don't offend them.

• Funny Intro Ideas for Student Council Speeches

Tell What You've Done Already

Next, you need to establish your credibility. Why should people vote for you? Why are you awesome at this role already? Show off your leadership experience and your connections to people in the school or community.

Explain the Role You're Running For

At this point in the speech, you want to clearly state what you want people to do. Tell them what student council role you're hoping to get and that you will do well in this position.

Keep your speech short and to the point and be honest about why you'd like the position regardless of whether it's a big or smaller role. For smaller roles, such as sergeant-at-arms, auditors, or public relations, hone in on what qualifications you have and use vivid examples to keep your audience interested.

Clearly Ask for Their Vote

Finally, you need to make sure you clearly ask people to vote for you. Mention the election day specifically. It's also nice if you offer to answer any questions or chat with people one-on-one.

Make Your Student Council Speech Stand Out

While there are certain traits and promises the student body expects from every candidate's speech, they want to choose one person who stands out from the crowd. Even if you're running for a smaller position, such as a PR officer or sergeant-at-arms, you may need to make a great speech as well in order to get elected. Make your speech the most memorable one in the room.

• Grab a thesaurus and look for synonyms of common words used to describe the position you're running for. When all the other secretarial candidates talk about their attention to detail, you can use words like "meticulous" or "assiduous" to sound different.
• Include visuals like props, a themed outfit, or specific hand gestures to give your speech a multidimensional feel.
• Choose a speech theme to structure your presentation like a specific social media platform, a historical event, or a particular sport. Look for a theme that relates well to the role you want.
• Invent a catchphrase that captures the spirit of your speech to keep the student body talking about it all the way to the polls.
• Add sound effects, song lyrics, or music to give the speech more life.

Student Council Speech Examples for Each Role

Get inspired to write the perfect speech with these examples for each major role. Whether you're hoping to be president or secretary, these samples can help you get started writing your own speech.

Sample Speech for President

Hello, my name is John Doe and I'm a junior. I'm not the type of student who will lead a senior prank or skip class with you, but that probably isn't what you want in a class president anyway. What I do offer is steadfastness, hard work, and the ability to work with others even during difficult circumstances while still keeping a sense of humor.

Last year, when the cafeteria stopped serving the salad bar, I was able to get it reinstated by starting a petition, having many of you sign it, and taking it to Principal Smith. Because we worked together, we were able to bring the salad bar back, and now it's better than ever.

During the last three years at Sample High School, I've been involved in many activities. I've played basketball, spent a short time in the school band, worked on various committees, and helped tutor students after school. Last year, I was adopted into the National Honor Society and started an after school club for airplane enthusiasts that meets once a week.

As your student council president, I vow to end all homework. Just kidding. I can't do that, but what I can do is be your voice with the school administration and work to make this the best year Sample High has ever had. I will introduce ideas for events, such as dances after high school basketball games, and we'll work together to help the community through volunteer work and showing them just how dedicated the students at Sample High are.

I would appreciate your vote for president. If elected, I will continue to fight for the things that are important to students, no matter how big or small they might be. Let's work together to make our stamp on this community and on the world.

If you're running for the highest role in your class or school, your speech really needs to stand out. This is the most competitive race, so make sure you leave people with a clear idea of who you are and what you want to do.

Vice President Speech Example

Instead of starting with my name and what I'm running for, at which point you'll tune me out and start looking at the smudge on your left shoe, I am going to tell you my favorite memory so far from high school. On my first day at Sample High School, I had no idea how to get to my classes. This school is big, and I was lost.

On top of that, I was rushing around trying to find my class and tripped and fell flat on the floor in front of the cutest guy I'd ever seen. Not only was he nice enough to help me up, but several other students rushed to help me, got me to my classroom, and made me feel better about how goofy I was. That was the moment I fell in love with Sample High School. We all help each other and you don't find that just anywhere.

One of the reasons I'm running for Vice President of the student council is that I want to give back to the high school I love so much. I want to be that friendly face for new students coming in and a defender for students already here.

During the last two years, I've prepared myself to serve as Vice President by taking on extra work organizing a fan club for our football players to cheer them on when they play at home and make sure our school is represented in the stands at every away game. I've spent time as an office aid, learning about the everyday running of the school and silently taking notes on what we as students can do to improve things and how we can work with the administration.

As your Vice President, I will stand beside your president, offering support and stepping in when she is not able to be here or asks for some extra help. I'll sit on the student council and get actively involved in planning prom , graduation, and homecoming. I will always be here to listen to your concerns or to help you off the floor should you fall flat on your face like I did.

I am asking for your vote for VP of the student council. I love this school. I want to be helpful, and I want us all to build memories we'll remember and treasure forever. Now, if I can just get off this stage without falling on my face, I'll be in good shape.

A vice presidential speech needs to be highly effective to gain student confidence. This means you need to grab their attention and keep it throughout the speech, as well as clearly telling your audience what you want to accomplish.

Secretary Election Speech Sample

Today, I want to tell you something about me that you might not know. From the time I was five years old, I've been taking guitar lessons. I don't play in a band and I don't take music classes at school, but every night when I get home, I pick up my Fender and I relieve any stress from the day by playing a few of my favorite classic rock songs.

Learning to play a musical instrument takes a lot of time and stubbornness. There are times when I just wanted to quit because my fingers were raw from trying to learn a new chord or that song just didn't sound right. However, I stuck with it until I overcame the challenge and that is exactly what I'll do as your secretary. If there is an issue that needs to be solved, I won't quit until we figure out a solution. I will bring your concerns to the other council members, and like learning a new chord, I will stick with that concern until we figure it out.

I would like your vote for secretary of the student council. You never know, I may even bring my guitar to a student council meeting or two and just set it by my side as a reminder of why we need to work hard to achieve worthwhile things.

In your secretary speech, explain why you are perfect for the role. Highlight your organizational skills, perseverance, and ability to get along with everyone.

Treasurer Election Speech Example

Those of you who already know me probably know that math is my favorite subject. I'm proud of my inner geek, and I think it makes me perfect for the job of Treasurer. The student council treasurer is in charge of keeping track of money and numbers, so this role is a perfect fit for me and I've decided to run for the position.

I've been a member of Jackson High's Mathletes for the last two years. In case you're not familiar with this group, we are a group of students who love math and go out and compete in events. We've won state twice in the last three years. I also am a member of the orchestra. We perform throughout the school year and at school basketball games.

The student council treasurer has to be good at math to keep track of all those numbers. Vote for me, and I'll make sure our numbers add up. I'll also have fun doing it because I'm just crazy enough to love numbers.

• Example Student Council Speech for Treasurer & Tips to Write Yours

A class treasurer needs to show his or her trustworthiness and math abilities during the speech.

Example Speech for Any Student Council Role

Many of you probably know me best for tripping over my feet and falling face-first off the stage during prom. Once I got over that embarrassment, I decided I could face you here today.

From the first day I arrived at Sample High School, I knew I wanted to become more involved. From serving on the school newspaper as the Features Editor to helping plan prom last year, I consistently spend time in leadership roles and try to make this school an even better place than it already is. Many of you probably know me from my work with Key Club and the volunteer time I've spent at Sunnyvale Nursing Home and cleaning up our community park.

It probably won't surprise you that I have decided to run for student council for the role of ___________. As student council _________ (role), I will strive to continue to make improvements in the school for every student here at Sample High. The student council works side-by-side with the student body and the administration to ensure student events throughout the year are successful. As _______, I will ensure that you have a memorable year.

Today, I am asking for your vote for me on election day. Should you elect me, I will listen to your concerns and work hard for you. I'm happy to chat with anyone after this event to answer any questions you might have.

• 9 Science-Backed Ways to Stay Focused on Your Schoolwork

Ways to Add Humor to Your Speech

One of the best election speech ideas for students is to work some humor into your speech. Infusing a bit of humor into your speech can help you better connect with your audience while making your speech really stand out. You can try using silly jokes, sarcasm, or inside jokes that only those who attend your school would get. These ideas might help. 

• Say in a serious tone, "Settle in, I've got about three hours' worth of material to get through."
• After your speech, say, "Okay, now for my speech."
• Use a teacher or principal as a funny example, such as, "I'm as passionate about our school as (insert teacher) and as energetic as (insert teacher) after he/she's finished his/her coffee."
• Say, "I care about this position as much as (teacher) cares about (insert book, movie, or learning principle that teacher speaks about a lot)."
• Say, "I was really nervous to give this speech, so I've been practicing a lot in front of my (insert pet). He/she/they said it could use some work, so I guess I'll just give this my best shot."
• Use self-deprecating humor by saying, "My annoying need to be organized and scheduled would make me a great fit for this position."
• 65+ "Anything But a Backpack" Day Ideas That’ll Make You a School Legend

Deliver the Speech With Confidence

Once you've prepared your speech, practicing a few times alone and in front of an audience can help you get ready to deliver your speech with confidence. Whether your speech is lighthearted and funny or serious and to the point, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Make eye contact with those you are speaking to and don't focus too heavily on one person.
• If you make a mistake, keep going. No one knows what your speech is supposed to sound like.
• Practice some deep breathing exercises or mindfulness beforehand to calm nerves. Remember to take deep breaths throughout your speech and speak a bit slower than you normally would, as nerves can cause you to speak more rapidly.
• Visualize yourself doing your speech well the morning of it.

Make Your Election Speech Memorable

Whether you use one of the samples listed here or write an entirely new speech, be sure to put a personal touch on the speech. By focusing on what makes you unique, your passions, and your skills, you will show confidence in front of your classmates and let them see a side of you they may not have seen before. Whether you win or lose the election, you can hold your head high and know you gave the speech your best.

• Games, topic printables & more
• The 4 main speech types
• Example speeches
• Commemorative
• Declamation
• Demonstration
• Informative
• Introduction
• Student Council
• Speech topics
• Poems to read aloud
• How to write a speech
• Using props/visual aids
• Acute anxiety help
• Breathing exercises
• Letting go - free e-course
• Using self-hypnosis
• Delivery overview
• 4 modes of delivery
• How to make cue cards
• How to read a speech
• 9 vocal aspects
• Vocal variety
• Diction/articulation
• Pronunciation
• Speaking rate
• How to use pauses
• Eye contact
• Body language
• Voice image
• Voice health
• Public speaking activities and games
• About me/contact
• Speech examples
• Student Council speeches | Secretary

Student Council speech | Secretary

An example campaign speech for secretary

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 09-16-2023

So, you're running for the Student Council Secretary position and want to see a sample campaign speech to help you write one of your own.

There's an example below, as well as a list of the main tasks * of the Student Council Secretary. You'll want to be thoroughly familiar with all of them before you can begin on your speech!

• Student Council Secretary main tasks list
• Example Student Council Secretary speech
• Student Council speech printable planner and outline
• More Student Council speech resources

* (My list is general. Your school may have specific requirements that I've not noted. Double check to ensure you know what would be good to highlight in your speech prior to writing it.)

Student Council Secretary - main tasks

Are you organized? Are you good at communicating: making sure everyone knows what's going on?  How are your administrative skills?

To be worthy of a YES vote from your fellow students you need all three of them!

The role of Student Council Secretary is key to ensuring the council functions smoothly and communicates effectively with students, faculty, and administration.

The main tasks and responsibilities of the position are:

• Record keeping : Maintaining accurate records of all council meetings which includes taking the minutes, preparing the agendas, and noting attendance. Ensuring that the minutes of meetings are distributed to Council members and, when necessary, to the student body.
• Correspondence and communication : Handling communication between the council, students, teachers, and administration. Relaying important information, announcements, and decisions made by the council to the student body.
• Meeting preparation : Assisting in the preparation of meeting agendas in collaboration with the Council President or the Student Advisor. Distributing agendas and other required relevant information to council members before meetings.
• Attendance tracking : Keeping track of attendance at council meetings and reporting any issues to the Student Council President or to the Student Council advisor. For example: repeated unexplained absenteeism or lateness.
• Archiving and documentation : Maintaining an organized archive of past meeting minutes, agendas, and other relevant documents for reference.
• Elections and voting : Assisting in organizing and overseeing Student Council elections, including the nomination processes and voting procedures.
• Committee support : Collaborating with other council members and committees to help them achieve their goals by providing administrative support.
• Event calendar maintenance + event planning : Maintaining/updating the school's event calendar Assisting in planning and organizing school events, fundraisers, and community service initiatives sponsored by the Student Council.
• Community outreach : Participating in or supporting outreach efforts to engage with the student body, gathering feedback, and promoting student council activities.
• Advocacy and representation : Serving as a voice for the student body by representing their concerns, ideas, and suggestions during council meetings.
• Collaboration and teamwork : Working closely with the Student Council President, Vice President, Treasurer, and other members to ensure the council operates effectively and achieves its goals.
• Adherence to bylaws : Ensuring that the Student Council operates in accordance with its constitution or bylaws and helping update these documents when necessary.
• Problem solving : Assisting in addressing and finding solutions to issues and challenges faced by the student body.
• Promotion of school spirit : Encouraging school spirit and pride through involvement in pep rallies, spirit weeks, and other activities that foster a sense of unity and belonging.

Return to Top

Example Secretary speech for Student Council

To get a good idea of how this speech works, read it through a couple of times and then try it out loud.

It's 474 words long which will take just over 3 minutes to say , depending on your  speech rate .

Don't you just love writing up notes, and scheduling activities? No? { said with a big smile ☺}

Fellow students, teachers, and staff of Cherry Landing College, fortunately I do!

That's why I'm here standing in front of you today. My name is Sam Smith, and I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to serve you as your Student Council Secretary.

Excellent communication and organizational skills are essential for this role. As anybody who knows me knows, I have both of those, along with the determination to use them to benefit all of us.

The success of a Student Council is to a large extent determined by the efficiency and effectiveness of its communications.  As your Secretary, I will make it my primary mission to ensure that information flows smoothly between the student body, teachers, and administration.

We know what happens when it doesn't flow as it should. And we don't like it. People feel excluded. Assumptions are made. Things quickly become unnecessarily chaotic - something we want to avoid!

Now, excellence in communication is underpinned by excellence in organizational skills. The first is impossible without the latter.

Again,  I am known for my attention to detail and my ability to keep things well and thoroughly organized. From recording meeting minutes to maintaining a comprehensive calendar of events, you can rely on me to work diligently to keep our council running efficiently - a chaos free zone.

However, being Secretary isn't just about fulfilling administrative tasks well. It's about being a dedicated advocate for all of you. I promise to represent your interests and work to address any issues or challenges that may arise during the school year.

Whether it's improving the school facilities, advocating for more extracurricular activities, or addressing concerns about the cafeteria menu, I will be your voice. 

Whoever you are, I promise to actively listen to your concerns, suggestions, and ideas, and to ensure that they are brought to the attention of the council.

In addition, I am fully committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration within our school. I will actively seek out opportunities to bring students from different backgrounds and interests together. By doing so, together we will create a stronger, more united student body  - a microcosm of the society we want to live in - one that supports us all.  

In conclusion, I am ready and eager to serve as your Secretary. I bring a passion for communication, organization, and advocacy to this role. But most importantly, I bring a resolve to represent each and every one of you to the best of my ability.

Together, we can make our school a place where every student's voice is heard, and where positive change is always possible.

I ask for your support and your vote. Sam Smith for Secretary! Together, we can make a difference. Thank you.

Get a blank Student Council speech planner

Click on the image below to open a downloadable printable student council speech planner and outline pdf. (Please note it will open in a new window.)

More resources for Student Council Speeches

If you've arrived on this page without seeing this one: Student Council Speeches , I highly recommend reading it before planning or writing your speech for Student Council Secretary.

You'll find:

• a list of important points you'll want to consider carefully before you start,
• another 2 example speeches - Student Council President and Student Council Vice President,
• tips for rehearsal or practice, and more.

Go to Student Council Speeches .

And click this link if you'd like to read an example Student Council speech for Treasurer .

speaking out loud 

Subscribe for  FREE weekly alerts about what's new For more see  speaking out loud  

Top 10 popular pages

• Welcome speech
• Demonstration speech topics
• Impromptu speech topic cards
• Thank you quotes
• Impromptu public speaking topics
• Farewell speeches
• Phrases for welcome speeches
• Student council speeches
• Free sample eulogies

From fear to fun in 28 ways

A complete one stop resource to scuttle fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter.

Useful pages

• Search this site
• About me & Contact
• Blogging Aloud
• Free e-course
• Privacy policy

©Copyright 2006-24 www.write-out-loud.com

Designed and built by Clickstream Designs

Vote for Me! Developing, Writing, and Evaluating Persuasive Speeches

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

To deliver an effective persuasive speech, students must formulate logical arguments and back them up with examples. In this lesson, students will study political campaign speeches to explore the characteristics of effective persuasive speechwriting and oral argument. While using an online tutorial and looking at examples, students learn what makes a strong speech. A second online tool helps them learn how to formulate a persuasive argument. Students then apply this information in two ways: by writing their own speeches and evaluating others'.

Featured Resources

ReadWriteThink Persuasion Map : Use this interactive tool for any lesson in which students need to create a piece of persuasive writing.

From Theory to Practice

• Persuasive writing can take many forms including essays, letters to the editor, classified advertisements, and speeches.
• In political speeches, writers use precision to make the speech more easily understood.
• In a short persuasive speech, it's important to have an introduction that states the position of the speech clearly; this is followed by at least three pieces of evidence to support the position.
• Students should examine the various ways persuasion is used in everyday life before they begin writing their own persuasive pieces.
• Persuasive writing is easily incorporated into content areas such as science and social studies.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Computers with Internet access
• LCD projector and screen
• Persuasive Speech Checklist
• Persuasive Speech Rubric

Preparation

Student objectives.

Students will

• Develop critical thinking skills by learning about the characteristics of an effective speech, both how it is written and how it is delivered, and then applying these criteria to sample speeches
• Formulate an argument, including the use of examples to support a thesis, using an online tool that helps them organize their ideas
• Develop skills in persuasive writing and oral delivery by writing a one-minute persuasive speech and presenting it to a small group of their peers
• Interpret and evaluate persuasive arguments using a rubric to assess their peers' speeches

Session 1: The Characteristics of a Strong Speech

Session 2: persuasive writing, session 3: effective speech delivery, session 4 convincing their classmates.

• Explore the "Record It" section on the Speechwriting website. Listen to the student speeches and discuss and evaluate them using the Persuasive Speech Rubric . You can also have students record their speeches for the site.
• View and discuss some actual campaign speeches and compare them to the students' speeches.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Observe student participation in the initial discussions about what constitutes an effective speech. Collect the Persuasive Speech Rubrics from the first session's discussion and review them to make sure students are correctly applying the criteria to the sample speech. If you observe some consistent misconceptions, address these at the beginning of Session 2.
• Review each student's Persuasion Map and speech and offer him or her feedback using the Persuasive Speech Rubric.
• Observe students both when they are practicing their speeches and while they are working in their groups. Review the completed Persuasive Speech Rubrics to determine that they understand how to apply the criteria to evaluate a persuasive speech.
• Strategy Guides
• Lesson Plans
• Calendar Activities
• Student Interactives

Through a classroom game and resource handouts, students learn about the techniques used in persuasive oral arguments and apply them to independent persuasive writing activities.

Election Day is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

• Print this resource

Explore Resources by Grade

• Kindergarten K

How to start a speech for students (Ultimate opening lines)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Topics , Speech Writing

Schools and their love for speeches is an affair we are all quite aware of. Now if you are looking to move beyond the mundane way of delivering speeches in school and are in search of some amazing speech openings for students, you are at the right place!

Speeches are the most common form of public speaking that is encouraged in schools . Be it for a competition, assignment, presentation, or even as a punishment (oops), speeches are everywhere in a student’s life.  

To get a quick idea on speech opening lines for students , don’t forget to check out our video on 3 speech opening lines for students!

But before we dive into understanding how to go about your speeches, it is important to first understand why educational institutes focus so much on speeches or public speaking in general that they begin introducing us to speeches as early as primary sections.

Why is speech encouraged in Primary school?

It is a common practice to give the students a little idea about giving speeches as early as primary school. Part of the reason is that these are the foundational years and form as a stepping stone for the students to get a little more used to public speaking as they move to higher classes .

A couple of ways students in primary schools may be asked to give speeches would be to introduce themselves or at competitions like fancy dress competitions.

What is the use of speech in high school?

In high school, as students gain more understanding about the world at large and develop their opinions, giving speeches is encouraged in school to help them navigate their thoughts to their peers. Further, speeches as a form of public speaking also help build the student’s soft skills .

A few ways giving speeches in high school can help in developing their soft skills are:

1. critical thinking.

Speeches aren’t about blurting out your ideas or opinions, rather it requires you to research and find evidence to back your point of view, or to think critically to deliver a speech that effectively reaches the other students.

2. Problem-solving

Speeches could be framed around a popular or controversial issue that the student wishes to provide their insight into. This would encourage them to come up with solutions. Apart from that, even coming up with a speech can be a task sometimes, and overcoming those challenges too can be counted in as a way of problem-solving

3. Time-management

With a huge number of students in high school, speeches are almost always time-bound. This also means that the students have to structure their speeches in a way that fits the time given, further inculcating time management skills in them.

4. Active listening

Speeches are not only about delivering or conveying your ideas or findings but also about listening carefully to what others have to say in terms of questions that may ask.

Why is speech required at college?

Speeches in college have an entirely different goal than the one that schools have.

In college, it isn’t always mandatory to give speeches or to participate in public speaking. However, a few reasons why giving speeches or public speaking is encouraged in colleges is because:

• It helps in developing communication and public speaking skills that can be very beneficial to their professional life later.
• Speeches may also be a way to meet new people and make new connections.
• It improves the student’s leadership skills. How? We have all heard how a good speaker carries with him or her the potential to influence and lead the crowd, and that is how practicing public speaking in college helps improve a student’s leadership skills.

When can students be asked to give a speech?

As we just discussed that the purpose of giving speeches changes as we progress in our school. However, there are a couple of situations where mostly all students are expected to present their speech. And they are:

Classroom/section speeches

Classroom or section speeches are the ones you give in front of your classmates or people from your age group. Generally, the presentation of assignments and competitions comes under this category.

Graduation Speech

Students may also be expected to present a graduation speech . However, the big difference here is that not everyone gets the opportunity to present a graduation speech or commencement address as it is known.

What type of speech is a graduation speech? Or what type of speech is a commencement speech?

Graduation speeches or commencement speeches are parting speeches wherein the focus is on reflecting on the good times in the institute and motivating others for their bright future ahead. Depending on the purpose as selected by the speaker, these speeches could be persuasive, informative, or entertaining in nature . 

How to start a speech as a student 

Giving speeches as a student, even if you have been doing it for the past few years can still end up being a little challenging.  But rather than giving you tons of tips on things you can focus on while coming up with your speech or speech openings for students, we have got one ultimate tip . If you follow that, you should ideally be able to reach your audience more effectively.

Ultimate tip when writing speeches or speech openings for students

Write how you speak, not how you write.

When I came across this tip, I was surprised too. Because is indeed true that we write very differently when we have to show the speech to someone in written form but if asked honestly, do we speak in such a highly polished, extra professional vocabulary?

The idea is not to write the speech or speech opening riddled with slang but rather in a way that you’d feel comfortable listening to and understanding easily had you been the listener.

So in short, prepare the speech with the listener in mind, not the reader .

What is a good opening line for a speech?

Most opening lines for speech in school begin with a good morning.  We usually follow it with greetings or addressing the audience and the guests.

Wondering how you greet everyone in a speech?

Here is a list of ways you can begin with a simple good morning:

• Good morning everyone presents here today. I’m delighted to present my views and understanding on a very delicate yet overlooked topic; Gender sensitization in the workplace.
• Good afternoon esteemed members of the jury, my friends and peers, and everyone present in the room today.
• Good morning to the faculty, the non-teaching staff, and the class of 2022!!

Now it is a good practice to begin your speech with your usual greetings. However, in this blog, we are trying to look beyond the usual.

It doesn’t mean that you will not be saying good morning or your basic greetings; the only difference is that you’ll not be opening your speech with it but addressing these basic formalities later in the speech.

How do you start a speech without saying good morning?

There are a couple of ways you can start a speech without saying good morning. Here are some of the ways we will take a look at in this blog:

• “Imagine” scenario
• “What if” scenario
• Rhetorical questions
• Statistics and figures
• Powerful statements

Quotes are phrases or things spoken by someone influential . Quotes as speech openings for students can not only help them go beyond the widely popular way of beginning any speech but will also help them establish credibility right in the very beginning!

Now if you have ever wondered,

How to start your speech with a quote?

Here are a couple of examples of using quotes as speech openings for students:

Lon Watters had said that “A school is a building with four walls, with tomorrow inside.” And it would be wrong if I said that I didn’t agree with every bit of what he said. As we come to an end of our journey with this school that has provided us with tons of opportunities to learn, grow, interact and make memories we sure will cherish forever…

“If you don’t have a plan for your life, somebody else does.” This is a quote given by Michael Hyatt and isn’t it something we have all been experiencing all these years of growing up as our parents or guardians make plans for us right from the way we dress to the school we go to and sometimes even the careers we choose. Good morning everyone, I am Myra, a student of XYZ school standing here to voice my opinion on “Factors that influence your career decisions.”

 2. “Imagine” Scenario

This happens to be a personal favorite of mine when it comes to speech openings for students. A very simple yet beautiful way to engage your audience right at the beginning of your speech while at the same time allowing them to relate to what you’ll be saying next is what the image” scenarios are all about.

Before we begin, I’d like you to take a moment and imagine walking through a trail. You see the lush greens and pretty sky above you, the most dynamic clouds following everyone you go. Try sniffing the smell of wet soil and a hint of flowery fragrance as you walk towards the edge of the hill expecting to take a glimpse of the utter beauty that these hours of walking would lead you to, but you find something else. You see something that sends chills down your spine. There are some strange men performing rituals right in the very heart of these dense greens. You wonder what it is all about until it hits you; you have just uncovered a cult.

For the next example, I’d like you to take a look at the video below and check for yourself how wonderfully the speaker (although not a student) has made use of the “imagine” scenario to share his tragic experience with his audience.

Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.

3. “What If” Scenario

What if I told you that the best speech openings for students are actually the ones wherein they come up with an opening that best represents their style and comfort at delivering speeches, be it with a joke or a story?

Do you see what I did there?

That is an example of a “what if” scenario. It is similar to the imagination scenario we discussed above but the only difference here is that “what if” speech openings for students focus on providing an alternative idea to the audience while the imagined scenarios provide the audience an opportunity to relate to the speaker.

4. Rhetorical question

Rhetorical questions are questions the speaker includes in his/her/their speech that doesn’t necessarily require the audience to come up with an answer but are posed to get the audience thinking on the same.

Using rhetorical questions as speech openings for students can work wonders especially when you are looking for either a very quick speech opening or have very little time to deliver the speech.

An example of using rhetorical questions for speech opening is given below:

Talking about the new policy that makes it illegal to check the gender of the child before birth, do you think that it will curb the issue of female foeticide? Or will it simply take the activity underground?

The art of silence is phenomenal. Opening your speech in silence can help enhance your speech in two ways.

First, it will give the audience some time to settle in , post which you can expect to grab their dedicated attention. And secondly, silence would give you some time to understand the room and calm your pre-stage anxiousness .

6. Statistics and figures

Want to begin your speech on a hard-hitting and eye-opening note?

Show the numbers, the figures, and any statistics that serve your purpose for giving the speech.

It is very common to overlook the seriousness of any situation when you aren’t aware of the real extent of its seriousness. But when we have numbers in front of us, there is no more room for being in denial.

Examples of using Statistics or figures as speech openings for students

• According to the 2019 WWF report , on average, we consume about 1,769 microplastic particles every week. 1769 microplastic particles every single week, can you imagine that?
• 3.2 million teenagers between the age of 12-17 were depressed in the US as of 2017. Now you can only assume the number has increased over the past 5 years.

7. Powerful  Statements

Powerful statements are statements that try to break any common ideologies held by the public. Another example of a powerful statement is stating a fact or idea that isn’t openly spoken .

The video below is one such example of how the speaker tries to break a perception generally held by the people.

How often have we been told to include stories in our speech?

Almost every time isn’t it? So here we are to bombard you yet again by saying that stories are extremely fun and engaging forms of speech openings for students.

You can either share your experience or someone else’s story.

You can also refer to a Recent Conversation by starting your speech with something like “Just the other day as I was walking out of my Philosophy lecture, I asked Mr.Dee about his philosophy on life, and what he said was so eye-opening that I could not wait to share with all of you.”

An adorable example of how to begin a speech with a story is given below to help you get a clearer idea.

Examples of speech openings for students

Speech opening lines for public speaking competitions.

When it comes to public speaking competitions like elocutions, speech competitions, or even presentations, it is almost always recommended to begin with self-introduction . The reason is quite simple; there is a high chance that your audience might not know you .

But if you don’t want to begin with a self-introduction, you can start by using any of the alternatives we discussed earlier. Click here to go back and take another peek at it.

Speech Opening Lines for Self-introductions

Speech openings for self-introductions need to be simple, to the point yet descriptive.

Wait a minute? Wasn’t I contradicting myself in that line?

Yes, but that is how opening lines for self-introductions would ideally work. As people expect you to talk about yourself in depth in the rest of your speech, your opening lines would just be a teaser about yourself.

2 most important things to add in your self-introduction opening lines for students

• What do you do?

Other things that you can talk about in these opening lines include:

• Where are you from?
• What is your goal?
• What does your organization do?
• A little bit about your family

Examples of opening lines for students

Good morning, I am Reini. I recently graduated from BMU college and have since been working as a Design intern at Desgynopedia. 

Hello and good evening everyone. I am Nicole and this is my team, Alina, Tim, Harold, and Noman. We are in our senior year majoring in Organizational psychology. Today we would like to talk about the 5 main Psychological factors that impact any organization’s overall performance.

Hey, I am Nizan. I am a nerd for Political Science and Greek Philosophy and am currently majoring in the same. My love for the subjects is also the reason why I am here to present a topic I found very intriguing “The injustice behind socrates’ death.”

Funny speech opening lines for students

If you are giving a speech for a competition, one of the most fun ways of opening your speech could be to say “Good morning to the faculty, my friends, and (look at the opponents) others.”

Other funny opening line examples:

• I almost bunked school today until I realized that this speech carries marks and I sure don’t want to be in a class with our juniors. Just imagine! Who could do that?
• Hello and good morning to everyone, except the ones who are well prepared for their speeches today.
• Hello everyone, I’m excited to present my speech on XYZ’s topic today. I mean come on, what could be better than waking up at 7 am on a Monday morning to give a speech?
• Today I’ll be talking about XYZ because I was told to!

Best Speech Opening Lines by students

1. chase dahl.

In one of the funniest speech opening lines by students, Chase Dahl opens up by saying “You know I have never understood how imagining the audience naked was supposed to make you less nervous. Honestly, I’m just uncomfortable right now.”

2. Kyle Martin (The King’s Academy)

Yet another Valedictorian speech that has caught our eye is the one given by Kyle Martin. The reason we would suggest you take a look into the opening lines of his speech is so that you can take notes on how beautifully he has described the efforts taken by every department of the institute as he tries to thank them for their efforts.

Presentation Opening Lines

Presentation speeches are a little different compared to your usual speeches and the major reason for that is because now you have access to visuals or your PPT.

Besides some of the ways already discussed above, you can begin the presentation by pointing out a particular slide. You can show your audience a graph, table, pictures, or any other creative and eye-catching ideas that can also turn out to be an amazing presentation opening.

How to start a presentation speech example for students

A few common ways you can open your speech are:

• Hello everyone, I am Miya. I would first like to thank you all for your time.
• For those who don’t know me, my name is Nazia, and if you do know me, hello again!
• Good afternoon to all you wonderful people present here. I am Ryan and as you can see on screen, today I’ll be speaking on “The hazards of drinking from plastic bottles.”

For more examples of opening lines check out 50 Speech Opening Lines .

You might also like to know:

How to start a speech for the student council.

Speeches for student council are usually persuasive. They are your pitch to convince your fellow students to vote for you and help you get the position you are looking for.

So ideally, you should start by addressing everyone in the room . Then make a point to introduce yourself. Once you have introduced yourself, remind the audience why you are speaking which means let them know the position you are campaigning for. Bring up at least 1-2 issues that the students are most concerned about and tell them how if elected you’ll provide solutions to their issues.

Try to end it on a high note and don’t forget to add your campaign slogan .

You can also begin by stating your campaign slogan .

Yet another way to begin your speech for the student council is by challenging your opponent’s point of view or campaign . However, this would work only f you have a better strategy or solutions to the issues raised by your opponents.

Lastly, do something that no one expects from you . Let me share a story here to help you understand this point better. During one of the student council speeches, one candidate asked the audience to stand up, move a step in the front then go back to their seats and settle down. Following this, she said, “My parents told me if I could move the audience, I’d win.” And so she did win!

What is a speech class?

A speech class in high school or college is usually a short course or 1-semester course wherein the student is expected to improve on their public speaking skills along with critical thinking and active listening skills.

It essentially enhances their oral communication skills.

This also reminds me to introduce you to our courses that help enhance your public speaking and communication skills. If you are interested, head to Frantically Speaking .

But if your appetite for learning more about opening speeches isn’t satiated yet, we suggest you go check out our Video on the Powerful speech opening lines.

To Conclude

There are tons of ways to get creative with speech openings for students. From saying a simple good morning to adding stories, quotes, statistics, rhetorical questions, and even silence!

Get creative with your speech openings. As we always say, there are no right or wrong ways of public speaking as such, only a way that suits perfectly for you is the one that is right for you.

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

Call or Text? Deciphering the Best Communication Method for Every Situation

Spontaneous Speaking Skills for Any Situation

Keep Your Cool: 8 Strategies to Control Emotions While Speaking

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

How to Write a Campaign Speech for Kids

How to give an annual day speech in school.

Writing a campaign speech for kids isn't all child's play. Children are smart and informed voters, and can tell when you are lying about giving out free chocolate every Friday after you are elected. Your speech has to stand out and catch their attention, usually in under two minutes. Writing a good and appropriate children's campaign speech increases your chances for winning the election.

Start off with a good, clean, short joke. The children hear speech after speech and are going to start to tune out what is said. You need to say something to catch their attention. Getting them to laugh will give them a little break.

Introduce yourself and declare the office that you are running for. Not making yourself known could be a big mistake later when the children are voting and remember who you are.

Talk about what you will do if elected. Everyone has ideas about how the school could be run better — maybe more vending machines in the cafeteria, maybe off-campus lunches, maybe getting to wear shorts on Friday. Tell your peers how you will work hard to change things for the better.

Thank the students for their time. Remember to be gracious and to treat the audience and the other candidates alike.

Keep the speech short. Usually, you will be given a time limit of up to two minutes. Make sure that you do not run over or you could be disqualified.

• Coin a slogan that you can use on your posters and in your speech.
• Do not make any promises that you are not willing to keep. Nobody likes a liar.

Related Articles

Lesson Plan Ideas for Preschool for the Theme Good Manners

Games or Activities About School Bus Safety

How To Write A Salutatorian Speech

Ideas for a School Carnival Jail

How to Write a Speech to Welcome People to an Event

How to Teach Kids About Germs & Hygiene

School Fair Game Ideas

Teaching Citizenship to First Graders

• Write Out Loud: How to Write a Speech for Kids

Chance E. Gartneer began writing professionally in 2008 working in conjunction with FEMA. He has the unofficial record for the most undergraduate hours at the University of Texas at Austin. When not working on his children's book masterpiece, he writes educational pieces focusing on early mathematics and ESL topics.

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

Tips for Writing Better Class Officer Speeches

Table of Contents

To win your class leadership election or get unanimously chosen, you need to talk to your audience and win them to your side.

Writing a memorable class leadership speech can be daunting and challenging. There are many thoughts in your head. You want to make a good first impression on fellow students and show your capability. But it is possible to deliver an effective and impactful address with the right strategies and techniques in mind.

This article shows you how to write a class office speech that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

How to Write a Class Office Speech

A class office speech is an essential part of a student’s journey in gaining leadership and inspiring others .

Knowing how to write a class office speech can be the difference between having a lasting impression on your peers or being forgotten quickly. To ensure that you deliver a speech that has an impact, below are five steps for writing a powerful class office speech. 

1. Introduce Yourself

First, start by introducing yourself and why you want to be a leader. It’s important to explain what sets you apart from other candidates and highlight your skills and qualifications. Don’t forget to include any experience relevant to the role.

Make sure to include why you’re passionate about leading the class and have clear goals in mind that will help develop the school environment. This introduction should capture the audience’s attention; use interesting and captivating language while conveying enthusiasm.

2. Connect With the Audience

Focus on connecting with your audience through stories, facts, and emotion. Showing genuine interest in them and understanding their experiences is key.

Illustrate ideas with examples that they can relate to and make them feel like you are speaking directly to them. Use simple language to explain complex concepts without overwhelming listeners, and keep your sentences concise for easy comprehension. 

3. Show Energy and Enthusiasm

Third, build excitement within your speech. Your content needs to flow naturally and reflect enthusiasm.

Use uplifting phrases such as “I’m excited to work together and achieve our goals!” and generate buzz by building suspense into your address. Additionally, avoid using jargon which may confuse your audience.

4. Express Your Gratitude to Stakeholders

Thank everyone who helped you along your campaign journey-from teachers and friends to family members and voters.

Demonstrate gratitude towards those around you and take the time to recognize volunteers and other leaders in the school community. Also, express appreciation for all students presents and acknowledge their support in choosing you as their leader.

5. Proofread

Like any other written piece, read your speech again to make sure there is no mistake. If you only have one person to read it to, that’s all the more important. While it may sound easy to write a speech, especially with the outline, the speech needs to be practiced over and over again.

Examples of Class Office Speech

Below are some examples of well-written class office speeches generated with the Hey INK tool.

Greetings students, 

I’m sure you all remember me from the student council last year. I am here again today to canvass for your votes to become your class leader. With my extensive experience in problem-solving and organizing school events, I believe I have the best qualities to become your class leader. 

I’ve been active in our school’s community since freshman year, where I gained invaluable knowledge about how to lead with humility and confidence. My time on the student council has provided me with a platform to be heard and amplify other people’s voices. As your class leader, I promise to continue being an advocate for those who feel unheard or discouraged by the current system of representation. 

I also recognize that we need to take tangible steps toward meaningful change. That is why, if chosen as your class leader, I will prioritize formulating policies that are both inclusive and equitable. We should strive to make our school environment more welcoming, safe, and respectful of all backgrounds. This means holding ourselves accountable when necessary and proactively creating measures that ensure fairness across the board. 

In conclusion, I ask you to please consider voting for me as your next class leader. My combination of enthusiasm, practicality, and leadership skills makes me the ideal candidate for this role. With every vote cast for me, you would be investing in making our school a better place for everyone. Thank you for taking the time to hear out my candidacy!

Greetings, everyone. I hope this day finds you all well! My name is [Name], and I’m running for class president. As we look to the future, there are a few things that stand out to me as integral components of our successful path forward. 

I have spent a lot of time considering how best to run and manage our school efficiently and effectively. After much deliberation, I believe it’s essential for us to emphasize developing strong leadership skills and building meaningful connections between students and faculty. 

I plan on leveraging my past experiences in order to bring forth initiatives to ensure an enriching environment for every student. Specifically, I will work to increase student participation in clubs and raise awareness about mental health issues. In addition, I plan to develop strategies to reduce bullying in the classrooms. 

As your class president, I can promise to always try to understand your needs and make decisions with those needs in mind. To me, success is only achieved when each individual has had their voice heard. With that being said, if elected, I will actively listen to the concerns and opinions of fellow classmates before making any important decisions. 

Overall, I am ready to take on the challenge of leading our class together toward a better tomorrow. It would be an honor and privilege to serve as your class president. Thank you for taking the time to hear my thoughts — let’s end this off by working together, so we can reach our full potential!

Greetings everyone! I’m standing here today with a question that needs an answer: who should be the class president? Let me tell you why it should be me. 

I have great experience in this field, having been a student leader for multiple years and serving as treasurer of our class last year. My tenure has allowed me to gain invaluable knowledge about how things work around here and how best we can propel our school forward. I think it’s important for any potential leader to have insight into the structure and dynamics of their position – something I am well-acquainted with. 

I’m also a personable individual, eager to help out my peers whenever they are in need. It is clear that there are certain problems that our school is facing which require immediate attention. Problems like low graduation rates and bullying in the hallways must be solved. I know these issues inside and out, so I can provide solutions that would not only benefit our community but also make tangible change. Plus, I’m committed to making sure everyone feels heard, respected, and valued regardless of race, gender identity, or sexual orientation. 

I believe I have all the necessary qualities to be a successful class president: expertise, empathy, and ambition. That’s why I invite you to join me in this endeavor. Together, we can find a way to create a brighter future for our beloved school. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Final Thoughts

If you are planning on giving a class election speech, you should follow our tips on  how to write a class office speech . The most important tip is to make a good case for your candidacy.

The speech should be enthusiastic, and you should show appropriate amounts of energy . Revising and proofreading your speech is crucial to making it as professional looking as possible.

Be creative when it comes to delivering your speech. Employ various methods of engagement, such as body movements, facial expressions, vocal variations, pauses, and hand gestures.

Vary the speed at which you speak and occasionally pause to emphasize key points in your speech. Doing this creates intrigue throughout your presentation and adds character to the words you say.

With a good speech, you can go into the election feeling confident about your chances of winning the election.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Write A Speech Articles

How to write a great welcome speech.

Writing an effective welcome speech is a form of art. It requires a delicate balance of knowledge, wit, charm, and…

• Write A Speech

Effective Guide: How to Write a Salutatorian Speech

Writing an effective salutatorian speech is a challenging yet rewarding experience. It takes creativity, dedication, and plenty of practice to…

Key Guide: How to Write a Great Memorial Speech

Writing a memorable memorial speech that captures the life and legacy of your loved one can be an incredibly daunting…

Better Guide: How to Write a Funny Valedictorian Speech

Writing a funny valedictorian speech can be both challenging and rewarding. For those who have the knowledge, experience, and wit…

Writing A Unique & Memorable Wedding Ceremony Speech

People around you, whether family, friends, or acquaintances, will get married someday. And you might be tasked with delivering the…

Unleashing Success: Motivational Speech to Inspire Students

Success is a journey, not a destination. It is a continuous process of striving, learning, and growing–something every student should…

• Teacher Opportunities
• AP U.S. Government Key Terms
• Bureaucracy & Regulation
• Campaigns & Elections
• Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
• Comparative Government
• Constitutional Foundation
• Criminal Law & Justice
• Economics & Financial Literacy
• English & Literature
• Environmental Policy & Land Use
• Executive Branch
• Federalism and State Issues
• Foreign Policy
• Gun Rights & Firearm Legislation
• Immigration
• Interest Groups & Lobbying
• Judicial Branch
• Legislative Branch
• Political Parties
• Science & Technology
• Social Services
• State History
• Supreme Court Cases
• U.S. History
• World History

Log-in to bookmark & organize content - it's free!

• Bell Ringers
• Lesson Plans
• Featured Resources

Lesson Plan: Historic Campaign Speeches

Introduction to Historic Campaign Speeches

Andrew Carroll talked about the power and significance of presidential speeches throughout U.S. history.

Description

This lesson features several notable examples of historic presidential campaign speeches, based on C-SPAN's 2024 television series of the same name. The lesson opens with an introductory video clip in which author Andrew Carroll talks about the power and significance of presidential speeches throughout U.S. history. From there, students then engage in a choice engagement activity, choosing to study one of fifteen historic campaign speeches, including those from Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, John McCain, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio, and Joe Biden. After students complete their portion of the choice activity, they then each engage in a small group review to compare their selected speeches, assess whether they think each speech qualifies as 'historic,' and reflect on how campaign speeches change over time, location, purpose, and with the specific candidate. Finally, students respond to a summative writing prompt that asks them to reflect on the lesson's introductory video clip and "assess the importance of power and significance in campaign speeches."

This lesson offers several options for you to use with your students whether you are teaching in class, using a hybrid model, or engaging through distance learning. It can be completed in steps as a class or students can move at their own pace and complete the activities independently.

You can post links to the videos in the lesson along with the related handout and engage in discussion to share responses on a discussion board or learning management system.

You can also save and share the following Google resource for students to use with this lesson.

Handout: Choice Board (Google Doc).

In Google, choose "File" then "Make a Copy" to get your own copy. You can make any needed adjustments in the instructions such as which activities students need to complete, when it is due, etc. and then make it available to them via Google.

INTRODUCTION

Have your students proceed to the introduction section of their Google Slide document. Direct your students to view the linked video clip, answer the related questions on the slide, and share their findings with a partner, small group, or the class when finished.

Clip #1: Power and Significance (1:57). Author Andrew Carroll talks about the power and significance of presidential speeches throughout U.S. history.

• Based on the clip, “what makes an extraordinary presidential speech?”
• What types of presidential speeches does Carroll prefer? What examples of these types does he provide?
• According to Andrew Carroll, how do presidential speeches reflect the President himself?
• Carroll references President John F. Kennedy’s tribute to Robert Frost, and how the speech was given during a time of peace. Visit this site and listen to the speech. What do you hear?
• REFLECT : How might speeches given by presidential candidates differ from speeches given by sitting or former presidents? Explain.

THE SPEECHES

Direct students to the speeches section of their Google Slide document. Instruct your students to select one of the fifteen options listed on the slide. Note : you can also assign one or more specific options to your students, if you choose. The video clip times of each option are listed below to help you make those determinations based on student interest or ability and your goals for the lesson .

Have your students view their selected video clip(s) and answer the following questions on the respective slide(s):

• Who makes up the audience, and how does the speaker try to connect with the audience?
• What is the theme of the speech, and how do you know?
• Evaluate the tone and pacing of the speech, and how they may both be influenced by the audience.
• What claims are made in the speech, and what evidence is provided to support the claims?
• Summarize any calls to action provided by the speaker.
• Assess the effectiveness of the speech, describing its most and least appealing moments.

LIST OF SELECTED SPEECHES

• Ronald Reagan 1984 Iowa Caucus Speech (Clip #2, 20:19, Republican).
• George H.W. Bush 1988 South Carolina Rally (Clip #3, 12:23, Republican).
• Bill Clinton 1992 New Hampshire Speech (Clip #4, 18:23, Democrat).
• Bob Dole 1996 New Hampshire Rally (Clip #5, 9:25, Republican).
• George W. Bush 2000 South Carolina Speech (Clip #6, 23:23, Republican).
• John McCain 2000 Michigan Rally (Clip #7, 27:39, Republican).
• John Kerry 2004 New Hampshire Speech (Clip #8, 19:08, Democrat).
• Barack Obama 2007 Iowa Rally (Clip #9, 29:16, Democrat).
• John Edwards 2008 Nevada Rally (Clip #10, 21:17, Democrat).
• Hillary Clinton 2008 Speech in Advance of Super Tuesday (Clip #11, 27:04, Democrat).
• Mitt Romney 2012 Nevada Caucus Speech (Clip #12, 10:44, Republican).
• Donald Trump 2016 South Carolina Speech (Clip #13, 39:53, Republican).
• Bernie Sanders 2016 Michigan Rally (Clip #14, 51:44, Democrat).
• Marco Rubio 2016 Super Tuesday Speech (Clip #15, 16:36, Republican).
• Joe Biden 2020 South Carolina Speech (Clip #16, 22:49, Democrat).

REFLECTION & CLOSURE

After your students are finished with their chosen or assigned speech(es), have them proceed to the reflection & closure section of their Google Slide document. Provide time for your students to reflect on their responses to the questions above, in preparation for a share-out activity with their peers.

Have your students form groups of approximately three, with each each group member having studied a different Historic Campaign Speech. Instruct your students to have a guided conversation about their speeches, responding to the questions below in their Google Slide documents.

• In your group, discuss each of your speeches, noting any similarities and differences.
• With the same group, discuss whether you think the speeches you watched were “historic” and why or why not.
• Discuss with your group which speech(s) would most closely align with a speech that you might give, and why.
• With your group, reflect on how campaign speeches change over time, location, purpose, and with the specific candidate.

SUMMATIVE WRITING PROMPT

After your students are finished sharing their findings from the lesson, direct them to complete the final culminating writing on the last slide of their Google Slide document, and have students share their responses, comparing their perspectives with their classmates' perspectives: Having now listened to a Historic Campaign Speech, reflect on the introduction clip of the lesson and assess the importance of Power and Significance in campaign speeches . Make sure to cite evidence from the lesson .

Related Articles

• The President's Tribute to Robert Frost, 26 February 1962 (JFK Library)
• Presidential Speeches (Miller Center)
• Media Archive (The American Presidency Project)

Additional Resources

• Bell Ringer: Presidential Speechwriting
• Bell Ringer: Celebrity Status and Presidential Candidates
• Bell Ringer: Presidential Elections as Popularity Contests
• Bell Ringer: The President as both Chief Citizen & Commander-in-Chief
• Bell Ringer: Writing a Presidential Candidate
• Bell Ringer: Presidential Campaigning
• Bell Ringer: Advertising and Celebrity Politics
• Bell Ringer: Political Participation
• Lesson Plan: The Functions of Political Parties
• Lesson Plan: Speeches That Defined A Presidency
• Lesson Plan: So You Want To Be A Presidential Speechwriter?
• Lesson Plan: Eras of Presidential Speeches
• Lesson Plan: Presidential Roles
• Presidential Election

Campaign Speeches for Kids

Serving on your school’s student government can be a great way to improve your school, but making the campaign speeches can be nerve-wracking. Here are some tips on how to write and present an effective campaign speech.Is there something happening (or not happening) at your school that bugs you? Do something about it! By getting involved in your school’s student government, you can make a significant impact on your school’s policies. Now, you might be thinking, “Oh, great, I can’t run for office. I can’t make all those speeches.” Trust me; if you are passionate about an issue, the speeches won’t be hard.

The First Step

The first thing you have to do is identify the problem. Maybe you don’t like the food in the cafeteria or the fact that the basketballs in the gym never have any air in them. Perhaps you think the dress code is too strict. Or maybe it’s a more significant issue, like the fact that gangs are causing problems in your school. Whatever it is, you CAN do something about it.

After you’ve identified the problem, you have to convince the rest of the school that you’re right and that you can help find a solution. To be convincing, you’ve got to offer reasonable solutions; nobody believes extravagant promises. For example, if you don’t like the food, you can’t promise to have pizza delivered every day, but you can guarantee to work with the school administrators to help plan better menus or buy better equipment to keep the food hot. You can’t promise to get the gangs out of your neighbourhood, but you can guarantee to work with local authorities to keep gang symbols, graffiti, and weapons out of your school.

Writing the Speech

An active campaign speech has three essential components that you must include.

• Introduction Tell the audience who you are and what office you want to hold. Most people try to do this humorously; for example, “Hi, I’m John Smith. I usually run for the track team, but right now I’m running for Student Council President.” If you can’t think of something funny, don’t force it. You want to sound sincere, not fake. You should also tell how long you’ve been at the school, what grade you’re in, and any other offices you’ve held. It will establish your credibility. If you’ve only been at the school for a few weeks, the other students might think you don’t know enough about the school, but if you can cite examples of your accomplishments at your previous school, you can convince them that you can help at this school, too.
• Body It is where you explain why you are running for office. Outline the problems you’ve identified and told how you would attempt to solve them. You should have more than one issue to address, but don’t go overboard. If you list too many problems, you’ll sound negative and whiny. Everybody knows their school has problems, but school loyalty is essential. You should emphasize that you want to make things better–not completely change the school.
• Conclusion Finish your speech by thanking your audience for their time and attention, and tell them how much you are looking forward to serving as a member of the student government. Invite them to talk with you about their concerns, and remind them that the only way to make positive changes in the school is by being involved in the decision-making process.

Presenting the Speech

For those of you who are thinking that writing the speech is the natural part, but that you’ll never be able to stand up in front of the entire school (or just your class) to make the speech, here are some tips for overcoming your anxiety.

• Be prepared. Write your speech and make sure you believe in it. If you are passionate about your message, it will be easier to remember what you want to say. You can use notecards during the speech, but never read it and don’t memorize it. You want to sound sincere, and reading your statement or reciting it word for word will make it seem more like an assignment than a speech that you are genuinely passionate.
• Practice, practice, practice. Stand in front of a mirror and watch yourself. Don’t be a statue; you should reasonably move your head and arms. After you’re comfortable in front of the mirror, use your parents or your best friend as an audience. Ask for their constructive criticism and take their advice. If your speech is too short, add to it, but don’t add things to fill time. Make sure it’s relevant to your campaign. If your statement is too long, cut some things out, but don’t eliminate your most important issues.
• Eat a light meal and drink some water. You don’t want to feel hungry and light-headed while you’re speaking, and you don’t want your mouth to feel like the Sahara Desert. Just don’t overeat–you don’t want to throw up, either.
• Dress appropriately. People are more likely to take you seriously if you are well groomed. Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed, and shine your shoes. If you want people to think you care about the school, you have to look like you care about yourself. Avoid high heels–they are uncomfortable and painful to walk in when you’re nervous. Also, don’t wear anything that is too tight–you need to be able to breathe.
• Look at your audience. Making eye contact with members of the audience will make them look at you and keep them engaged in your message. Ask your close friends to sit in different areas of the room so that you won’t focus on just one place. Keep your head up: look at the audience, not your shoes.
• Smile. Look like you’re excited about running for office. No one will vote for someone who looks like they don’t want the office.
• Don’t talk too fast. Everyone tends to rush when speaking in public. Make sure your audience can understand what you are saying. Force yourself to slow down.
• Don’t rush off the stage. After you finish speaking, look at the audience, make eye contact with several people, nod at your opponents, gather up your notecards, and walk off the stage. The last thing you do will make a lasting impression.

Now you’re ready for the big day. If you’ve found a few issues to discuss, come up with some reasonable solutions, and practised in front of your friends and family, you’ll do great. Remember, everyone gets nervous when speaking in front of an audience, and the world won’t come to an end if you mess up. Just do your best, be sincere, and have fun. Good luck!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Political Campaign And Stump Speech Examples Reveal The Candidate

Candidates for political office make stump or campaign speeches to help voters learn about themselves and their positions throughout the campaign. Here are some examples of political campaign and stump speeches.

In the dynamic world of politics, one powerful tool remains a constant in winning over voters’ hearts and minds: the stump speech. This iconic oratory tradition has shaped countless political campaigns, delivering a potent blend of charisma, policy promises, and persuasive rhetoric.

From fiery appeals for change to heartfelt tales of personal struggles, stump speeches have become the backbone of political communication.

This article explores compelling examples of stump speeches throughout history, unveiling their enduring impact on electoral campaigns and their crucial role in shaping the political landscape.

Table of Contents

What Is A Stump Speech In A Political Campaign?

A stump speech is a standard, rehearsed speech a political candidate delivers during their campaign. It typically outlines the candidate’s core message, policy positions, and personal background, aiming to connect with voters, inspire support, and differentiate themselves from opponents.

A stump speech is essentially an elevator speech where the candidate makes a pitch to constituents.

How Does A Stump Speech Vary From A Campaign Speech?

While a campaign speech is a broader, more comprehensive address covering various topics and contexts, a stump speech is specifically tailored to connect with local audiences during campaign stops.

A stump speech focuses on key themes, repeated consistently across different locations, with an emphasis on connecting personally with voters, conveying authenticity, and generating enthusiasm for the candidate’s platform.

What Should A Politician Say About Themselves?

Politicians should highlight their relevant qualifications, experience, and achievements when speaking about themselves , demonstrating their ability to address the issues. They should also convey their personal values, integrity, and dedication to public service, establishing trust and credibility with the electorate.

How Do You Start Off A Campaign Speech?

“Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens, I stand before you today with a deep sense of gratitude and determination to embark on a journey together toward a brighter future for our community.

“Thank you all for gathering here today as we embark on a transformative campaign to shape a better tomorrow for our beloved community. With your support and collective efforts, we can build an inclusive, prosperous future filled with opportunities for all.”

What Should You Say In A Campaign Speech?

In a campaign speech, it is crucial to articulate your vision, share specific policy proposals, and address the concerns and aspirations of your constituents. Highlight your experience, values, and dedication to serve while emphasizing the need for unity, progress, and collaborative solutions to tackle the challenges our community faces.

Here is an excerpt:

“In this campaign, we must address the pressing issues affecting our constituents daily, such as education, healthcare, and economic stability, while fostering unity and collaboration to create a stronger, more resilient community for generations to come.

Together, we can bring about meaningful change, empower our citizens, and build a brighter future that reflects the hopes and dreams of each and every one of us.”

How Long Should A Campaign Speech Be?

A campaign speech should be concise and focused, aiming for around 5 to 10 minutes, allowing you to effectively communicate your message while maintaining the audience’s attention and engagement. Remember, it is crucial to prioritize quality content over excessive length to make a lasting impact on your listeners.

What Should You Do After Finishing A Stump Speech?

After delivering a stump speech, engaging with the audience is essential, and you must also show genuine interest in their concerns and feedback. Take the opportunity to connect with individuals, answer questions, and build relationships to establish trust and support for your campaign.

What Should Be Said In The Conclusion Of A Stump Speech?

In the conclusion of a stump speech, it is crucial to summarize your main points and reiterate your core message, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. You can also end the address by inspiring and rallying your supporters, calling them to action, and emphasizing how important their involvement is to the campaign.

Different ways to end a stump speech can include:

• Call to action: Encourage your audience to get involved, vote, volunteer, or contribute to your campaign, emphasizing the collective power of their actions.
• A personal story or anecdote: Share a heartfelt story your audience can connect with on an emotional level, reinforcing your commitment to their concerns and aspirations.
• Inspiring quote: Close your speech with a memorable and inspiring quote that encapsulates your campaign’s values or captures the essence of your message.
• Vision for the future: Paint a vivid picture of the future you envision for your community, highlighting the positive impact your campaign can make and leaving your audience hopeful and motivated.

The best way to end a campaign speech ultimately depends on your personal style, the context, and the specific objectives of your campaign. Consider what resonates most with your audience and aligns with your campaign’s tone and goals.

Stump Speech Examples That Define Candidates

These nine stump speeches are notable for their ability to connect with audiences, convey a powerful message, and leave a lasting impact on listeners:

• Barack Obama’s 2008 “Yes We Can” speech as presidential candidate became iconic, inspiring hope and calling for change. Ex-President Obama’s message of unity and progress resonated with millions of Americans.
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s history 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington advocated for racial equality and justice for African Americans. His powerful words continue to inspire generations.
• Delivered during World War II, Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech rallied the British people and affirmed their determination to resist Nazi aggression, symbolizing their resolve and resilience.
• Elizabeth Warren’s speeches on income inequality and economic fairness, such as her 2012 speech at the Democratic National Convention , have gained attention for advocating for a more equitable society.
• One of Donald Trump’s most notable stump speeches was the one delivered at the Republican National Convention in July 2016, where he formally accepted the party’s nomination for running for president. This speech emphasized his platform on immigration, national security, and job creation while highlighting his outsider status and promising to “Make America Great Again.” It resonated with many of his supporters and helped solidify his message during the campaign.
• One of Joe Biden’s most memorable speeches was his address in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in August 2020. In this speech, Biden presented his economic recovery plan, emphasizing the need for unity, addressing systemic racism, and rebuilding the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He focused on his vision for “ Build Back Better” and stressed the importance of creating jobs, supporting working families, and tackling the climate crisis.
• A notable Hillary Clinton speech was her address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2016. In this speech, Clinton accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president and focused on themes of unity, inclusivity, and progress. She discussed her policy proposals, highlighted her experience and qualifications, and called for the American people “to come together to address the challenges facing the nation.”
• Ronald Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech is often regarded as one of the most impactful political speeches in American history and played a significant role in shaping his political career and eventually leading to his own presidency in 1981. Reagan delivered this speech supporting Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign on October 27, 1964, just days before the U.S. presidential election.
• Abraham Lincoln’s most famous stump speech was his Cooper Union Address, delivered on February 27, 1860, in New York City. The speech primarily focused on the issue of slavery and its expansion, but Lincoln also touched upon foreign policy concerns. In the Cooper Union Address, Lincoln argued against the spread of slavery into new territories, emphasizing its moral and constitutional implications.

Adam Howarth

Adam covers the topic of Public Speaking for Digital Authority. From his first experience of oratory with his school debating society to his more recent experiences of promoting the local business scene in Wrexham, Wales, he has always been involved in public speaking.

Recent Posts

Active Listening Absorbs The Whole Message, Not Just The Words

Active listening goes beyond hearing the words someone is saying to you and understanding the message they are conveying. Many only hear a small percentage of what is being said as they are...

Counteracting Fear Of Public Speaking With Coaching And Therapy

Nearly 75% of people experience the social phobia of fear of public speaking. The result may be nervousness before speaking or a full-blown panic attack. Practicing public speaking may lessen the...

Funny Intro Ideas for Student Council Speeches

To win student council, you ultimately need the popular vote from your peers. With a funny introduction, you can get a lot more creative and open as your speech is aimed at teens, not teachers or parents.

Table of Contents

Humorous Speech Intros for Each Position

Anecdotes or play on words about the actual job title or things frequently associated with it make great speeches for student council roles. Make sure you understand what student council does so that your speech can be intelligent and funny, or your audience might laugh at you instead of what you’re saying.

Funny President Speech Intro

All the other candidates will come up here and tell you why you should vote for them. I am going to give you only one reason to vote for me. As President Donald Trump said, “People would vote for me because I’m so good looking.” That’s right, I’m the perfect candidate for Student Council President because my face is like an angel’s. 

You’ll see my face every time I ask for your concerns, give a speech, or land an interview in the school paper. Consider who’s face you want to stare at every day, mine or theirs, if you want this year and school politics to be more enjoyable.

Hilarious Vice President Speech Opener

I want to be your Vice President, so you can start calling me Veep. That’s all there is to it, people. As I walk down the hallways at school, I want to feel like I’m in one of those YouTube videos for kids where a grown man drives tiny toy trucks. I’m veep! 

Let’s veep! Whenever I’m waiting in line for lunch or using the restroom, Veep Veep! Whenever I raise my hand in class or make a speech, Veep Veep! If you plan to vote for me after this speech, let’s turn this audience into a crowded highway that feels like Friday at 5 p.m.! Let’s go! I’m veep!

Silly Secretary Speech Intro

There is no doubt that your Student Council Secretary needs to love words. Because I love words so much, I only eat Alpha-Bits for breakfast. Moreover, I’ll eat cereal letters only if they can be used to form words. If there are still “T,” “Q,” and “R” in the bowl, I can’t swallow them. 

Because I can’t bring myself to use pencils, I fail every automatically graded exam because I can’t bring myself to damage them. Even though I’m only 16, I have the wrist of a 92-year-old secretary!

Comical Treasurer Speech Opener

My running for treasurer speech can be found here. Time is money, so we’re all going to become very wealthy after listening to this speech. I’m not sure who is responsible for the exchange rate, but I hope it’s good. 

Since I’m Treasurer, I’ve designed my speech to maximize the amount of time we turn into money.

Humorous Intros for Any Student Council Speech

The most important tip for writing a speech is to speak on the level of your audience. Give your speech a dose of humor with a funny intro. Teenagers love fun and humor.

• We were told by Mr. Smith, our beloved math teacher, that we would one day use trigonometry. He’s an awesome teacher, and I really want him to be right. I will cover things that are opposite and adjacent to the school’s issues, so I will go off on a tangent.
• Student Council probably conjures up images of old, bald, white guys wearing suits and ties sitting around talking about all the problems students cause. Imagining myself as one of those guys will help me overcome my stage fright today. I’d prefer to be the one with the biggest gut, if you don’t mind.
• Today, I’m here to talk about something serious, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to get your vote. You might think school rules and student privileges are nacho business, but that’s not true. My goal isn’t to jalapeo business or to get saucy, and I won’t burrito around the subject. Vote for me for President if you want this year to feel like a fiesta. If you still haven’t figured it out, I’m the best woman for the job.

Relate With Humor

In order to win a high school election, you must be able to relate to your peers. You will capture their attention with a funny opening line or paragraph, which will have them thinking about you at the polls.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Like a Phish concert but with more grievance, this is what it's like at a Trump rally

Danielle Kurtzleben

A couple kisses while waiting for the start of a campaign rally with former President Donald Trump on March 9 in Rome, Ga. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

A couple kisses while waiting for the start of a campaign rally with former President Donald Trump on March 9 in Rome, Ga.

At 6:30 a.m. it was still dark in Rome, Ga. But people had been lined up for a long time already, still nearly 12 hours before Trump was set to take the stage at another of his rallies.

Some had waited all night amid the crowd-control gates, in the bottom level of a downtown parking garage. At the very front of the line, Sharon Anderson waited under a blanket on a camp chair.

She told me this was her 50th rally. Why does she attend so many?

"I want to show my support for the best president in the history of this nation," she explained.

Anderson and some friends were all wearing tops styled to look like baseball shirts, with a big "47" on the back (for Trump's quest to be the 47th president) and "FRONT ROW JOES" on the front. Those "Joes" are a team of Trump superfans who get right up front at rallies.

I asked Anderson how she would describe a Trump rally to someone who has never been to one.

"Oh, it's very uplifting, encouraging, exciting," she said. "You just can't describe it verbally."

Many Americans won't share her experience — or her view — and will instead witness Trump events through viral clips of his at times violent, anti-democratic rhetoric — for example, his recent dehumanizing language about migrants and comments about a "bloodbath" should Joe Biden win a second term.

And that's important. But nine years in, these surreal events say so much more about the continued Trump phenomenon.

A Trump rally has the feel of an all-day pep rally mixed with a megachurch service — except with Trumpism as the religion. The rallies are places where a movement largely defined by grievance can be together, away from opponents — not to mention assertions that Trump lies and is harmful to democracy.

They are places to see that for many Americans, Trumpism isn't just about politics; it's a core part of their identities.

Trump supporters hold images of Laken Riley before he speaks at a rally in Rome, Ga., on March 9. Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Trump supporters hold images of Laken Riley before he speaks at a rally in Rome, Ga., on March 9.

Families, fandoms, and 'FJB'

Not far away from Sharon — maybe 20th in line — Lauren Tucker waited. She and her mother traded off holding their place in line overnight. This would be her first rally.

"Everybody here, all the people that were in line before us, they have been so amazing all night long. And they told us exactly what to expect. They helped us get our little buttons and they've just been wonderful," Tucker exclaimed. "It's almost like a little family."

Tucker is the mother of six, and her 6-year-old son played on a tablet next to her.

"It was very important for me to have my kids be here because this is something that, A, they're going to remember, and, B, this is going to be talked about for years," she said. "For the next hundred years, this is going to be talked about. And my kids will be able to say, 'Hey, I was there. My mom took me to that. I saw that man.'"

Tucker was wearing red white and blue eyeshadow and an American flag cowboy hat.

And this is a hallmark of Trump rallies: people dress up for them in a way they don't for other politicians.

Merch sellers like Amber Johnson add to a growing sea of Trumpwear. Johnson is a Trump supporter herself — she calls herself a "Republican Mississippi hippie" — and compares the rallies to rock concerts. She speaks from experience.

The merch at a Trump rally varies widely, with people procuring it from street vendors as well as all over the internet. Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The merch at a Trump rally varies widely, with people procuring it from street vendors as well as all over the internet.

"It's kind of the same vibe. So I followed Dead & Company and Phish around all summer, and now I'm out here doing the same thing, but selling political merchandise," she said with a laugh.

And this is one way to understand what makes Trump such a singular phenomenon. His fans aren't just out to hear a political message; they're participating in a fandom — a political version of Deadheads or Parrotheads.

Then again, there's a combativeness at a Trump concert that doesn't exist at a Phish concert — or at a Biden event, for that matter.

One man nearby sold t-shirts printed with vulgar, sexually explicit statements about Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Nancy Pelosi. Among Johnson's tamer shirts was one that read, "If you don't like Trump, then you probably won't like me, and I'm OK with that."

Another read "FJB," where the JB stands for Joe Biden and the F is an expletive.

Young conservatives have grown up in Trump's Republican Party. Now, it's time to vote

Carli Godfrey is 16 and came with her grandmother, in matching t-shirts. She read the defiant phrase written across their chests: "I'm still a Trump girl. I make no apologies."

I asked Godfrey what that means – does she think people want her to make apologies? She answered that even in uberconservative northwest Georgia, her politics differ from some of her peers'.

"Being in high school, some people are like, 'Why are you doing that?'" she said, referring to her Trump fandom. "I mean, a lot of people — this is going to sound really sad, but a lot of people don't stand for [the] flag. But I do. I always will."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) got a hero's welcome at the Rome rally, which took place in the heart of her congressional district. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) got a hero's welcome at the Rome rally, which took place in the heart of her congressional district.

The grievance of the underdog

The aggressive merch suggests that wearers expect, even relish, opposition. And Trump rallies have perhaps a more confrontational feel than ever, amid his four indictments, and his insistence that he won in 2020. All the voters I asked about 2020 also think Trump won that election. He didn't.

Midmorning, a few hundred deep into the line, Angie Patrick had just helped a friend wriggle into a new t-shirt reading "God, Guns, and Trump". Patrick said me she has her own way of fighting for the former president.

Conservatives are warning about noncitizens voting. It's a myth with a long history

"I'm a digital warrior. That means sharing things that perhaps maybe the mainstream media doesn't necessarily share with the public," she explained.

She mentioned multiple conspiracy theories she believes in and said she had been kicked off of Twitter 31 times (pre-Elon Musk's tenure, that is).

To Patrick, Trump is beleaguered and bullied...but also massively powerful. It's a careful needle he has managed to thread with his followers.

"I think he's beaten the odds. And I like an underdog," she said. But she quickly added, "although I don't think Trump is an underdog. I think he's definitely the front dog."

Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue' lives on in MAGA country

A lot of Trump's supporters themselves feel like underdogs.

By mid-afternoon, people were taking their seats in the city arena. One of them, college student Zachary Wright, said he feels economically strapped, but also feels marginalized culturally.

"If the economy keeps on getting worse and worse and worse, then how much is it going to cost for my kids to get lunch? And not only that, what's so frustrating is that the leftist wing focuses so much on minorities that it feels like me as a white man, that I am the minority."

We versus 'they'

All afternoon, people queued for concessions and restrooms, chatting with their fellow Trump disciples.

But the mood darkened as Trump's opening act took the stage — a run of right-wing politicians. Their message was that the Trump movement has an endless string of enemies outside the arena.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, repeatedly referenced a nameless "they."

"We said build the wall. And they were offended. We said back the blue and they were offended, right?" she added, as the crowd started booing in agreement.

The crowd turns to taunt the press during Trump's speech in Rome. Danielle Kurtzleben/NPR hide caption

The crowd turns to taunt the press during Trump's speech in Rome.

At a Trump rally, even the rioters who attacked the capitol on Jan. 6 are recast as victims of anti-Trump forces.

"Ladies and gentlemen," an announcer's deep voice boomed over dramatic music. "Please rise for the horribly and unfairly treated January 6 hostages."

Lately, Trump takes the stage after a recording of the national anthem sung by those jailed for that attack. While Trump's indictment for his actions on Jan. 6 looms over his campaign, he also embraces that day. Indeed, he has said he plans to pardon many of the convicted rioters .

Trump started speaking in Rome at around 6:00 p.m., about an hour late. He would remain on stage for nearly 2 hours — long even for a Trump rally speech.

As usual, the demonization of undocumented immigrants was a key focus and drew loud cheers.

"What Joe Biden has done on our border is a crime against humanity and the people of this nation for which he will never be forgiven. We're going to fix it. We're going to fix it fast. We're going to have the largest deportation in history," he said, to thunderous applause.

Now that he's the presumptive nominee, Trump readies next campaign: who will be VP?

Even when his particular wording doesn't make headlines, Trump's speeches are full of false — and sometimes strange — rhetoric about migrants.

"They always say suburban housewives, they want something that's very important: security," he told the crowd. "They don't want illegal immigrants coming into our country. They don't want illegal immigrants knocking on their front door and saying, 'I'm going to use your kitchen, and I'm going to use your bedroom, and there's not a damn thing-' And that's the nice ones, okay?"

The speech went beyond immigration though, meandering toward many more of trump's grievances — yes, against Joe Biden, but also Fulton County, Ga., prosecutor Fani Willis, N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James, Megyn Kelly and Martha Stewart...to name a few.

In addition, he praised Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orban and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

After it all, the evening ended with a familiar benediction: "We will make America great again."

Just outside, Tynisha Williams said she had a great time. She added — paradoxically — she thinks Trump's divisiveness will unify the U.S.

"It's time for the kid gloves to be taken off," she said. "You need to know the hard truth. And the hard truth is we need to come back together as a country. We need to get this country back together. And we got to unite. We gotta make this country great again, as simple as that."

It's not clear how Trump would unite the nation, however. A week later, at another rally, he would say that some undocumented immigrants aren't people, whipping up another firestorm of controversy.

Trump says some migrants are 'not people', and warns of 'bloodbath' if he loses

• trump rallies
• illegal immigrants
• trump rally
• undocumented immigrants

• Contributors
• Newsletters

1 Trending: New York’s Fraud Judgment Against Trump Is So Bad, Even His Biggest Critics Aren’t Defending It

2 trending: kristi noem would be a disaster as donald trump’s veep, 3 trending: have we considered arming ukraine with haitian cannibals, 4 trending: trump’s reduced bond doesn’t make letitia james’ election-meddling lawfare any less scandalous, if free speech doesn’t survive ruling class demagoguery, neither will democracy.

Ruling elites’ hypocrisy and hierarchy are undermining the very institutions they purport to support. 

• Share Article on Facebook
• Share Article on Twitter
• Share Article on Truth Social
• Copy Article Link
• Share Article via Email

Back in 2016, former eBay and Hewlett-Packard CEO (and, of course, failed California gubernatorial candidate) Meg Whitman gave a stirring interview to The New York Times about democracy. 

Democracies, Whitman said, have rarely lasted longer than a few hundred years, with the implication being that for America, which will celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026, the clock is ticking. Whitman said anybody who thought American democracy would last forever was being naïve.

Of course, at the time, Whitman was talking about Donald Trump, the “demagogue” that elites from both major political parties said would drag America away from a constitutional republic and toward dictatorship — the bogeyman that even enlightened Republicans like Whitman refused to support. 

They were wrong: Despite his flaws, Trump was never a threat to democracy. He did not cancel elections like some claimed he would do. He did not crack down on civil liberties. When he did go too far, America’s institutions — especially the courts — checked those abuses. California filed more than 100 lawsuits against the Trump administration. That’s the way American government is supposed to work. 

For good measure, voting rights also expanded while Trump was president. More people voted in the 2020 presidential election than any other election in American history. 

But Whitman was right: American democracy is under attack. All Western democracies are under attack. And we shouldn’t assume they’ll survive. But Trump is not the threat. The elites themselves are the threat. They are the demagogues. And their hypocrisy and hierarchy are undermining the very institutions they purport to support. 

The Democrat Party’s blatantly political prosecutions of Trump and Trump associates — done while fretting about Trump using the DOJ to target his political opponents if he wins this year — are the most obvious and chilling examples. They crossed a Rubicon from which we may never recover. But other examples abound. 

One was on display last week at the U.S. Supreme Court, as multiple justices made excuses for the federal government’s effort to remove dissenting viewpoints from the digital town square. It was chilling to listen to the court’s three Democrats — women who, just a few generations ago, would not have been allowed to vote, much less sit on that bench — talk about how the law should be interpreted to protect the government when it tries to silence its critics. I wonder what dissidents like Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. would think of that. 

In fact, last week was as bad a week as we have ever seen for free speech. It started with the disastrous Murthy arguments but was followed by a shocking story about Scotland’s new Hate Crime Act. That law, which was enacted in 2021 but has yet to be enforced, criminalizes the act of “stirring up hatred.” 

What does that mean? Apparently, local police get to decide, and the victims get to play an outsized role in that decision. 

The law’s vague language and knee-jerk reaction to anything alleged victims complain about endangers everybody , including Scotland’s most famous thought criminal, J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter author correctly believes there are only two sexes: male and female. She believes, correctly, that the trans activism so in style with the elites often impinges on women’s rights. Like many, she often says so. Unlike many, she has the money and clout to (for the most part) avoid the cancel culture that silences other dissidents. 

So now law enforcement may be coming after her, with The Telegraph revealing a Scottish police training exercise centered on a “fictional” writer named “Jo” who makes public comments like “there are only two genders.” Being accused of a hate crime for stating a scientific fact must be the peak of wokeness. 

Don’t assume the crackdown on speech is limited to small countries with overeducated bureaucrats like Scotland and Canada , either. Take Germany. That European democracy is in trouble, with some three-quarters of Germans saying they do not like Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s regime, the highest level of German discontent reported this century. 

How did the German elites respond? They proposed something called a “Democracy Promotion Bill.” Sounds nice, but the bill mostly focuses on fighting “extremism” in arbitrary ways like creating an online portal where Germans can report their fellow citizens for conservative speech such as saying, you guessed it, “There are only two sexes.” The Stasi must be smiling somewhere. 

This crackdown on free speech represents the most egregious assault on human rights since World War II. And it exposes the hypocrisy of the elites who champion it. After all, according to the UN , that bastion of elite globalism, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” 

Not anymore. 

Of course, the criminalization of free speech is not the only example of elite hierarchy. These are also the people who crow about trusting “science” but refuse to acknowledge the scientific fact that there are only two sexes, no matter how somebody feels inside. They are the ones who drone on about voting rights while trying to keep their political opponents off the ballot. (And, no, I am not talking just about Trump but about anybody who challenges the status quo, including Democrats .) They are the ones who lecture us about civility but show incredible vitriol to those who disagree with them. The ones who fret about corruption while their own family members rake in millions from shady foreigners. The ones who crow about bodily autonomy when on-demand abortions are at stake but are the most aggressive in pushing Covid shots on those who don’t want them. 

No wonder ordinary people across the Western world are unhappy. That’s why the crackdown on free speech is so dangerous. How can people gather, organize, and kick the elites out of office without it? 

We can’t. And that’s why we need to rally against this crackdown now. America is the most successful democratic government in human history. It has spawned democratic governments across the world. But it won’t last forever. The first freedom falling may be the last straw. 

• Donald Trump
• First Amendment
• free speech
• J.K. Rowling
• Murthy v. Missouri

More from Politics

Kristi Noem Would Be A Disaster As Donald Trump’s Veep

Democrats’ Campaign Strategy Of Anti-Trump Lawfare Makes A Mockery Of The Justice System

It’s Past Time Mike Johnson Grows A Spine And Stops Biden’s Border Invasion

Opposition To Adeel Mangi Isn’t About ‘Islamophobia’

Jen Psaki Lies About Lying

DeKalb County GOP Calls On Georgia Election Board Member To Resign Over Lobbying Conflicts

Doctors Rally At SCOTUS Against FDA’s ‘Reckless’ Abandonment Of High-Risk Abortion Drug

Leftists Bragged About ‘Fortifying’ The 2020 Election. Now They’re Flaunting Plans To Do It Again In 2024

Introducing

The Federalist Community

Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers

Start your FREE TRIAL

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• RANDOM QUIZ
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Communication Skills
• Public Speaking

How to Write a High School President Speech

Last Updated: October 16, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,008,683 times.

Campaigning for school president is an exciting opportunity to build your leadership skills and bring change to your school. If you want to win the presidency, you’ll need to give a persuasive campaign speech to get people to vote for you. To make your speech effective, plan out what you want to say before you start writing. Then, you can structure your speech to keep it clear and concise. Finally, use a tone that fits your audience so your speech will be engaging.

Sample Speeches

Planning Your Speech

• For example, let’s say your school has rules in place that require students to get approval before they can hang posters on the school walls, even if the posters are related to school activities. If you know other students are constantly complaining about this rule, you might campaign on changing it.
• As another example, your school may have an ineffective process for lining up at lunchtime, which causes students to spend most of their lunch period purchasing food. To address this issue, you might suggest a new way of lining up or an alternative process for handing out food.
• For another option, let's say your school has tried to do programs to help students, such as anti-bullying programs or extended library hours, but limited funding made the programs ineffective. You might run on a platform of doing fundraising activities and promoting volunteerism to help support these valuable programs.

Tip: Make sure the issues you focus on are things you can actually change. For instance, getting better pizza in the cafeteria might be an issue that people care about, but it might be impossible for you to actually achieve.

• Student government positions you’ve held
• Clubs or teams you've participated in
• School events you've attended
• School events you've helped plan
• Volunteer positions you've taken

• For example, you might include prior work with your school’s student government or a leadership role you held in a club.
• Similarly, you could include the time you planned set designs for a community theater production or your stint as a summer camp counselor.

• For example, you might use words like "first," "second," "next," "then," "additionally," "similarly," "alternatively," and "furthermore."
• Repetitive phrasing can serve as a useful signpost during the speech. You might, for instance, say “The first time we came together to change things for the better” before describing an accomplishment, then introduce the second with “The second time we came together….”

• For example, make sure your speech doesn't go over the time limit. Time your speech to make sure it's about 3-7 minutes long, depending on what your school allows.
• Whenever possible, give yourself enough time to write several drafts of a speech. Each time you revise a draft, look for ways to trim the language, phrasing, and focus down to the essentials.

Structuring Your Speech

• Say, “Hello, everyone. My name is Jacob Easton. I’m a junior, and I want to be class president because we need a fresh vision for making Acme High a more welcoming and inclusive school.” In this example, your “why” statement starts a theme of inclusivity.

• For instance, if you’re using the “inclusivity” theme, you might pledge to start an anti-bullying program and a peer mentoring club.
• You might say, "Together, we can make our school a better place for all students. If elected, I will work with all of you to create an anti-bullying club so that no student is afraid to come to school. Additionally, we will form a peer mentoring club to encourage students to guide others and act as a support system."

• If you’ve held other leadership positions, identify them and mention for each how you achieved something related to your overarching theme.
• If you haven’t held official leadership positions, identify life experiences in which you had to be both decisive and collaborative.
• You might say, “As president of the debate club, I’ve expanded club membership, worked with local lawyers to build a mentorship program, and acquired donations from local office supply stores so students have the materials they need for tournaments. If you elect me to be your president, I’ll bring the same type of leadership to the student government.”

• For instance: “While our current class leadership has done good work in reviving school spirit, I will dedicate myself to making sure all students feel the embrace of that spirit and have opportunities to shape it.”

• Say, “Together, we can make our school inclusive for all. Thank you for your time this afternoon. I’m Jacob Easton, and I want your vote.”
• You might also decide to go with a catchy slogan, like, “Next Tuesday, ‘Get Awake and Vote for Jake!’”

Using the Right Tone

• You can smile or keep your facial expression neutral.
• Practice your body language in front of a mirror before you give your speech.

• For instance, you might say, “We all want to support our classmates with motivational posters. However, current rules make it hard to have school spirit. Let's change that."
• Read the speech out loud as your write it. This will help ensure that each sentence fits the way you speak. If the sentence doesn’t sound right or feel natural coming from your mouth, revise it.
• Because you’re focused on clarity and brevity, you might use sentence fragments or repeat words or phrases in ways you wouldn’t normally if you were writing an essay.

• To make your speech more formal, use grammatically correct sentences and stronger words, while avoiding casual phrasing. For example, don't use contractions or sentence fragments, which create a more conversational tone. Instead, speak in full sentences.
• To help you find a more serious tone, imagine that you're giving your speech to your teachers rather than your classmates.
• If you plan to give a formal speech, you might watch videos of famous speeches on YouTube to get an idea of what people expect.

• When choosing the right jokes and stories for your speech, steer clear of anything that might be perceived as offensive.
• Always keep your audience in mind. An "inside joke" that your friends understand might not be funny to the student body as a whole.
• If possible, connect the humor to the overall theme of your speech. For instance, let’s say your speech is about changing the rules for hanging posters on school walls. You might tell a humorous story about the time your school hung up “Go team” posters for a football game that had already happened two weeks prior because it took so long for the posters to get approved.

• For example, you’d say, “If we work together, we make it easier to get through the lunch line so we all have more time to eat,” rather than, “If I’m elected, I’ll do everything in my power to fix the lunch lines so students have more time to eat.”

Tip: In a campaign speech, write about what “we” can accomplish “together,” not about what “I” will do.

Expert Q&A

• Use your other campaign materials as supports for the ideas you'll express in your speech. For example, you may have campaign signs, buttons, and flyers to promote your candidacy. Incorporate the same issues you talk about in your speech onto your campaign materials. Similarly, if you use a slogan on your signs, say that slogan during your speech. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Dress appropriately on the day that you give your speech. Depending on the culture at your school, this might mean a nice casual outfit, like a dress or pants with a collared shirt or blouse, or a formal outfit, such as a suit, slacks, or a skirt. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/writing-a-school-election-speech.html
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffschmitt/2013/07/16/10-keys-to-writing-a-speech/?sh=72f108694fb7
• ↑ http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/writing-a-school-election-speech.html
• ↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/structuring-speech
• ↑ https://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-elected-class-president
• ↑ http://passport.vec.vic.gov.au/vote/write-up-an-election-speech/
• ↑ Lynn Kirkham. Public Speaking Coach. Expert Interview. 20 November 2019.
• ↑ https://sps.columbia.edu/news/five-ways-improve-your-body-language-during-speech
• ↑ https://finley-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/f/finley-h/localcontent/how_to_write_a_speech.pdf
• ↑ https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/politics-pronouns

About This Article

To write a high school president speech, choose a few important, clear points to emphasize. Avoid long, wordy sentences and a complicated outline. Instead, keep the structure and content of your speech simple so your audience can easily follow along with what you’re saying. As you write, read your speech out loud to ensure that it sounds natural and conversational. Also, use words like “we” and “us” and reference shared experiences to build rapport with your audience. For tips on writing a campaign speech, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Jun 26, 2016

Did this article help you?

Apr 27, 2017

Jan 8, 2018

Sep 15, 2017

Jude Hancock

Sep 30, 2022

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

Trump’s ‘bloodbath’ and other rhetoric inflame his 2024 campaign trail

BLOOD POISONING

Immigrants are 'animals,' 'not people', black americans and crime, apocalypse now, dictator on 'day one'.

Get weekly news and analysis on the U.S. elections and how it matters to the world with the newsletter On the Campaign Trail. Sign up here.

Reporting by Gram Slattery, editing by Ross Colvin, Kieran Murray and Howard Goller

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Washington-based correspondent covering campaigns and Congress. Previously posted in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Santiago, Chile, and has reported extensively throughout Latin America. Co-winner of the 2021 Reuters Journalist of the Year Award in the business coverage category for a series on corruption and fraud in the oil industry. He was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College.

Ireland to intervene in South Africa genocide case against Israel

Ireland said on Wednesday it would intervene in South Africa's genocide case against Israel, in the strongest signal to date of Dublin's concern about Israeli operations in Gaza since Oct. 7.