The Stittsville & District Lions Club ‘Effective Speaking Competition’ will be held for another year on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at the Stittsville Lions Hall starting at 7:00pm. This is the largest competition in Canada and has been held for over 68 years. It is supported by provincial Ministries and Boards of Education.
This popular annual event provides students with an excellent opportunity to develop their public speaking skills and gain confidence in communicating their ideas.
The competition is sponsored by Lions Clubs in District A4 Ontario and Québec Lions Clubs. There are three levels for the competition: local Club, Region and District Lions Levels.
The Competition is open to all students in public and private schools with contests in both English and French. Topics for the speeches are chosen by the student, but entrants must adhere to the rules regarding the topic chosen. There are three categories for students covering grades 4 to 12:
- Junior Division – Grades 4, 5, 6
- Intermediate Division – Grades 7, 8, 9
- Senior Division – Grades 10, 11, 12
February 18, 2026 is the date by which you should register for entry to this competition.
Important Rules:
- Contestants may only compete in one language category per year
- Students may not compete in a lower grade division than their current grade, but may compete in a higher division
- Previous first-place winners may not compete again in the same division and language category
- Clubs or schools interested in organizing a group contest should follow the A-4 Lions Contest rules and will be responsible for their own awards and recognition.
For registration information and further details, please contact Lions member Beth Lewis at 613-838-5007 or by email bandblewis@xplornet.com. The Stittsville Lions Club also has all of the details on their website: https://www.stittsvillelions.com/event-details-registration/effective-speaking-contest-is-back.
Stittsville Lions members look forward to seeing our young speakers showcase their talents this February!