COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF LEGAL EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND INCREASED MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW

2009 J. Franklyn Bourne Eight Annual
High School Oratorical Contest

On February 28, 2009, the JFB Scholarship Fund, Inc., under the direction of The Honorable Hassan El-Amin, held the 2009 Oratorical Contest, which is one of the Association’s featured event in observance of Black History Month. Nine students from Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties participated in the event. The year’s topic concerned the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP, and whether 1) NAACP-like organizations are obsolete and/or 2) what should be their focus?

After the student’s presentations, the attendees were treated to a keynote address from June White Dillard, President of the Prince George’s Chapter of the NAACP. She provided a brief history of the NAACP and Black History Month and highlighted the Prince George’s County Chapter’s involvement in the community. She urged the participants to become involved in student chapters at their future colleges and universities. All of the participants did a fantastic job. However, there could only be three winners. First place and a $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Camille Hayslett, a senior at Charles Herbert Flowers. Second place and a $500 scholarship was awarded to another Flowers’ senior , Joseph E. Gray, III. Third place and a $250 scholarship was awarded to Dwyane Hamilton-Frost, a senior at Central High School.  

JFB extends its congratulations to all the participants. On behalf o the association, I would like to thank the judges, the Honorable James Salmon, the Honorable Michele D. Hotten, and Franklin M. Lee, Esq, and Maurene Epps-Webb, Mistress of Ceremonies, who kept the audience entertained with Black History Trivia. A special thank you to Judge El-Amin and his committee members, Sean Daly, Esq., Monica Sethi, Esq., Michael R. Pearson, Esq., Joseph Wright, Esq., Amirah Salaam, Esq., and Nakia Gray, Esq., for an outstanding job in coordinating this event.

  CLICK HERE FOR THE FLYER

STUDENTS: START PREPARING YOUR ORATIONS NOW!

The following non-exclusive list of helpful articles may provide guidance in your speech preparation and practice. You can tell, by the size of the list, that this is not meant to be your only research.

• How to give your first speech
• A speech recipe

Many old adages can serve you well, but we think "Practice Makes Perfect" will suffice.

2008:

On Saturday, February 23, 2008, the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association held its Seventh Annual Black History Month Oratorical Contest at the Prince George’s County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro. The oratorical contest is open to all Montgomery and Prince George’s County high school juniors and seniors. Eight local high school students wowed bar association members, teachers, parents and other spectators with their thoughtful and moving orations on this year’s topic, “Who Should Be The Next President And Why?” College scholarships and plaques were awarded to the top three students.

Thais Francis, a senior from Charles Herbert Flowers High School, for the second year in a row won Third Prize and a $250 scholarship. Joseph E. Gray III, a junior from C.H. Flowers High School, was awarded Second Prize and a $500 scholarship. However, it was Haywood Perry III, a senior and the only participant from Oxon Hill High School, who left with First Prize and a $1,000 scholarship.

The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association extends its congratulations and thanks to all contest participants and their parents and coaches. In addition, JFB would like to thank the contest judges, the Honorable James P. Salmon, the Honorable Michele D. Hotten, and Mr. Ibrahim Mumin. Also, special thanks to: The Honorable Hassan A. El-Amin, Michael Pearson, Ibrahim Moiz, Lyndsey Kuykendall, the Oratorical Contest Committee for planning this year’s event; Past President Maureen Epps-Web, Mistress of Ceremonies, and Dr. Dorothy Bailey, former Member and Chair of the Prince George’s County Council, for serving as this year’s guest speaker.

Thank also to the members of the JFBBA for attending the event, and especially to Past President Sharon Burrell, who (along with Executive Board member Mike Pearson) had presents for all the participants. Thank you for making the Seventh Annual Black History Month Oratorical Contest a success!!!!

Please inform all of the Montgomery and Prince George’s County high school students you know about this great event so we can make the Eighth Annual Black History Month Oratorical Contest bigger and better!!!

By Lyndsey Kuykendall, Esquire, Law Clerk to the District Court

2007:

William Fernandes (2nd Place), Thais Francis (3rd Place), Shaakira Raheem (1st Place), Judge Hassan El-Amin and Abigale Bruce-Watson. (From left to right)

Strengthening Our Schools and Our Families:
What Needs To Be Done?

On Saturday, February 24, 2007, the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association held its Sixth Annual Oratorical Contest at the Prince George’s County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro. Eleven local high school students wowed bar association members, teachers, parents and other spectators with their thoughtful orations on this year’s topic, “Strengthening Our Schools and Our Families: What Needs to be Done?” College scholarships were awarded to the top three students.

Thais Francis, a junior from Charles Herbert Flowers High School, won Third Prize and a $250 scholarship. Her schoolmate, William Fernandes, a senior at Flowers, was awarded Second Prize and a $500 scholarship. However, it was the only participant from Montgomery County who stole the show. Shaakira Raheem, a senior at Albert Einstein High School, won First Prize and a $1,000 college scholarship.

The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association extends its congratulations and thanks to all Contest participants. In addition, JFB would like to thank the Contest judges, The Honorable James P. Salmon, The Honorable Michele D. Hotten, and Archie L. Palmore, Esquire. Also, a special thanks to The Honorable Hassan A. El-Amin and the Oratorical Contest Committee for planning this year’s event, Maureen Epps Webb, Mistress of Ceremonies, and Dr. Ron L. Watson, Member of the Prince George’s County Board of Education and this year’s guest speaker. Thank you for making the Sixth Annual Bi-County Oratorical Contest a success!

Sharon Weaver, Judicial Law Clerk

2006 UPDATE

The Maryland State Bar Association recently presented the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association with the 2006 Best Service to the Public Project Award for its annual bi-county High School Oratorical Contest.

In efforts to promote community outreach, the bar association sponsors an annual Oratorical Contest, the featured event in observance of Black History Month. High School 11th and 12th graders in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties present their essays on the chosen topic and compete for a $1,000 scholarship and other prizes donated by generous participants, such as Models.

The topic for this year’s Oratorical Contest will be “Strengthening Our Schools and Our Families: What Needs To Be Done?” The contest will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2007 from 10:00am-1:00pm in the Prince George’s County Council Main Hearing Room. In the event of bad weather, the competition will be held at the same location on Saturday, March 3, 2007. The event is free to the public.

For further information, please contact Amirah Salaam,
Amirah.Salaam@mdcourts.gov. or Shannon Weaver, Shannon.Weaver@mdcourts.gov.

2006:

Lateefah Everett, 2nd place, Brittany Harrison, 3rd place,
and Gerald Lambert, 1st place, pose with
Judge Hasan El-Amin (l) and JFB President, Sharon Burrell (center)

Gerald Lambert of Frederick Douglas H.S. in Upper Marlboro, MD, was the winner of JFB’s 5th Annual Oratorical Scholarship Contest on February 25th. Lambert, who won second place last year, was followed by runner-up Lateefah Everett of Springbrook H.S. in Silver Spring, MD and, in third place, Brittany Harrison of Charles H. Flowers H.S. in Springdale, MD. Talented high school students from Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties competed for scholarship prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250. In addition, each contestant received prizes from Modell’s Sporting Goods and Consolidated Theatres.

The topic of this year’s orations was “Hip-Hop – How is it Affecting Us?” The contestants’ opinions varied but there was a common thread of hard work and preparation in each presentation. It was generally believed that this year’s orations were some of the best in the event’s history.

Contestants were judged by a panel composed of Judge James P. Salmon of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, Judge Michele Hotten of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, and Franklyn M. Lee, Esquire of the law firm of Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler, P.A. Following the event, judges gave individual feedback and advice to each participant.

The keynote speaker for the competition was Dr. Jared Ball, whose insights provided a unique perspective of hip-hop and how it relates on a political and global scale.

2005:

Congratulations to
(1) Loide Marwanga of Richard Montgomery High,
(2) Gerald Lambert of Frederick Douglass High, and
(3) Bhavna Batra of Northwest High.

JFB’s Fourth Annual Oratorical Contest on February 26th was again a success as 15 high school students competed for scholarship awards before a spirited audience at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Greenbelt, MD. Kudos to the student competitors and the Oratorical Contest Committee for a job well done.

During an NAACP commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, Bill Cosby took a segment of the Black community to task for parental failures that he said have led to high dropout rates, crime and other social problems. Cosby stated that “the lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal,” choosing to spend $500 on sneakers rather than $200 on “Hooked on Phonics.” Cosby’s remarks are still being debated nearly a year later. Is the Cos right?

JFB’s 4th annual Oratorical Contest: High schoolers from Prince George’s and Montgomery counties speak on: “Bill Cosby’s Comments on Black Parenting: On Point or Off Base?” The contestants compete for college scholarships up to $1,000.

Each student will deliver a prepared 3-5 minute speech, incorporating arguments or perspectives on Cosby’s highly publicized observation. A 3-5 judge panel will evaluate contestants on the basis of originality, logic, comprehension, an style and poise in speaking. Judges will also offer students brief individual critiques of their performance.

2004:

Each contestant made telling points as they debated the question “Do Historically Black Colleges and Universities Still Serve a Worthwhile Purpose?" competing for a $1,000.00 first place, a $500.00 second place and a $250.00 third place scholarship to a college or university of their choice.

Judge James Salmon of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, Honorable Betty Hewlett, Chairman of the Maryland National-Capitol Park and Planning Commission and Mr. Agai B. Jones judged the competition and privately critiqued each contestant afterward.

 

May Newsletter
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President's Message
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JFB General Meeting
CLE: “Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses”
June 18, 2009
CLICK HERE