Student Council Speeches -

A template to create your winning 'vote for me' speech

Student Council Speeches mark the end of your election campaign.

Will you be successful?

The final answer is in the hands of your peers. It's their decision but up until they mark their voting papers 'yes' or 'no' you have the potential to make their choice of candidate 'you'.

Understanding your speech purpose

Understanding the nature or purpose of your speech could make all the difference between winning and losing.

Student Council speeches are persuasive speeches. Their ultimate goal is to get the 'yes' vote. To help you achieve that use the template below to cover all the essential elements.

Student Council Speeches Template

Introduction

1. Greeting
   Attention Getter - the hook. A statement or rhetorical question to sit your audience up with open ears and mind
2. Who you are - your name, your place or grade in the school
3. What you want - the role you are campaigning for: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Historian...
4. What you are going to do for the audience - benefits to them in exchange for their vote
   (Brief summary -you will expand this in the body of your speech.)
5. Credibility - your qualification or expertise establishing your fitness for the role you want
   (Brief summary - you will expand this in the body of your speech.)
6. Transition leading to ...

Body

1. Your Main Idea 1 - Your goal for the role, what you want to achieve, how you plan to do it, the benefits to the audience, your fitness for the job, transition to...
2. Main Idea 2 - Supporting ideas - details and examples - transition to...
3. Main Idea 3 - Supporting ideas - details and examples - transition to...

NB. Only include a second and third idea if you have time to expand on them. If not, move through to the conclusion.

Conclusion

1. Summary of main idea(s)
2. Re-statement of what you want - to be elected to the role you're running for
3. Re-statement of the benefits to the audience
4. Closer, clincher, call for action

Student Council Speeches are generally 1-2 minutes long. That's between 270 - 300 words at an average speaking rate of 150 words per minute.

Points to consider BEFORE you write:

• Know the scope of the role you're campaigning for
  What tasks are you expected to fulfill?
  What qualities are you expected to show?
• Your audience
  Who are you speaking to?
  What are their concerns?
  What do they want from you?
  What tone or choice of vocabulary is best suited to them?
  Avoid trying to impress with either 'big' words or use of slang. Both are traps! Be yourself.
  What 'hook' will you use to get them to listen? Humor?
  Humor is good if it is relevant and inclusive rather than exclusive (no 'in' jokes!).
• Your goal in the role you want
  What exactly do you want to achieve?
  Is it possible?
  Do you have a plan?
  Avoid setting up expectations that you will deliver beyond your capability. Keep it real!
• Your credibility or qualifications
  What makes you fit for the role? Your previous experience? Your personal characteristics?
  Now is not the time either to be shy or arrogantly big-headed! Let the audience know how fitting you are for the role you want.
• Your school's requirements
  Many schools require speeches to be submitted to staff before they are delivered.
  If your speech does not meet pre- established criteria in any way you may find it is returned to you edited.
  It's safer to find out what those criteria are BEFORE writing to avoid having to re-write or worse, being disqualified entirely.
• Fairness
  You are competing against your peers but do so in way that reflects how you would want to be treated.
  Mockery and personal insults are not clever. They cheapen you; letting your audience know you're not to be trusted and neither are you ready for leadership.
  Readily acknowledging the skill and expertise of your fellow candidates sincerely in a way that doesn't demean yourself shows an open mind and maturity.

Tips for Writing Student Council Speeches

• Brainstorm your ideas first
  Start with noting ideas for the body of your speech as this is the most important part before going on to the introduction and the conclusion.
• Include your campaign slogan in your opening and conclusion
• Keep your style conversational rather than overly formal
• Use smaller rather than large sentences
• Use active rather than passive words. These convey enthusiasm.
  Check this page on using action verbs . You'll discover how to go from boring bla bla bland to dynamic excitement.
• Lead with your stongest idea first.
  Give specific examples to illustrate it where possible.
• Eliminate 'weasel' words or padding that add nothing to your presentation
• Aim to have your speech ready BEFORE the deadline.
  Give yourself time to prepare thoroughly, including a review of your opponents' campaigns.

Points to consider AFTER you have written your student council speech

Practice

Rehearse your speech
The more you rehearse the easier it will be deliver it well.

Remember it is only 1 to 2 minutes long!
In that time your goal is to have your audience ready to vote for you.

You can help them make that decision by being confident which you will show through:

• your speaking style - natural, sincere, fluent, understandable (clear and able to be heard without straining)
• your body language - relaxed, open gestures, good eye contact and smiling
• your personal grooming or presentation - how you look 'speaks' too.
  Make sure that your clothing and general grooming supports your speech for like it or not, you will be judged on both!

Make your student council campaign speech the best it can be by finding out more about:

• how to use humor effectively
• how to use cue cards (to avoid reading from your script)
• how to use vocal variety

Student Council Speeches are just like any other speech; the more you understand and practice, the better they are. Go well giving yours!

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PS.
If you find yourself going into panic over the thought of delivering your speech, please check these pages for help.

• Essential tips for overcoming public speaking fear
• How to deal with acute anxiety
• Have a laugh. This song Public Speaking Fear says it all! Your feelings about giving your speech are shared by many.

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