Chief Judge John H. Ruffin, Jr.	Judge M. Yvette Miller

Presiding Judge Gary B. Andrews	Judge John J. Ellington

Presiding Judge Edward H. Johnson	Judge Herbert E. Phipps

Presiding Judge G. Alan Blackburn	Judge Charles B. Mikell, Jr.

Presiding Judge J.D. Smith	Judge A. Harris Adams

Judge Elizabeth Anne Barnes	Judge Debra Bernes

GEORGIA COURT OF APPEALS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

HIGH SCHOOL ORATORICAL CONTEST

As a part of its Centennial celebration in 2006, the Court of Appeals of Georgia is sponsoring a state-
wide high school oratorical contest. The subject of the contest will be the Separation of Powers and the Judicial Branch of Government. Each high school in Georgia, public or private, may certify one winner to advance to the statewide competition, to be held at the State Bar Center in Atlanta on Saturday, September 9, 2006. Eight quarter-finalists will receive scholarship awards. The overall winner will receive a scholarship and an invitation to deliver the winning speech at the Centennial Dinner to be held at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta on October 6, 2006.

Scholarships

The First Place winner will receive a scholarship to be used to pursue education beyond high school at any accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the amount of $7,500. The Second Place winner will receive a scholarship in the amount of $5,000, and the Third Place winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship. Each of the remaining quarter finalists will receive a $500 scholarship.

Topic

The topic for the contest is "The Separation of Powers and the Judicial Branch of Government." Each contestant may interpret the topic as he or she wishes; however, the speech will be judged in part on whether it addresses the topic. The speech must be the original work of the contestant. The speech must be a minimum of 5 minutes and should not exceed 8 minutes..

Eligibility

Contestants must be enrolled in a public or private high school in Georgia and must be under the age of 20 years as of October 6, 2006. To participate in the statewide finals competition, the student must be certified as the winner from his or her high school no later than September 1, 2006.

Judges

All decisions of the judges are final. Judges for the final round will include Judges of the Court of Appeals of Georgia and the Justices of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

For more information and a complete set of rules, see the Georgia Court of Appeals' website at www.gaappeals.us/centennial/contest.php or contact: Jill Pryor, Chair, Centennial High School Oratorical Contest, 1201 W. Peachtree St., Suite 3900, Atlanta, GA 30309; (404) 881-4131; pryor@bmelaw.com.