Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
                                                   Region III
                                           DIVISION OF NUEVA ECIJA
                                                Cabanatuan City
DIVISION MEMORANDUM
NO. ______, S. 2016
                           ENGLISH FESTIVAL OF TALENTS IN THE SECONDARY LEVEL
TO:                 Secondary School Principals/OICs/TICs
                    PSDSes and Elementary School Principals Concerned
      1. This is to announce the conduct of the English Olympics in the Secondary Level on the following
         dates and venues:
                 LEVEL                             DATE                                VENUE
CD I                                   December 5, 2016                   ELJ National HS
CD II                                  December 6, 2016                   Gen. Luna NHS
CD III                                 December 7, 2016                   Santa Rosa NHS
CD IV                                  December 8, 2016                   Putlod High School
      2. The objectives of the Olympics are to:
         a. reinforce love for the English Subject among students’ through different literary activities in
              English;
         b. enhance five macro skills through friendly competition; and
         c. tap the multiple intelligences of students in language learning.
      3. Participants to the Congressional District competition are the first-place winners in the different
         categories in the school level conducted prior to this competition, while participants to the
         division level are first place winners from the CD level in Infomercial Category, and top three
         winners in all categories.
      4. The different categories and the grade levels are:
            Grade Level                                         Category
            Grade 7                                             Readathon and Spelling Bee
            Grade 8                                             Declamation and Quiz Bee
            Grade 9                                             Essay Writing and Word Smith
            Grade 10                                            Oration and Quiz Bee
            Grade 11                                            Extemporaneous Speech and Oration
            Selected Students from Grade 7-11 or Senior         Infomercial
            High School only
      5.    The contest guidelines and mechanics are found in Enclosure no. 1 while the list of working
            committee and contest administrators are found in Enclosure no. 2.
      6.    In all contest categories, top three winners shall be recognized in the division level.
      7.    There will be no registration fee. Transportation and incidental expenses of the participants and
            coaches shall be chargeable against local/school funds subject to the usual accounting and
            auditing rules and procedures.
      8.    Participants and their coaches are expected to be at the venue at 7:30 AM for a brief orientation
            and opening program. They are likewise advised to bring their own provision for lunch and
            snacks.
      9.    All decision of the members of the Board of Judges shall be final, therefore, unappealable.
      10.   Immediate and wide dissemination of this memorandum is enjoined.
                                                                         RONALDO A. POZON, Ph.D., CESO V
                                                                           Schools Division Superintendent
Enclosure No. 1 to Division Memorandum No. _____ s. 2016
                                          CONTEST MECHANICS
READATHON (Grade 7)
The Readathon contest involves the reading of a selection under a given reading speed. Questions which
are based on the selection are then asked to check the contestants’ comprehension. This portion of the
contest is under time pressure.
   1. The contest is open to all Grade 7 students.
   2. There are three (3) rounds in this category namely; slow, average, and fast.
   3. The reading time for every selection shall be based on the reading rate of reading set for each
      round.:
              Slow round       -       150 words per minute (WPM)
              Average round -          250 words per minute (WPM)
              Fast round       -       350 words per minute (WPM)
The reading time per selection shall be announced by the quiz master.
   4. All contestants will preview the comprehension question before they read the selection. The
       time allotted for the preview shall be thirty (30) seconds only. Then, the proctors will retrieve
       the comprehension questions.
   5. All contestants will read the same set of selection for every round. There will be two (2)
       selection per round with five (5) comprehension questions per selection. The quiz master shall
       announce the target reading time per selection.
   6. After the target reading time, a buzzer sounds. This signals that contestants will automatically
       stop reading and the proctors will retrieve the selection.
   7. The proctors shall again give the comprehension questions to the contestants. The contestants.
       Will only answer in writing after the Quizmaster has announced the answering time which is
       one-half of the reading time.
   8. After the time limit for the answering time, a buzzer sounds. This signals that the contestants
       will automatically stop and shall submit their answer to the proctor.
   9. Points are assigned for each question per round:
                Slow round      -        1 point
                Average round -          2 points
                Fast round      -        5 points
   10. The proctors shall check the contestants’ answer.
   11. The contestant who got the highest point s will automatically be declared the SUPER READER OF
       THE YEAR, the second highest, 1 st RUNNER-UP, and the third highest, 2 nd RUNNER-UP. The
       winners shall be announced by the Board of Judges.
   12. Should there be a tie among the contestants getting the highest score, the second or third
       scores, the contest continue to the clincher round to determine the champion or the runner-up
       as the case may be.
SPELLING BEE (Grade 7)
   1. Before the start of the contest, each pupil is assigned a number that corresponds to his/her
      number in the registration form.
   2. There are three rounds for this category with the ff. time limit and no. of items
              a. EASY                   -      30 seconds        -       8 words
              b. AVERAGE                -      45 seconds        -       7 words
              c. HARD                   -      1 minute          -       5 words
       In case of tie, a clincher round shall break the tie.
   3. The following scoring system shall be adopted:
              Easy Round             -        1 point
              Average Round          -        2 points
              Difficult Round        -        3 points
              Clincher Round         -        5 points
   4. For the contest proper, the word to be spelled shall be used in a sentence. This will be read
      twice by the quizmaster and a proctor shall signal when to start and when to stop.
   5. Each contestant is required to bring 1/8 illustration board, chalk and eraser.
   6. Answer will be checked and scores will be tallied on a score sheet by a designated facilitator.
   7. Top three winners shall be declared after the tabulation of points in the different rounds.
DECLAMATION (Grade 8)
   1. The contest is open to all Grade 8 students.
   2. Each participating school must have one participant only.
   3. The declamation piece must be original and shall evolve on the general theme. “Nationalism.”
   4. Usage of props or other items to demonstrate a viewpoint at any point during the delivery is
      strictly prohibited.
   5. The criteria for judging are:
               Mastery of the Piece                              20%
               Delivery (Interpretation, voice, diction.
                                Enunciation)                     50%
               Gestures and Facial Expression                    10%
               Costume                                           10%
               Overall Impact                                    10%
                                                             ---------------
                                                 Total           100%
ESSAY WRITING (Grade 9)
  1. The contest is for Grade 9 students.
  2. The essay must be original and must expound on a theme that shall be announced before the
     contest starts.
  3. Essays are to be written within 1 hour in designated contest rooms together with assigned
     facilitators.
  4. All essays shall be written in English and shall consist of not less than 300 words but not more
     than 600 words.
  5. For purpose of anonymity, the writer’s real name, school, and/or other contact details must only
     appear in the official registration form and in the manifesto which shall be signed before the
     contest proper. No distinguishing mark or name of the contestants shall appear in the entry.
     Only the number from the control sheets shall be written on the top right portion entry.
  6. The use of mobile phones and/or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited during the
     contest proper.
  7. Criteria for judging are as follow:
              a. Content                                                 50%
              b. Clarity and coherence                                   20%
              c. Conventions (Grammar, spe lling, punctuations           20%
              d. Relevance to the theme                                  10%
                                                                      ------------
                                                               Total 100%
WORDSMITH (Grade 9)
   1. The contest is for Grade 9 students.
   2. There are three (3) rounds for this category with the ff. time allotment and corresponding
      points.
      a. Easy          - (three-letter-word)           1 point           - 30 seconds
      b. Average       - (four-letter-word)            2 points          - 1 minute
      c. Difficult     - (five or more letter word)    3 points          - 1.5 minutes
   3. The quizmaster gives a word and the contestants will form as many words as possible within
      allotted time.
   4. Answers will be checked by the contest administrator and facilitators after each word.
   5. Contestants are not allowed to bring cellphone, dictionary, books, or any reference materials,
      except pencil or ballpen to the contest venue.
   6. Failure to comply with these shall be ground for disqualification.
EXTEMPORANEOUS (Grade 11)
   1. The contest is open to all Grade 11 students.
   2. Each participating school must have one participant only.
   3. All pieces must be in English without an aid of a public address system.
   4. There shall be only one topic for all the contestants.
   5. During the contest proper, there shall be a holding area for the contestants while they are
      waiting for their turn.
   6. Each contestant shall be allowed two (2) minutes to prepare his/her piece/answer and another
      three (3) minutes to deliver it. A deduction of one (1) point from the average grade for every
      excess of one (1) minute shall be applied. Contestants shall be isolated from the contest venue
      and shall be called one by one for their own delivery.
   7. Reading of notes of any form is not allowed.
   8. The criteria for judging are:
                Content                                          25%
                Voice and Diction                                20%
                Organization                                     20%
                Poise and Stage Presence                         15%
                Impact and Effectiveness                         20%
                                                             ---------------
                                                Total            100%
ORATORICAL SPEECH (Grade 11)
   1. The mechanics of the contest are as follow:
      a. The oratorical piece must be original and must expound on the theme, “Nationalism” and
          “Spirit of Christmas”
      b. The oratorical piece shall be delivered in English for no less than 3 minutes and not more
          than 5 minutes to avoid penalty deductions from their over-all scores.
      c. Time starts from the moment the contestant speaks and ends at the time he/she takes a
          bow. A contestant whose speech is less than the minimum requirement of three (3) minutes
          as well as those who exceeded the maximum of five (5) minutes will get a deduction of one
          (1) point from his/her total score for every minute or a fraction thereof in excess/deficit of
          the allotted time.
      d. The sequence of the orator’s presentation shall be determined by drawing of lots.
      e. The use of sound effects, microphones and props is strictly prohibited.
      f. The oratorical piece shall be submitted in three copies during the contest.
   2. Criteria for judging are as follow:
                a. Relevance of the topic                                  50%
                b. Delivery                                                40%
                   Quality of voice, diction, fluency/
                   mastery of the speech, pronunciation, and
              c. Stage Presence                                            10%
                   Stage poise, gestures, and appropriate
                   use of the stage
                                                       Total               100%
QUIZ BEE (Grade 7,8 & 10)
   1.   Quiz bee includes grammar and literature lessons of each grade level.
   2.   There will be one contestant from each Grade level.
   3.   The contestants are required to bring 1/8 illustration board where they will write their answers.
   4.   They will answer the same set of questions in writing. Before the question is read, the
        contestant must raise their markers. Questions will be read twice by the Quizmaster.
   5.   After the second (2ND) reading, the quizmaster shall say, “go”, only then will contestants be
        allowed to write their answers. Automatically, the ten (10) second time limit begin with the
        word “go” by the Quizmaster.
   6.   There will be three (30 components with corresponding points namely:
                Easy              10 Questions             1 point each
                Average           10 Questions             3 points each
                Difficult         10 Questions             5 points each
                Clincher          5 questions              5 points each
   7.   After the time limit, the whistle is blown by the time keeper. The contestants must stop writing
        and must raise their answer boards.
   8.   The Quizmaster together with the Board of Judges shall read and verify the answer.
    9. The contestants who get the highest number of points will be automatically declared the
       champion or the runner-up as the case may be.
INFORMERCIAL (Grade 7-11/SHS)
The mechanics of the contest are as follows:
    1. The infomercial must be original and must expound on the topic about promoting Nueva Ecija
        with the spirit of Christmas.
    2. There must be a minimum of 7 and maximum of 10 members in each group.
    3. At least three copies of the script for the infomercial must be submitted to the facilitators before
        starting the performance.
    4. The sequence of the presenters shall be determined by drawing of lots.
    5. Three minutes will be given for each group to set-up their props on the stage. After, three
        minutes a green flaglet will be raised to signify that the performance may now start. Five (5)
        minutes is the time allotted for the performance.
    6. Performers whose infomercial is less than the minimum requirement of 5 minutes as well as
        those who exceeded the maximum of 6 minutes will get a deduction of 1 point from his/her
        total score for every minutes or a fraction thereof in excess/deficit of the allotted time.
    7. One minute will be given to the performers to exit the stage and take all their props with them.
    8. All performers should bring their laptop or any material for technical purposes. There must be
        no major adjustments to the sound control system before the performance. Minor adjustment
        should only be applied to the performers’ laptop.
    9. The decision of judges is final and irrevocable.
    10. Criteria for judging:
            a. Script                                                                25%
                 Content is logically organized and relevant to the theme
            b. Creativity                                                            25%
                 Exhibits uniqueness and originality
            c. Voice quality                                                         20%
            d. Technical Application                                                 15%
                 Implements technologies appropriately
            e. Props and costume                                                     15%
                                                                                  ------------
                                                                                     100%
Enclosure No. 2 to the Division Memorandum No. ____ s. 2016
                                       WORKING COMMITTEE
       Overall Chair:
               RONALDO A. POZON, Ph.D., CESO V
               Schools Division Superintendent
       Co-Chair:
              JOHANNA N. GERVACIO, Ph. D.
              Asst. Schools Division Superintendent
Planning Committee:
Chair: Carmencita Gatmaitan           - EPS, English and Journalism
Co-Chairs:
        CD I: Mrs. Rosalinda Duran
        CD II: Mrs. Shirley Jimenez
        CD III: Mrs. Nieva C. Mico
        CD IV: Mrs. Mary Ann Rodriguez
Technical Committee:
Chair: Mrs. Diosalyn Azarcon          - Head Teacher V, English
Co-Chairs:
        Ms. Candace Yvette Attendido
        Miss. Krisciel Ann Macapagal
        Mr. Raymond Santos
        Mr. Mark Denisse de Jesus
                         CONTEST ADMINISTRATORS, JUDGES AND FACILITATORS
                        CD I              CD II             CD III           CD IV
  CATEGORIES                                                                               FACILITATORS
                    Dec. 6, 2016      Dec. 7, 2016      Dec. 8, 2016      Dec. 9, 2016
                                                        Bonifacio De      Bonifacio De
                     Mel Garcia        Mel Garcia          Mata              Mata
   Readathon                                                                                Japeth Nabor
                    Rona Hilario      Rona Hilario        Angelina          Angelina
                                                         Bernardino        Bernardino
                    Noelito Noe       Noelito Noe      Lucila Gonzales   Lucila Gonzales      Jocelyn
  Declamation       Gina Castro        Gina Castro      Lourdes Fraile    Lourdes Fraile     Fernandez
                    Lani Domingo      Lani Domingo     Jesseelyn Ortiz    Jesselyn Ortiz
                                                          Diosalyn          Diosalyn        Maria Kristina
  Essay Writing    Wilma Manalo      Wilma Manalo
                                                          Azarcon           Azarcon           Espiritu
                    Maura Usita       Maura Usita
                                                                                           Darmo Timario
                   Ma. Magdalena     Ma. Magdalena     Raymond Santos    Raymond Santos
  Word Smith                                                                                 Lorna Naco
                       Castillo          Castillo      Leonora Rullan    Leonora Rullan
                                                          Mario             Mario
                   Rogelio Bue         Rogelio Bue       Quiambao          Quiambao
                                                                                           Mario Reyes, Jr.
   Infomercial     Florante Escosa   Florante Escosa       Lowell            Lowell
                                                         Fuentabella       Fuentabella
                   Melvin Galapo     Melvin Galapo
                                                         Agnes Soro        Agnes Soro
                     Ronabelle         Ronabelle          Diosalyn          Diosalyn
                     Matadling         Matadling          Azarcon           Azarcon
Extemporaneous       Mary Ann          Mary Ann           Roselle           Roselle        Shiela Dela Cruz
                     Rodriguez         Rodriguez         Fernandez         Fernandez
                     Vilma Ocan        Vilma Ocan      Rene Duclayan     Rene Duclayan
                   Elmer Manilag     Elmer Manilag
                                                                            Melchor
                                                          Melchor
                   Candace Yvette    Candace Yvette                         Camiling
                                                          Camiling                           Sherry Ann
   Oratorical        Atendido          Atendido
                                                                         Emilia Mauricio      Ganareal
                                                       Emilia Mauricio
                    Mark Denisse     Mark Denisse A.
                                                        Loradel Nieto     Loradel Nieto
                     A. De Jesus        De Jesus
    Quiz Bee          Angelica       Angelica Manue    Dario Villajuan   Dario Villajuan    Joshua Reyes
                      Manuel          Edmar Azurin     Rosalinda Duran   Rosalinda Duran    Mark Andrew
               Edmar Azurin                                                     Fernandez
                                                                              Arriane Louren
                Jun Ainne
Spelling Bee                                      Beverly Del   Beverly Del        Rayo
                  Caoile       Jun Ainne Caoile
                                                   Rosario       Rosario         Mariane
                                                                                Inocencio
Tabulators     Allan Lazaro      Allan Lazaro      Wilfredo      Wilfredo
               Lotgarda Cruz    Lotgarda Cruz      Bautista      Bautista