Emma Ko, a home-schooled senior, was selected the winner of the American Legion 4th District Oratorical Contest in Royse City, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Previously, she was selected a winner in the American Legion Post 178 contest in Frisco on Dec. 11, 2021. For winning the two contests, she received $250 and $500 college scholarships respectively.

Other Post 178 contest winners also placed in the district contest. Pranav Kalkunte, a junior at Independence High School, finished in second place and Jedaiah Ward, a home0schooled sophomore, finished in third place,

Each of the contestants delivered two orations, a prepared oration and a randomly assigned constitutional topic oration. Ko impressed the judges with her prepared topic oration, “The Humble Article”, and assigned topic oration, Amendment XXV, Section 4, concerning presidential disability and succession.

Ko will now advance to the American Legion 1st Division Oratorical Contest on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, which will be held in the old County Courthouse in Denton.