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• Monday, March 14, 2022

  Ian Chung Is 2022 State Oratorical Champ

  

  ORATORICAL FINALISTS (from left): Molly Levitt, Mary Kennedy, Thomas Yu, Department Commander Frank LaMarsh, Ian Chang (state champion), and London Beachy.

  ALBANY — Ian Chung, a sophomore at Vestal Senior High School in Vestal, is The American Legion New York State Oratorical Champion for 2022, Oratorical Chairman Anthony Paternostro announced.

  This year’s contest was conducted on March 5, 2022, at the Crown Plaza-Desmond Hotel, Albany.   

  “With some of the pandemic restrictions lifted this year, we had a very good attendance,” Paternostro said. “Those in attendance were witness to five magnificent orators.”

  Champion Ian Chung won a $6,000 scholarship. He competed against four other finalists from a cross section of the state in the 85th Annual American Legion Department of New York Oratorical Contest. He was sponsored by the American Legion North-East Post 1645, Broome County, 6th District, and Zone 4.

  Other contestants were:

  • Mary Kennedy, sponsored by Greenlawn Post 1244 (Suffolk County, 10th District, Zone 2), who won a $4,000 scholarship;

  • Thomas Yu, sponsored by Eike-Jordan-Bauer Post 1501 (Monroe County, 17th District, Zone 5), who won a $2,500 scholarship;

  • London Beachy, sponsored by Brushton Moira Post 939 (Franklin County, District 4th, Zone 3); and Molly Levitt, sponsored by Fox Eklot Post 505 (Westchester  County, District 9th, Zone 1). They each won a $2,000 scholarship.