National Forensic League All-Stars Receive $88,000 in College Scholarships

PHILADELPHIA, June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A week of exciting competition ended in triumph for several high school speech and debate students from across the United States. More than 2,800 qualifiers from nearly 950 schools across the nation competed in Grapevine/Colleyville, Texas, for awards and scholarships at the Lincoln Financial Group(R)/National Forensic League National Speech Tournament. Twenty-three competitors earned college scholarships from Lincoln Financial Group for their efforts and skills in public speaking and debate.

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Recognizing the National Forensic League (NFL) members' devotion to academic learning and personal growth along with their commitment to honing the important art of communication, Lincoln Financial Group awarded $88,000 in scholarships and prizes to the following students:

- Jeff Bogess and Nathaniel Nguyen, James Logan High School, Union City, CA: $5,000 each for first place in duo interpretation of literature - Blake Wiliams, The Montgomery Academy, Montgomery, AL: $5,000 for first place in dramatic interpretation of literature - Matt Grimes and Dylan Groves, Bellarmine College Prep, San Jose, CA: $5,000 each for first place in policy debate - Eva Lam, Rufus King High School, Milwaukee, WI: $5,000 for first place in student congress (Senate) - Cameron Secord, Brookwood High School, Snellville, GA: $5,000 for first place in student congress (House) - Valerie Hobbs and Michelle Schmitt, Bishop Heelan High School, Sioux City, IA: $5,000 each for first place in Ted Turner Public Forum Debate - Spencer Rockwell, Palisade High School, Palisade, CO: $5,000 for first place in international extemporaneous speaking - Colin West, Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Collins, CO: $5,000 for first place in United States extemporaneous speaking - Spencer McCurnin, Dowling Catholic High School, West Des Moines, IA: $5,000 for first place in humorous interpretation of literature - Sarah Koch, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, MN: $5,000 for first place in original oratory - Douglas Jeffers, Dulles High School, Sugar Land, TX: $5,000 for first place in Lincoln Financial Group Lincoln-Douglas debate - Liz Mullins, Sacred Heart High School, Kingston, MA: $4,000 for second place in Lincoln Financial Group Lincoln-Douglas debate - Elizabeth Scoggin, Edina High School, Edina, MN: $3,000 for third place in Lincoln Financial Group Lincoln-Douglas debate - Jeremy Schifberg, South Eugene High School, Eugene, OR: $2,000 for fourth place in Lincoln Financial Group Lincoln-Douglas debate

Additionally, eight School Participants of the Year were randomly chosen and awarded $500 program scholarships, and five Student Participants of the Year were randomly chosen and awarded $1,000 individual scholarships. One NFL participant won a Donovan McNabb-autographed Philadelphia Eagle's football jersey and a trip for four to Lincoln Financial Field(R) in Philadelphia to attend a Philadelphia Eagles football game.

For the first time in NFL history, 12 students from Seoul, South Korea attended the National Speech Tournament and competed in main events. NFL affiliate members from South Korea participated in the first annual "Guest Country Program." In cooperation with the International Debate Education Association, the NFL arranged for these international students to compete in the main event categories of International Extemporaneous speaking, Ted Turner Public Forum Debate, Original Oratory, and Duo Interpretation.

Communications pioneer, philanthropist, and NFL Communicator of the Year in 1988, R.E. "Ted" Turner served as the judge for the NFL's Ted Turner Debate. The Ted Turner Debate format is based on CNN's Crossfire. This year's topic was: Resolved: That the United States government should ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Mr. Turner was a high school NFL debate champion, as well as being named NFL Communicator of the Year in 1988. Turner is vice-chairman of AOLTime Warner and the founder of CNN.

During the Lincoln-Douglas Debates round on Friday, June 23, Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Richard "Fritz" Klein, one of the foremost Lincoln actors of today, spoke on the importance of oratory skills and encouraged participants to use these skills to positively influence moral and social issues. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates take their name from the senatorial campaign debates of 1858, when respected orator and U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas (D-Ill.) went head-to-head with Republican challenger Abraham Lincoln during a series of seven debates on the subject of slavery and states' sovereignty.

About the National Forensic League National Speech Tournament:

The Lincoln Financial Group(R)/National Forensic League National Speech Tournament is an annual competition organized and run by the National Forensic League. The 2006 National Speech Tournament was held June 18 - 23 in north Texas. The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, not-for-profit educational honor society based in Ripon, Wis. Lincoln Financial Group has been a sponsor of the National Forensic League since 1994.

About Lincoln Financial Group:

Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation and its affiliates. With headquarters in Philadelphia, Penn., Lincoln Financial Group had consolidated assets of $128 billion as of March 31, 2006, and had annual consolidated revenues of $5.5 billion in 2005. The company offers: annuities; life, group life and disability insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; mutual funds; managed accounts; institutional investments; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. Company affiliates include: Lincoln Financial Distributors, which provides wholesaling and marketing support; Lincoln Financial Advisors, a national network of financial planners, agents, and registered representatives; Delaware Investments, the marketing name for Delaware Management Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries; Lincoln Financial Media, which owns and operates three television stations, 18 radio stations, and the Lincoln Financial Sports production and syndication business; and Lincoln UK. For more information, please visit http://www.lfg.com/.