Did you think giving your club talk or demonstration wasn’t such a big deal? We are looking for individuals to participate in the annual Public Presentation contest. It will be held Monday, April 26, 7:00 PM at the Extension Office. The contest is open to all 4-H’ers and is a great experience! PLEASE pre-register for the contest by Friday, April 23 if you plan to participate. Pre-register by calling the Extension Office at 217-826-5422 or by emailing Cartha.
4-H’ers who participate will be eligible to receive a class premium and a chance to attend the State 4-H Public Speaking Contest in Decatur on Saturday, June 5. Up to three youth from each county may be selected to advance to the state contest. All ages are eligible to advance in any of the four divisions: Formal Speech, Illustrated Speech, Original Works, Oral Interpretation. Youth may participate in this contest AND STILL BE SELECTED as a delegate to the state fair in a different project area. All presentations must be 4 to 6 minutes in length. Food demonstrations must be between 8-10 minutes long and are not eligible for the state contest.
COMMUNICATIONS: PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
Enrollment in the Public Presentations project is required to participate in this section. No live animals are allowed in speeches. Counties may advance a total of 3 entries from any category to the state contest. A 4-H member may advance in one individual category and one team category.
Formal Speech | Self-written | Notes Allowed | No props | Individual | 4-6 minutes
Formal Speeches share the presenter’s own unique view and are intended to motivate, persuade, or inform an audience and may include a call to action. Youth deliver a speech on any topic they wish.
Illustrated Speech | Self-written | Notes Allowed | Illustrations Required | Individual | 4-6 minutes
Illustrated Speeches may be used to inform, persuade, or motivate the audience while using a visual aid. Visual aids may be two dimensional, three-dimensional, or digital. Youth may include audience participation. Digital visual aids must be stored on a USB flash drive. Illustrated speeches may be:
- How-to demonstrations which show the audience how to do something.
- Object lessons which use objects as metaphors to share a message.
- Educational models where drawings or diagrams help explain a topic.
Original Works | Self-written | Notes Allowed | Props and Costumes Allowed | Individual or 2-Person Team | Manuscripts sent in Advance | 4-6 minutes
Original works must be written entirely by the presenter. It may be presented as an individual or a two-person team entry. Manuscripts must be sent in advance to the contest. Presentations may be designed for TV, radio, or online media and must be presented live. The types of entries could include:
- Prose and Short Stories
- Poetry
- Broadcast Media Program
- Theatrical
- Combined Program: Combine any number of the above elements along with other creative presentation forms
Oral Interpretation | Published Work | Props and Costumes Allowed | Individual or 2-Person Team | Manuscripts sent in Advance | 4-6 minutes
Presentations in Oral Interpretation must be published works, and manuscripts or transcripts must be submitted prior to the event. They may be presented as an individual or a two-person team entry. The types of entries could include:
- Prose and Short Stories
- Poetry
- Theatrical Interpretation
- Published Speech Recitation: Excerpt from a spoken presentation delivered by a public figure, such as Winston Churchill, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., or Maya Angelou
- Combined Program: Combine any number of the above elements along with other creative presentation forms
FOOD DEMONSTRATION – Food Demonstrations should be 8 – 10 minutes in length. May be done by an individual or two members. This project is NOT eligible for State Fair selection.
