On March 8, 2025, youth from Bureau, LaSalle, and Marshall-Putnam Counties displayed their public speaking skills during the 4-H Public Speaking Contest at Illinois Valley Community College. This contest was a multi-county event where participants brought energy to the stage. All speakers were awarded a blue ribbon; state delegates will be able to compete at the 4-H State Public Speaking Contest held on April 26 at Parkland Community College in Champaign, Ill. Participants in this year’s competition are as follows:
Formal Speech Division:
- Myracle Johnson (LaSalle County): Best Speech (LaSalle County), Overall Best Speech, and State Delegate
- Kiryn Schaer (Marshall-Putnam)
Illustrated Speech Division:
- Ella Wier (Marshall-Putnam)
Oral Interpretation Speech Division:
- Emelia Farrier (LaSalle County)
Original Works Speech Division:
- Lillian Miller (LaSalle County)
- Gwen and Josie Heeley (Marshall-Putnam): Best Speech (Marshall Putnam County) and State Delegate
We congratulate the participants from this year’s contest for demonstrating this skill effortlessly!
To learn more about 4-H opportunities, call University of Illinois Extension at 217-244-5812 or email Shasta Hladovcak at shlad@illinois.edu.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.