The Fulton County 4-H Public Speaking Contest and Performing Arts Show were held on Saturday, March 29 at the Checkrow Community Church in rural Avon. 4-H member Aaliyah Naff presented a formal speech and Aliyah Janssen did an oral interpretation. Both participants received blue ratings and qualified to move on to the Illinois State 4-H Public Speaking Contest on April 26 in Champaign. Aliyah Janssen was named Best of Show Winner for Public Speaking.
The Performing Arts Show was held immediately after the Public Speaking Contest. Thirteen talented youth entertained the audience with their musical abilities. All performers received blue ratings. Competing in the Junior Division was Connor Kotewa, Skylar Naff, Carsyn Regan, Kennedi Regan, Aerianna Spangler, Briley Spangler, Thomas Stevenson, and David Wetterauer. Best of Show in the Junior Division went to Carsyn & Kennedi Regan. Senior Division contestants included Aliyah Jannsen, Benton Janssen, Declan Kotewa, Mallory Kotewa, and Alex Wetterauer. Senior Division Best of Show was awarded to Declan Kotewa.
Judge for this year’s event was Marjie Shelby of Fairview; she gave several helpful comments to the Public Speaking 4-H members and offered much praise to every one of the talented 4-H performers.
Public Speaking is an important skill for youth to gain and is practiced regularly in the 4-H Program, through talks and demonstrations at 4-H club meetings and more. Learning to speak and perform in front of even a few people can be less scary when the audience members are your friends.
For more information on the University of Illinois Extension 4-H Program in Fulton County, call the Extension office at 547-3711.
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.