Public Speaking

This is your online resource for the 4-H Public Speaking project. The record sheet is below. If you have any questions, please refer to the 4-H Handbook or contact the Extension Office.

*If you have trouble accessing any of these documents below because of a disability, please contact the Jackson Co. Extension Office at (812) 358-6101 or send an email to schneidh@purdue.edu.

Here are the requirements for this project:

VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Effective communication drives all aspects of day-to-day life. Youth are to learn about the process of communications, to learn about different modes of communications and to strengthen their own communications skills. As you explore the world of communications and the manuals, you will enjoy learning more about yourself and others. Youth completing this project are expected to participate in a variety of experiences allowing them to develop communication skills rather than create an exhibit to be displayed at the county or state fair.

A series of 4-H manuals is available with activities designed to develop communication skills at a specific grade level. Module 1 is for Beginner Level youth in grades 3-5. Module 2 is for Intermediate Level youth in grades 6-8. Module 3 is for Advanced Level youth in grades 9-12. To complete this project a member’s adult mentor is to provide verification the member participated in at least one of the following activities:

• Complete an activity from the grade appropriate manual.
• Give a demonstration or presentation at a club meeting.
• Participate in a verbal communications event. See verbal communication section below.
• Submit a news release to local news media about a 4-H event or topic.
• Participate in a radio interview.
• Present information about 4-H to a civic organization or similar group.
• Participate in the Indiana 4-H Spread the News workshop (Grades 9-12).
• Participate as an actor in a community theater.
• Other activities that demonstrate communication skill development.

Verbal Communication Events

The following verbal communication events and activities are offered to 4-H members as a way to teach presentation and public speaking skill development. They are often used in 4-H meetings, and a county 4-H youth development program may choose to offer these as competitive events. While the interactive demonstration is a non-competitive event at the Indiana State Fair, the demonstration, informative presentation, professional persuasive presentation, public speaking, and illustrated talk are competitive events. Refer to the Indiana State Fair 4-H handbook for the date, time and location of each event. Check with your county extension educator for information about entering these events.

    Interactive Demonstration

• Any 4-H member may participate in the Interactive Demonstration.
• This is designed for the novice person, and the topic can be related to any 4-H project. The 4-H member will provide a short demonstration of no more than 3 minutes that will actively engage members of the audience in a how-to-do skill development.
• Examples include, but are not limited to, how to use a measuring cup, how to use a ruler, how to knead dough, how to clean grooming clippers, how to crop a photo, etc.
• Props are permitted.
• Live animals and PowerPoint displays are not permitted.
• Although participants will not be judged, an adult will watch the 4-H member’s interactive demonstration and will provide feedback to the member.
• The 4-H member will continually repeat their how-to interactive demonstration for the designated time period, typically 45-60 minutes.

    Demonstration

• This contest allows the 4-H member to show the audience step-by-step procedures how to do something related to any 4-H project.
• Examples of a demonstration include how to take a prize winning photograph, how to give an intramuscular antibiotic injection or shot, how to design a mini-barn blueprint, how to construct a garment, how to develop a wildlife rehabilitation plan, how to treat a cat for fleas, etc.
• Members may use a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other digital presentation, signs, and other props that will enhance their presentation when giving their how-to demonstration to the audience from a stage or stage-like setting.
• If digital media will be used to enhance the presentation, contestants are encouraged to provide their own laptop computer. If the laptop is not equipped with a standard VGA external video connection, the
  • contestant will need to supply an adequate adapter. While a standard PC laptop will be available, the quality and compatibility of the digital media cannot be guaranteed as PowerPoint will be the only digital media available.
  • Live animals are not permitted.
  • There is no interaction with the audience.
  • Junior members (grades 6-8) have 5-7 minutes to present their demonstration, while senior members (grades 9-12) will present their demonstration in 5-10 minutes.
  • Questions may be asked of the contestants by the judges following the demonstration.
  • Categories will be Junior Individual, Senior Individual, Junior Team, and Senior Team.
  • The team category is for two (2) people and will be determined by the highest grade level of any member of that team. If a team is awarded the State Fair Achievement Trip, only those team members who are 14 years of ag or older as of January 1 will be permitted to attend the trip. Those members of the winning team who are younger than 14 years of age will not be able to compete in a team demonstration in future years.
  • The State Fair Achievement Trip may be awarded by the judges to maximum of the top three (3) blue merit senior individual members and top (1) blue merit senior team at the discretion of the judges. Trip winners must be of blue merit quality.
  • Jackson County winners (3 from the junior division and 3 from the senior division) will be eligible to participate in the state contest.
  • State Fair entries must be made for each representative to the state contest. In case the winner is unable to participate, the alternate may participate.
  • Contact the Extension Office on date and time of the county contest.
  • 4-H member must fill out a record sheet to be turned in with the green/white record book.

      Informative 4-H Presentation

  • This contest allows the 4-H member to present a topic of their choice related to a 4-H event, project, or activity to the audience.
  • Examples of an informative 4-H presentation include the benefits of attending 4-H Round-Up, State 4-H Junior Leader Conference, Science Workshops, or Citizenship Washington Focus; the impact of a community service project on the 4-H members involved and their community; why a family should enroll their children in 4-H; how 4-H prepares a young person for the workforce or college, etc.
  • Members may use a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other digital presentation, signs, and other props that will enhance their presentation when giving it to the audience from a state or stage-like setting. If digital media will be used to enhance the presentation, contestants are encouraged to provide their own laptop computer. If the laptop is not equipped with a standard VGA external video connection, the contestant will need to supply an appropriate adapter. While a standard PC laptop will be available, the quality and compatibility of the digital media cannot be guaranteed as PowerPoint will be the only digital media available.
  • Live animals are not permitted.
  • There is no interaction with the audience.
  • Junior members (grades 6-8) have 5-7 minutes to present their informative presentation, while senior members (grades 9-12) will present their informative presentation in 5-10 minutes.
  • Questions may be asked of the contestants by the judges following the informative 4-H presentation.
  • Categories will be Junior Individual and Senior Individual.
  • The State Fair Achievement Trip may be awarded by the judges to a maximum of the top three (3) blue merit senior individual members at the discretion of the judges. Trip winners must be of blue merit quality.
  • Jackson County winners (3 from the junior division and 3 from the senior division) will be eligible to participate in the state contest.
  • State Fair entries must be made for each representative to the state contest. In case the winner is unable to participate, the alternate may participate.
  • Contact the Extension Office on date and time of the county contest.
  4-H member must fill out a record sheet to be turned in with the green/white record book.

Professional Persuasive Presentation

• Contestants will be required to research a public issue in their community, collect data showing how this issue is or could affect their community, formulate a plan to address this issue, and present it in a professional manner using electronic digital media such as a PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.
• Contestants are to submit three (3) sets of accompanying handouts at registration. These handouts will be provided to the judges.
• It is suggested that youth practice by presenting their professional presentation to service clubs, 4-H council or fair board, government officials, or other boards.
• Examples of public issues could be the lack of accessibility to trails or public parks, congested traffic locations, public health issues, impoverished neighborhoods, school dropout rates, the size of farm machinery outgrowing the size of roads, etc.
• Members must use a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other digital media presentation when giving it to the audience from a stage or stage-like setting.
• Other props may be used to enhance the presentation, but are not required.
• Live animals are not permitted.
• There is no interaction with the audience.
• Junior members (grades 6-8) and senior members (grades 9-12) will present their professional presentation in 5-10 minutes.
• Questions may be asked by the judges following the professional presentation.
• Categories will be Junior Individual, Senior Individual, Junior Team and Senior Team.
• The team category is for two (2) people and will be determined by the highest grade level of any member of that team. If a team is awarded the State Fair Achievement Trip, only those team members who are 14 years of age or older as of January 1 will be permitted to attend the trip. Those members of the winning team who are younger than 14 years of age will not be able to compete in a team professional persuasive presentation in future years.
• Contestants are encouraged to provide their own laptop computer. If the laptop is not equipped with a standard VGA external video connection, the contestant will need to supply an appropriate adapter. While a standard PC laptop will be available, the quality and compatibility of the digital media cannot be guaranteed as PowerPoint will be the only digital media available. A wireless internet connection will be available.
• The State Fair Achievement Trip may be awarded by the judges to a maximum of the top three (3) blue merit senior individual members and top (1) blue merit senior team at the discretion of the judges. Trip winners must be of blue merit quality.
• Jackson County winners (3 from the junior division and 3 from the senior division) will be eligible to participate in the state contest.
• State Fair entries must be made for each representative to the state contest. In case the winner is unable to participate, the alternate may participate.
• Contact the Extension Office on date and time of the county contest.
• 4-H member must fill out a record sheet to be turned in with the green/white record book.

    Public Speaking

• This contest allows the 4-H member to give their prepared speech to an audience from a stage or stage-like setting.
• There is no interaction with the audience.
• Props, signs, and PowerPoint presentations are not permitted.
• The topic can be of the 4-H member’s choice and must be related to 4-H.
• Questions may be asked by the judges following the speech.
• The State Fair Achievement Trip may be awarded by the judges to a maximum of the top three (3) blue merit senior individual members at the discretion of the judges. Trip winners must be of blue merit quality.
• Jackson County winners (3 from the junior division and 3 from the senior division) will be eligible to participate in the state contest.

• State Fair entries must be made for each representative to the state contest. In case the winner is unable to participate, the alternate may participate.
• • Contact the Extension Office on date and time of the county contest.
  • 4-H member must fill out a record sheet to be turned in with the green/white record book.

                 Cloverleaf Division

  1. Members should be in grades 3-5.
  2. Speeches should last 3-5 minutes.
  3. Cloverleaf will not compete at State Fair level and will not be ranked.
  4. Cloverleaf members will receive a participation ribbon on the county level.

                 Junior Division

  1. A participant must be a 4-H member and be in grades 6-8.
  2. Junior speeches should last 3-5 minutes. Judges will penalize contestants not meeting these time limits.
  3. There is no limit on the number of times a member may participate in the State Junior Public Speaking Contest.
  4. Each speaker will be ranked and awarded a blue, red or white ribbon on the county level.

                 Senior Division

  1. A participant must be a 4-H member and must be in grades 9-12.
  2. Senior speeches should last 5-7 minutes. Judges will penalize contestants not meeting these time limits.
  3. Members who have previously been first place winners in the State Fair Public Speaking Contest are not eligible to participate if they accepted the State Fair Achievement Trip.
  4. Each speaker will be ranked and awarded a blue, red or white ribbon on the county level.

      Illustrated Talk

  • An illustrated talk is offered at the Indiana State Fair in Poultry and Rabbits.
  • All participants must complete the Indiana State Fair Rabbit or Poultry entry form. This completed form is to be submitted to the Rabbit or Poultry barn office, respective to the contest, at check-in. There is no Indiana State Fair entry fee for this event.
  • Categories will be Novice (grades 3-4), Junior (grades 5-6), Intermediate (grades 7-8), Senior (grades 9-10), and Master (grades 11-12).
  • An illustrated talk is for any 4-H member and allows the member to present a 5-7 minute speech to the audience on a topic related to that project while using props and/or a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other digital presentation.
  • There is no interaction with the audience.
  • Check the Indiana State Fair 4-H Premium book for the time, date, and location of this event.
  • Entries will be accepted through the county Purdue Extension office or on-site at the Poultry or Rabbit show for the respective event. Check the Indiana State Fair 4-H Premium book for the time, location, and deadline to enter if entering on-site.
  • Live animals that would be eligible to show in that project may be used in the illustrated talk.
  The State Fair Achievement Trip may be awarded by the judges to a maximum of the top two (2) blue merit Masters Category Rabbit members and Poultry members at the discretion of the judges. Trip winners must be of blue merit quality.

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