This is an exciting time of the year watching local 4-Hers as they present their speech, presentation, or PSA at a county contest based on their favorite 4-H project and/or memories.
I can remember my first 4-H presentation on the color wheel showing how primary colors made secondary colors with food coloring at a club meeting. Learning to be a good public speaker is something that will be useful throughout a 4-H member’s lifetime.
Good public speakers are made, not born. The necessary skills associated with being a good public speaker have always been part of the 4-H experience to prepare youth for school, career choices, and other community involvements.
Traditional public speaking contest events have focused on speeches, PSAs, and presentations. Today, 4-H offers new experiences with impromptu speeches and video communications.
How can youth get involved with video communications? This video entry allows youth to create a multi-media video (60 to 90 seconds) about the theme, “Ready Today, Leading Tomorrow”. Youth prepare for a video shoot while they are learning proper shooting techniques, such as framing, lighting, and adjusting the audio. The next step is editing their footage using digital video software to tell their story; and then share the video with others at the Nebraska 4-H Premier Communication Contest held in June.
I have seen many 4-H youth recording their own videos or taking many photos, so here is your chance to showcase your work. The deadline for submission is May 29.
Nebraska 4-H will be providing a Premier Communication Contest coming June 16 - 17 for county speech and presentation winners to compete on the UNL East Campus along with PSAs, impromptu speeches, and Video. Be sure to contact your local extension office for information about public speaking opportunities in your area, especially to participate in statewide contest.
There is still time to enroll in the 4-H program. There are over 150 projects for youth to find their “spark”. There are several activity guides for families, teachers, and even 4-H leaders to explore from the National 4-H Website.
They include the following: Healthy Living (30 fun, skill-building activities); STEM Lab (hands-on STEM activities); National Youth Science Day (hands-on experiments); and Inspire Kids to Do (60 educational activities with hands-on learning). The activity guides are a great way to keep youth engaged in life-long learning to explore different topics.
A new resource available from the National 4-H Council is called “Clover by 4-H” with over 260 online activities for youth to explore their spark. The website can be here at https://4-h.org/clover or downloaded to a device.
For more information about Nebraska 4-H and Youth Development, please contact the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Office in your local county or visit the website at http://4h.unl.edu/. 4-H learning experiences are open to all youth. Make Nebraska 4-H your first college experience with UNL. #4-H Beyond Ready.
