Public Speaking

What is a 4-H presentation?

A presentation is a method used to communicate an idea by showing and/or telling. It can be a demonstration or a talk that uses posters and other visual aids. A 4-H presentation helps youth learn to:

Research a subject
Organize ideas in a logical order
Be a teacher and practice public speaking skills.

There are many different types of presentations, ranging from demonstrations to audio-visual to problem solving. Every member is encouraged to give a presentation each year.

Why are public speaking skills important?

Public speaking skills are ranked number one among the skill sets of professionals. Other guiding factors for developing public speaking skills include:

Discovering an important component of leadership development
Increasing self-esteem, self confidence, and ability to accept feedback
Expanding skills for planning, preparation and performance

Traditionally, story-telling is used to entertain and pass knowledge on from group to group. Young children begin by telling stories to friends, family, at school, and later as part of formal presentations. As youth collect new knowledge through participation in projects, they share this information with others; teaching project skills in a presentation takes advanced skills and a deeper understanding of what was learned. Giving presentations develops many life skills, including the ability to speak in front of a group, organize ideas, and create and use graphics to support the spoken word.

How do I start?

Speakers prepare for presentations by giving talks to project groups and at community club meetings, practicing skills learned in a project, and observing other people giving presentations. Youth can get ideas for presentations from many different sources. The first place to start is with the project leaders and the community club leader. Local librarians can help develop a subject through research. Sources for presentation ideas are project manuals, books, magazines, and brochures from various organizations.

Where and how can I give a presentation?

4-H members can present at project meetings, general club meetings, and local events. Youth can also present at official presentation days. Each county holds a presentation day, where winners advance to a sectional competition. After sectional competitions, winners compete at the state presentation day. At these county, sectional, and state events, categories are open to all age groups: junior, intermediate, and senior. Below is a table of different presentation types. All of the various presentation styles require similar skills, but they are designed to meet the interests and age-appropriate levels of the member.

Demonstration	Impromptu Speech
Illustrated Talk	Interpretive Reading
Educational Display	Share-the-Fun
Prepared Speech	Cultural Arts
Audio-Visual	Problem Solving

4-H Presentation Manual
PDF: 4-H Presentation Manual
Word: 4-H Presentation Manual

This manual is a complete guidebook containing rules, procedures, and helpful hints to create a successful presentation.