Communications Contest

By amanda.kostman January 21, 2010 Categories: Arts and Communication, Leadership Opportunities for Youth, Opportunities Unlimited, Projects Comments Off

Includes:  Speaking, Puppetry and Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks

 Do you have an interesting topic you’d love to talk about?  Would you like a chance to share your speaking ability?  Are you looking for ways to improve your public presentations?  If yes is the answer, then step right up!!

 The Merrill Busy Bees 4-H Club is coordinating this year’s Communication Contest and is scheduled to be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010, 9:00 am at Our Saviour’s, Merrill.

 For all county activities, groups may consist of any combination of enrolled 4-H members.  Videotaping/recording of entries for any county contest will not be allowed.

 Use good judgment on your entry selection.  Parents/leaders are asked to preview performances to make sure appropriate for all ages of youth.  Profanity is prohibited.

 Adults are encouraged to provide guidance and support in teaching youth as they prepare for and perform in these events.  They may assist with stage/scenery design, costuming, practices, and serve as accompanists for musical performances.  However, they may not perform with the youth.  Remember these are youth performances, and we want to keep them learning experiences for the youth.

 General Guidelines

  1. Open to all youth members of recognized youth organizations, grades K-13.
  2. The same entry may not have been presented in a previous 4-H competition.
  3. Participants may choose to use a podium.
  4. An exhibitor should be enrolled in the project in which they are giving their presentation or have carried the project in previous years.
  5. Certificates of participation and ribbons will be awarded.  Judging for Elementary, Junior and Senior Divisions will be done on the Danish system with county fair premiums being awarded.  Please be sure to include entries on fair entry form (see Fair Exhibitor Handbook – Department 18 or 31 for complete listing).  Participants are required to present their entry at the County Fair in order to receive their premium.
  6. Each entry will be judged/critiqued (oral and written), except Cloverbuds who will receive participation ribbon (not judged or part of the county fair).
  7. Classes and premiums are as per county fair exhibitor handbook.  Refer to this for additional requirements.
  8. Participants are required to participate in the Communications Contest exhibit at the County Fair or they will not receive their premium.  This exhibit is usually held on Saturday afternoon in the Activity Tent at the Fair.
  9. If you use props that create a mess (i.e. straw, hay, etc.), try to wrap them in something and ask coordinator of the event for equipment to clean up after yourself.  This will help everyone involved.

Speaking Guidelines:

  1. An individual may enter any category or a group of 2 – 5 members may enter a Reading of Prose, Reading of Poetry, or Storytelling entry.  For groups:
  • Average grade of group will be used to determine division.
  • All group members will read from a script.
  • Entry should not be from a play script.
  1. The entries in “Original Speech” must be original and developed by the youth.  Adults may assist..
  2. The top entry in each grade division may receive a Best of Show ribbon at the judge’s discretion.
  3. Subject is your choice.  You may enter in the following categories (may enter in up to two categories; may enter an individual and a group entry):
  • Original Speech – original material written by the speaker on any topic, may use notes.
  • Reading of Prose – includes narratives and original and non-original stories;  may use notes or books.
  • Reading of Poetry – may be original or non-original poem either in verse form or open-ended; a series of poems on the same subject may also be used; may use notes or books
  • Storytelling – an original or non-original story or fairy tale and telling the story without memorizing the exact words or reading
  1. No visual aids or charts allowed for any category.
  2. Divisions:
  • Cloverbuds: K-2nd Grade (1-2 minutes for individuals) (3-5 minutes for groups)
  • Elementary: 3rd – 5th Grade (2-3 minutes for individuals) (6-10 minutes for groups)
  • Junior: 6th – 8th Grade (3-5 minutes for individuals) (10-13 minutes for groups)
  • Senior: 9th Grade & Older (5-8 minutes for individuals) (13-15 minutes for groups)

Puppetry Guidelines:

  1. Time length — 5-10 minutes
  2. Stage/puppets/props–must supply your own–example: card board box, table cloth, chair, etc.–may be homemade or bought.   Microphone will be provided.
  3. Script may be original or published.
  4. Puppetry is different from lip sync performances. In puppetry, participants must speak / sing the actual words.
  5. Will be judged on creativity and appeal.
  6. Each performance is critiqued/judged (oral and written), except individual Cloverbuds or groups where the average age is Cloverbud age who will receive a participation ribbon (not judged or part of the county fair).
  7. Puppets may be used in more than one performance by different people.
  8. Participants may participate in one group performance and one other performance, but may only enter one in the county fair.
  9. Best of Show ribbon may be given to top performance at judge’s discretion.

Demonstration and Illustrated Talk Guidelines

  1. Classes and premiums are as per Fair Exhibitor Handbook, including:
  2. Individual Demonstrations:
  • Agricultural subject area (Grades 3-5)
  • Agricultural subject area (Grades 6-8)
  • Agricultural subject area (Grades 9 and over)
  • Home economics subject area (Grades 3-5)
  • Home economics subject area (Grades 6-8)
  • Home economics subject area (Grade 9 and over)
  • Other subject area (Grades 3-5)
  • Other subject area (Grades 6-8)
  • Other subject area (Grades 9 and over)
  1. Team Demonstrations (The oldest team member will designate the grade classification.)
  • Agricultural subject area (Grades 3-5)
  • Agricultural subject area (Grades 6-8)
  • Agricultural subject area (Grades 9 and over) Home economics subject area (Grades 3-5)
  • Home economics subject area (Grades 6-8)
  • Home economics subject area (Grade 9 and over)
  • Other subject area (Grades 3-5)
  • Other subject area (Grades 6-8)
  • Other subject area (Grades 9 and over)
  1. Individual Illustrated Talk
  • Illustrated Talk (Grades 3-5)
  • Illustrated Talk (Grades 6-8)
  • Illustrated Talk (Grades 9 and over)
  1. Any exhibitor may give more than one demonstration and/or illustrated talk, but only one in any given premium number.
  2. Demonstration is showing your audience how to do something with numerous props (i.e. demonstrating how to make microwave brownies, silly putty, etc.)  An Illustrated Talk is use of limited props (a poster, model or graph) to help illustrate a talk.
  3. Time lengths for presentations:
  • Cloverbuds – K-2nd grade (team and individual): 1-2 minutes
  • Elementary – 3rd-5th grade (team and individual): 3 – 5 minutes
  • Junior – 6th-8th grade  (team and individual): 6 – 10 minutes
  • Senior – 9th grade and older (team and individual): 11 – 15 minutes
  1. An outstanding demonstration by a member grade 6th or older may be eligible to attend the Wisconsin State Fair at judge’s discretion.  A chaperon is required to attend State Fair with the delegate.  Leaders’ Association pays round trip mileage for carpooling and registration fee to the driver.  Best of Show ribbon may also be given at judge’s discretion to the outstanding entry.

If you have never participated, there are video tapes of past contests for you to view.

Stop by the UW-Extension Office to check one out.

Please register your entry by completing the form in the December 2009/Janaury 2010 newsletter and returning it by Monday, January 25, 2010. There will be no exceptions to this deadline.

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