YATES COUNTY — How would you feel if you were asked to speak in front of a group of people? Would you be excited, anxious, a bit of both? Public speaking is a skill that many adults struggle with. It is also a skill emphasized by the 4-H Youth Development Program.

4-H offers a variety of opportunities for young people to learn and improve their public speaking skills. Specifically, 4-H members can participate in our 4-H Public Presentations event. This program takes place every year and helps young people to develop self-esteem and confidence in speaking in front of others. From the age of 5, young people can begin to practice their balance in front of an audience, learn to organize their thoughts, express their ideas clearly, respond spontaneously to questions and increase their self-esteem.

Public speaking can seem a little intimidating at first, but young people are encouraged to start small and choose a topic that interests them and that they can easily talk about. It can be something as simple as “How to make a better peanut and jelly sandwich” or a brief introduction to a pet! After some experience, young people are encouraged to try more difficult topics or even venture into different categories of public speaking.

While most young people start with either a demonstration (telling the audience how to do something) or an illustrated lecture (telling something to the audience), more difficult categories include: a speech, Power Point, impromptu, recitation, interview academic or job, team presentation or equestrian communication. In Yates County, we had a variety of topics presented by our members. We learned how to make English muffin pizza, what to expect at a riding lesson, how to play the violin, the history of the Super Bowl, and even how to extract DNA from a strawberry!

After selecting a topic, 4-H members research the topic to gather additional information, create an outline for their presentation, and then develop a plan on how to convey their knowledge in an educational, persuasive, or entertaining way. . Members spend many hours selecting a topic, creating and choosing visual aids, preparing and practicing their presentations, and getting feedback from family and friends to ensure they know and are comfortable with their equipment.

On the day of their competition, 4-H members and their families get together to present their topics and then receive feedback from volunteer judges. Young people receive feedback on their performance, subject and appearance. An overall rating is provided with comments on what the youngsters did well and suggestions for improvement. After several successful presentations at the county level, many 4-H members are encouraged to take their public speaking to the next level and participate in the Finger Lakes District Public Presentations event. This event gives members the opportunity to get valuable feedback from a different reviewer with a different perspective and to present in front of a group of people they probably don’t know. It is also possible to go statewide and even nationally for 4-H public speaking events.

Those who have had the opportunity to practice public speaking shine in the crowd. Many 4-H alumni credit public presentations with being one of the most impactful programs of their 4-H career. Teachers at the school remark that they can anchor a 4-H’er in a room full of students based on their confidence in speaking in front of their peers. The college and job interview gives young people an edge on skills development by doing a real interview, for a real employer, in a fictional setting.

The 2022 Yates County 4-H Public Presentations will be held in April at the Yates County Office Building in Penn Yan. Registration for this event is scheduled for the end of March, so there is still time to get your child involved in this interesting event.

For more information about 4-H public presentations or the Yates County 4-H program, please contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County at 315-536-5123 or visit us online at http://yates .cce.cornell.edu/4-h-youth. Cornell University Cooperative Extension offers equal program and employment opportunities.