Yakima County 4-H Public Presentations Guide

Program Contact

Autumn Britt, 4-H Program Manager
Phone Number509-588-7817 Email Address • autumn.britt@wsu.edu

Areas of Competition and Ages

There are three age groups for public presentation competitions:

• Juniors, grades 3-5
• Intermediates, grades 6-8
• Seniors, grades 9-12

Within each of these groups, there are three categories of public presentations – Agriculture, Family Science, and Miscellaneous.

Primary 4-Hers may participate, but will not be judged.

General Guidelines

1. A member can give a public presentation on anything, as long as it relates to their project area. For example, to do a presentation on breeds of rabbits, one must be enrolled in the rabbit project. Presentations should be appropriate for the age, ability, and experience of the youth.
2. A member must participate in Upper, Central, or Lower Valley Public Presentations to qualify for County Public Presentations. All members participating in an area event may participate at the county level. An area day Chairperson will assign individual presentation times. Special times may be set up for those requesting them due to jobs or other conflicts. Please note that members participating from another area must first check with both area chairs.
3. Entry forms must be submitted one week before presentation day.
4. Special categories in addition to project areas:
   1. Central Washington State Fair (CWSF) Trophy Contest. Top two Juniors, top two Intermediates and top two Seniors from County Public Presentations in each area of competition (Agriculture, Family Living, Miscellaneous) will participate in the CWSF Demonstration Trophy contest. (Check their premium book.) Also, trophy contestants will only qualify on the official listed Presentation Day. There will be no make-up.\
   2. National Equine Presentations: Three contests held at the State 4-H Fair in Puyallup: Individual Demonstrations, Team Demonstrations and Public Speaking for Seniors. One entry in each lot per County. Special score sheets used at Puyallup.
   3. State 4-H Fair – Puyallup: Blue ribbon winners from the County Public Presentation contest are eligible to compete at State Fair.

Guidelines for Giving Public Presentations

Further guidance is available in WSU’s publication EM4787E – Getting To The Point: How to make a 4-H Public Presentation.

Title

Choose a short, interesting title that gives a hit of the subject of your presentation, but doesn’t tell the whole story.

Introduction

A good introduction will get your audience interested in your demonstration.

1. Be sure to introduce yourself.
2. Tell your audience why this particular area for your presentation or demonstration interests you.
3. Tell your audience why it is important that they learn what you are presenting or understand how to do what you are going to demonstrate.
4. If your method will save time and effort, explain how much more efficient your method can be.
5. If your demonstration or presentation will show people how to save money by doing something a certain way, be specific in how much they can save with your method.
6. Make your presentation or demonstration clear so your audience sees your method as something easy and not a process with a steep learning curve that might be difficult for them.
7. Use your own creativity to come up with a presentation method that “hooks” your audience and feels comfortable to you. For example, use a question to begin your presentation, such as, “have you ever thought about…”

Body

The body is the part of the demonstration where you tell or show your audience about your subject. This is where you will teach them something new or demonstrate a way of doing something.

1. If you are demonstrating how to do something, have your steps in a logical order and show how they are done while you tell your audience what you are doing. Make it easy for them to follow your process both visually and by listening to your description.
2. In each step, tell what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and why you are doing it this way. If you have any tips, tricks, or methods you have discovered from experience, show them and describe why this way works.
3. Talk about what you are doing instead of doing what you’re describing.

Summary

In the summary, review briefly the most important parts of your presentation.

1. There are generally two or three main points and you can briefly summarize the details on these points. Don’t res-state your entire demonstration.
2. Exhibit your finished product if you have one.
3. Have recipes, materials or plans available to hand out.
4. Tell where you got your reference material and information.
5. Ask for questions. “This concludes my demonstration. Are there any questions?” Be sure to repeat the question for clarity, especially if the audience member asking isn’t using a microphone, before answering.
6. At the conclusion of the question period, thank the audience for their attention.

Tips for During Your Presentation

• Use your own words and speak clearly.
• There is no need to memorize your demonstration. Cue cards with only key words may be used.
• Look at the audience and talk to them. Speak in a conversational tone.
• Let the audience see plainly every step of the demonstration. Be careful not to place things between the audience and you. Have a table beside you on which you keep extra equipment.
• Tell where you obtained your information.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, rather than give the wrong answer, you could say that you do not know, but you will try and find out the answer. Charts must be neat and should be printed in dark lettering and visible at 20 feet.
• Display charts only when you are talking about the subject that is on the chart.
• Dress appropriately to the job you are doing. Always be neat and clean.
• Avoid chewing gum. It is difficult to speak clearly with gum in your mouth.
• Be enthusiastic and SMILE!
• GOOD LUCK!!!!

Many other opportunities are offered in conjunction with demonstrations. Check your Premium Book Guidelines for Special Awards at the Yakima Valley Junior Fair and Central Washington State Fair.