Penobscot County 4-H Public Speaking

County Tournament | Workshops | Types of Presentations | Resources to Help You Prepare

Every 4-H member in Penobscot County is encouraged to participate in Public Speaking! Youth choose a topic of their choice and then practice the important life skill of public speaking by giving presentations to their clubs, community, and at the county and state tournaments.

When preparing for a 4-H Presentation, youth learn how to:

  • Research a subject
  • Organize their ideas
  • Share their knowledge and passion with others
  • Create and use visuals to support their presentation

When youth carry out a public speaking presentation, they demonstrate advanced skills and a deeper understanding of what they learned.

Penobscot County 4-H Public Speaking Tournament

The county tournament is open to any enrolled 4-H’er in the state of Maine. If you are not currently enrolled in 4-H but are interested in participating, contact the Penobscot County Cooperative Extension office.

The 2023 Penobscot County 4-H Public Speaking Tournament was held in March at the Penobscot County Extension Office. The next county tournament will likely be in February or March of 2024. Check back here for more information as we get closer to winter.

Workshops

To help you prepare for your presentation, county 4-H staff are available for workshops, either with individuals/families or at your club meetings. Contact the Penobscot County Cooperative Extension office to schedule a workshop.

Types of Presentations

  • Demonstration: A 4-H youth shows how to do something, while telling how it’s done. A demonstration is a “show how” and “tell how” presentation.
  • Illustrated Talk: A 4-H youth gives information about a subject and uses visuals to explain the topic, describing how to groom a steer, showing the life cycle of a butterfly, or sharing about a family trip would all be examples of this type of presentation.
  • Performing Arts: A 4-H youth introduces and gives their performance, a short dance routine, spoken word piece, or musical demonstration would all be examples of this type of presentation. See evaluation sheet for more information about spoken aspect requirements.
  • Team Demonstration, Illustrated Talk, or Performing Arts: As above, limit of two team members. If both team members are NOT from the same age division, rules for the member in the older division will be followed.

Resources to Help You Prepare For Your Public Speaking Presentation

Visit the Maine 4-H State Public Speaking Website for resources such as: