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: In a 4-H demonstration, the youth shows how to do something while telling how it’s done. It is called a “show how” and “tell how” presentation. The work is performed before your eyes and there is a finished product at the end.
  • Illustrated Talk: In a 4-H illustrated talk, the youth gives information about a subject and uses visuals to explain the subject. Unlike a demonstration, the work is not performed before your eyes and there is not a finished product as a result of the presentation.
  • Team Demonstration/Team Illustrated Talk: As above, limit of two team members. Each teams’ members (limit of two) are recommended to be from the same age division. If not, the team needs to contact county staff, and the presentation will be scored using criteria for the older team member.

Resources to Help You Prepare For Your Public Speaking Presentation

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