Speaking Up and Speaking Out

4-H County Activity Day is one of the big competitive programs for our youth.  Essentially County Activity Day has two parts, Public Speaking competitions and Presentation competitions.  In Public Speaking youth must research, write, and deliver their own speech.  They can not use any props, just their voice to make their point.  Presentations is more like show and tell.  The youth demonstrate something and use posters, PowerPoint or other aids to help them demonstrate their point.  Topics ranged from how to make a fruit salad to peer pressure, and the competition was fierce.
  Let's start with Public Speaking.  4-H Members compete by age division.  This year in the 9-10 Junior 1 Age division Jordan McKinnon with Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-H Club took first place with a speech on Epilepsy.
In the Junior 2 (11-13 year old age division) there were four competitors  Page Freeman with the All Around All Stars 4-H Arts and Crafts Club, Michiko Hill with the Inspirational Youth Leaders, D'Andre Johnson with Young Leaders, and Elizah Leach with Voices in Praise.  With a tie in this division the judges had to take a little extra time to discuss it and determine the winning line up.  When it was all said and done Page Freeman got a green participant ribbon, Elizah Leach got third place, D'Andre Johnson took home second place and Michiko Hill walked away with first place.
The senior division was really tough.  Going in there were 9 competitors signed up but that dropped down to  4 by the time it came for them to get up and speak.  The topics were serious in this category from childhood hunger in the United States to Doing Your Best, the audience had to listen and think about what was said.  The judge had a tough time with only 4 points separating first and fourth place.  When all the words had cleared the air, Wendy Maynor, 4-H Program Assistant, announced the placings.  With a participant ribbon, Kyasia Simmons of the Spiritual Generations 4-H Club, Zaire Baker with Voices in Praise took third place, Just one point ahead of her getting second place with Alexus Jones with Inspirational Youth Leaders, and leading the point count, receiving first place was Camry Ocean with Voices in Praise 4-H Club.

If you thought that competition was tough you should have seen what was going on next door, in the kitchen during presentations.  There we started with our youngest members, the 5-8 year old cloverbuds.  In this age division it is not competitive we just want them to get up and have fun giving presentations like the older kids.  Jada McKinnon, with the Inspirational Youth Leaders, started us off showing us, "How to Make a Tossed Salad."  Samiah Williams, also with the Inspirational Youth Leaders, was able to show us "How to Make a Fruit Salad".   After receiving their participation ribbons it was time to move on to the competitive divisions.
Junior 1 Division (9-10 year olds) was made up of one competitor, Nadia Bennett with the Spiritual Generations 4-H Club.  She told us all about the different parts of a clarinet, the history of the instrument, and the pieces   She even played a song for us.  for her hard work the judges awarded her first place in Communications and Expressive Arts.
Then it was on to the Junior 2 division (11-13 year olds).  Leading us off was Jamal Bennett of the Spiritual Generations 4-H Club, telling us all about the recorder.  Tyrik Taylor with the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club showed us how to make the perfect cookie (by the way it was clover shaped). Then Christian Tice, also with the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club, followed it all up showing us how to make fruit juice.  Becuase each one of these presentations was in a different category (Communications and Expressive arts, Egg Cookery, and Fruits and Vegetables) each one of these competitors was able to walk away with a blue ribbon.

In our final age division (Seniors 14-18 years old) there were 4 strong competitors.  Chasity McClay, with the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club, talked to us about what kinds of  treats we should feed our horses, Katie Hiller , also with the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club educated us about the dangers of Salmonella.  Megan Hurst with the Horsin' Around 4-H Animal Science Club and Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club, gave us all sorts of information about domesticated cats.  Shawndora McNair of the Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-H Club talks about the serious topic of Teen Obesity.   When it was said and done, Chasity McClay took first in the horse category and Megan Hurst received first in Companion Animals.  Both Katie Hiller and Shawndora McNair went head to head in competition with Shawndora receiving second place while Katie was awarded the blue ribbon.

While all this was going on Jaylyn McNair, with the Inspirational Youth Leaders was outside competing in outdoor cookery.  Our judge said the chicken dish he prepared this year was moist and had a hint of sweet thanks to the sauce he created.  Jaylyn also received a blue ribbon for his efforts.
All first and second place winners will go on to 4-H District Activity Day held at Mount Olive College on April 27.  Until then our youth will be practicing for the big day and planning to take the Southeast district by storm.
Congratulations to all our participants, job well done.  A special thanks to all our judges, parents, and volunteers who made today happen.