Speech & Public Service Announcements (PSA's)

Effective communication is a valuable life skill you'll use your entire life. The 4-H Speech and Public Service Announcement (PSA) contests teach youth how to speak in front of others.

• 2010 4-H Speech Contest Details
• 2010 4-H PSA Contest Details

SPEECH CONTEST: The 2010 4-H Speech Contest will be held Sunday, April 18 at 1:30 p.m. at the Lancaster Extension Education Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln. The Speech Contest provides 4-H’ers the opportunity to learn to express themselves clearly, organize their ideas and have confidence. Register by April 12 by calling 441-7180 or e-mailing dkarmazin2@unl.edu with name, speech title and age division.

Contest divisions and requirements:

• Clover Kid: 5-7 years old, read or recite any short story, nursery rhyme, poem, pledge, etc..
• Novice: 8-9 years old, 2 minutes in length, any topic related to 4-H.
• Junior: 10-11 years old, 2-3 minutes in length, any topic about a 4-H experience.
• Intermediate: 12-13 years old, 3–5 minutes in length, encouraged to talk about a 4-H project you would like others to enroll in.
• Senior: 14-19, 5-8 minutes in length, a timely topic related to 4-H.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CONTEST GUIDELINES: Once again, the 4-H Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest will be by audio only. Any 4-H member ages 8-18 can submit a prerecorded PSA via cassette tape or CD playable on any standard stereo equipment to Deanna by Monday, April 12. Awards and comment sheets will be announced and handed out at the Speech Contest on Sunday, April 18. As always, sound effects and background noises are encouraged. If you do not have the capabilities to record a PSA, contact Deanna to set up a recording time.

NEW for 2010!:

• All PSA’s will use the state theme as the basis for their PSA. The 2010 PSA theme is “Meet the Future.”
• All 4-H PSA’s must include the following tag line within the last ten seconds of the PSA: “Learn more about the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension 4-H Youth Development Program at 4h.unl.edu and Know How. Know Now.” The tag line is included in the 60 second time limit.

Helpful Resources:

• As You Speak (4-H Public Speaking Contest Guidelines)
• Public Speaking (from Nebraska 4-H)

Listen to Examples:

Watch Lancaster County 4-H Speech Examples on YouTube:

• 4-H Speech: Intermediate Division (12-13 years old) - Example 1
• 4-H Speech: Intermediate Division (12-13 years old) - Example 2
• 4-H Speech: Senior Division (14-19 years old) - Example 1
• 4-H Speech: Senior Division (14-19 years old) - Example 1

Listen to Lancaster County 4-H PSA Examples:

• 4-H PSA: Junior Division (10-11 years old) - Example 1, Kailee Brown
• 4-H PSA: Junior Division (10-11 years old) - Example 2, Samantha Leyden
• 4-H PSA: Intermediate Division (12-13 years old) - Example 1, Charlotte Tvrdy
• 4-H PSA: Intermediate Division (12-13 years old) - Example 2, Jaime Stephenson
• 4-H PSA: Senior Division (14-19 years old) - Example 1, Jessica Stephenson
• 4-H PSA: Senior Division (14-19 years old) - Example 2, Spencer Farley