Judges’ Orientation

 

4-H Communication Arts

 

 

 

Thank you for serving as a judge at today’s event. Your role is to evaluate presentations by 4-H members and to help the individual learn and become proficient at making public presentations. One of our goals is to have each 4-H member go home today with a feeling of success and accomplishment for their efforts today. Also, remember that your role includes providing encouragement and recognition in the form of acknowledgement of the strengths of each presentation.

 

 

Special Note to Judges

 

You will evaluate the youth giving their presentation. Please make notes on the evaluation form provided. Remember to provide the youth with positive and constructive comments, as youth will be given the evaluation form at the end of the day. The evaluation sheet will list qualities for ranking. Please review this with your judging partner before the event begins.

 

  1. Do not be concerned with procedures or exacting details.

  2. High school rules of speech, debate, dramatic interpretation, etc. do not apply to the ND 4-H Communication Arts program. Instead, those rules, strategies, etc. could be used as constructive advice for improvement.

 

Text Box: The 4-H Communication Arts program has five primary objectives:  To help participants develop communication skills that are useful throughout a lifetime. To provide participants an opportunity to practice their skills before a group. To provide participants an opportunity to gather and organize information, equipment and props for public presentation. To develop participants confidence in making public presentations. To evaluate and enhance communication skills.  Participation begins at the club or local level, where youth are encouraged to give at least one public presentation each year.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awards

 

You are asked to select a winner in each category. You may list honorable mention to one or two participants that deserve additional recognition. Alternates do not need to be selected, as teen winners now may attend conference or accept a $50.00 savings bond.

 

Every participant at the MPU event will receive a gift. Ribbons are presented to one winner in each teen and preteen category. Honorable mention ribbons may be given, if selected.

 

 

Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks, Presentation Software, Video Production, Web Site Design and
4-H Promotion

 

Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks, Presentation Software, Video Production, Web Site Design and 4-H Promotion may be up to 12 minutes in length. Minimum: Teens – 4 minutes; Pre-teen – 2 minutes. Use your own judgment regarding presentations longer or shorter than the time guidelines.

 

Ask each presenter at least one or two questions following their presentation. (Teen participants may be asked 3 or 4 questions.) Be consistent, try to ask the same number of questions to each participant in a category.

 

 

Public Speaking, Interpretive Reading, and Dramatic Presentations

 

Public Speaking, Interpretive Reading, and Dramatic Presentations should be 3-8 minutes for preteen participants and 5-8 minutes for teen participants. Use your judgment on the severity of a time infraction and how it affects scoring.

 

Presenters in Public Speaking, Interpretive Reading, and Dramatic Presentations are not asked questions following their presentations.

 

 

Commercial, Short Take and Broadcasting

 

Commercials are between one – three minutes. Each person in a team presentation needs to have a significant speaking role, and all team participants in the team presentation must be in the same age division.

 

Short Take participants will have 10 minutes to prepare their topic. A maximum of five minutes speaking time is allowed. Pre-teens have a minimum of one minute and teens have a two-minute minimum.

 

Broadcasting presenters may prepare a newscast with four to five items of about 30-45 seconds each or an in-depth story lasting a maximum of eight minutes. Participants may or may not choose to use a screen – to set the stage for a radio broadcast, hence eye contact is not of utmost importance.

 

Cloverbud Recitation


This is a participation event only. You will not select a first place or honorable mention recipients.  

 

For all Presentations

 

Take two minutes to talk with each 4-H member immediately following their presentation. Try to mention several things they’ve done well, and at least one thing they could improve upon. Remember to end with a positive comment!

 

Participants need to dress appropriately for their presentation. 4-H dress code is required. See BA800 for Dress Code. Food demonstrators do not have to wear aprons.

 

Ask one judge from each of the categories to make general comments to the entire assembly during the awards recognition program.

 

 

Closing Note

 

Help the young people gain confidence and develop strong presentation skills. There is more than one correct way of doing most things.