Important

4-H Dress Code Requirements

All 4-H members participating in the 4-H Communication Arts event will be neatly dressed and must wear a solid colored white, yellow, gray or green shirt/blouse with the 4-H emblem prominently displayed and securely fastened on the front. It is recommended that participants wear dark jeans/slacks/skirts.

Participants not following the dress code shall not be eligible for the Champion Awards.

Attention - No live animals of any type will be allowed in any of the categories.

Awards:

Everyone will receive a participation award.

Top winners in each category will go on to compete in the District Communication Arts Contest.

Winners in the Teen Division at DISTRICT will have their choice of a trip to 4-H Youth Conference or a savings bond.

Categories for 2009

Demonstrations can be a fun and exciting part of your 4-H work. A 4-H demonstration or talk is a chance to show others what you have learned in a project or activity. Sharing what you have learned with others becomes a learning experience for both you and your audience. Each time you give a demonstration or talk you will become more confident. 

Demonstration Category

• An individual or team of two individuals may do a demonstration. Each team member must have a speaking role and be in the same age division.

• Description: Demonstrations are presentations that reflect skills and procedures on all topics. They show 'how to do something’ or ‘how to make something’ or 'how something works' and may display a finished product. 

• Presentations for preteens must be between 2 and 12 minutes and for teens, between 4 and 12 minutes.

Illustrated Talk Category

• An individual or team of two individuals may do an Illustrated Talk. Each team member must have a speaking role and be in the same age division.

• Description: Illustrated Talks are speeches using visual aids. They are presentations in which charts, posters, figures or real objects are used to explain an idea or procedure. The presenter explains how something works or how to do something but does not actually show the working object or demonstrate the the process. This category is designed for those individuals who choose not to use technology for their visual aids (presentation software, web pages, etc).

• Presentations will be between 2-12 minutes for preteens and 4-12 minutes for teens.

Presentation Software

• An individual or team of two individuals may participate in Presentation Software. Each participant must have a speaking role during the presentation and both must be in the same age division.

• The 4-H member will create and deliver a presentation utilizing presentation software (i.e. MS Power Point, Corel Presentations, etc). At least 90% of the presentation must be created during the current 4-H year.

• Information sources used should be credited and documented in the presentation (i.e. books, internet, 4-H or Extension publications, persons with special knowledge, magazines or other publications).

• The 4-H member is responsible for securing any equipment necessary for the presentation. Extension staff may be able to assist in this process, but it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to contact extension staff WELL BEFORE the scheduled judging. The ideal situation is to deliver the presentation with a computer and LCD projector, but the use of transparencies and an overhead projector also is possible if an LCD projector and computer are not available.

• Participants will be judged on both the presentation and the workmanship techniques of project graphic design.

• Presentations will be between 2-12 minutes for preteens and 4-12 minutes for teens.

Video Production

• Individual or team of two individuals may participate.

• Youth shoot footage, edit and produce a 3-5 minute video, present their final product to the judges, and participate in an oral presentation about video production including when, how and why his/her video was created.

• The finished product can either be VHS or DVD.

• Individuals or teams of two develop a video using their choice of music and video production techniques including, but not limited to, video footage, still photography, computer animations, or a combination of techniques.

• Presentations will be between 2-12 minutes for preteens and 4-12 minutes for teens.

Website Design

• An individual or team of two individuals may participate in the website category. Each participant must have a speaking role during the presentation and both must be in the same age division.

• Contestants create a website on a topic of their choice. They are judged on content, appearance, design, technical performance and the presentation of their website.

• Participants will give an oral presentation about what they learned, why they decided to create the website on the chosen topic and show their website.

• Presentations will be between 2-12 minutes for preteens and 4-12 minutes for teens.

4-H Promotion

• Participants can be individuals or teams of two individuals from the same age division.

• Contestants identify a non 4-H audience and demonstrate a promotional method which communicates the ideas or ideals of the 4-H program. Methods might include: radio, television, demonstrations, newspapers, posters, projected images, drama, photographs, slide/tape presentations, videos, puppets, public service announcements, speeches, skits, Power Point, website, etc.

• Participants will give an oral presentation and will explain why they chose the delivery method, the topic and how they have used or are planning to use the promotional materials.

• Presentations will be between 2-12 minutes for preteens and 4-12 minutes for teens.

Non-Competitive Category

• A member presents a demonstration prepared by someone else. 

• It can be a demonstration, illustrated talk, video production, website design, 4-H promotion or presentation software.

• Cloverbuds are also eligible for this category.