4-H Demonstration Success

Demonstrations and speeches offer youth the opportunity to learn many important life skills including, but not limited to, public speaking, planning, critical thinking, audience engagement, how to find and utilize resources, and leadership. Youth learn about a particular topic or item of interest and how to convey what they have learned or would like to share with others.
Presentation success can start with following:
-Pick a topic of interest (4-H related) that you would like to learn more about or you think might be of value to share with others. Consider your focus of the presentation if you are trying to demon-strate/teach something or sharing more general information.
-Gather up at least 3 reputable resources (this can include an industry person (i.e. local nutritionist), journal articles, internet based resources that have reliable information, etc.).
-Write out a list of 3-5 main points for your presentation.
-Fill in information (around 2-3 sentences ) per point (more if a longer presentation).
-Consider fully writing out what you will say.
-Be prepared for questions relating to your presentation and be able to share where your infor-mation came from. Don’t be afraid to say that you do not know the answer if you are unfamiliar with the information.
-Don’t plagiarize (copy other’s work) or use AI generated items. Be sure to cite resources utilized.
-Consider using a few props or (large) visual items to help engage the audience.
-Keep your demonstration and speech to less than 10 minutes at the most. Younger members should strive for around 2-4 minutes. Older youth should strive for around 4-7 minutes.
-Practice several times reading out loud utilizing correct posture and stance. Work on your clarity when speaking and utilize family members to help practice making eye contact with an audience.
-Bring a written copy of your presentation, even if you are memorizing it or using a computer.
Calving &