431 So. 10th Avenue | Broken Bow, NE 68822 | (308) 872-6831 | www.custer.unl.edu

2017 Custer County

4-H Public Speaking Contest

Thursday, April 6 - 6:30 p.m.

4-H Building at the

Custer County Fairgrounds, Broken Bow

Entry forms, along with recorded PSA’s and PSA text, are due in the Extension Office by March 20.

Contact your organizational leader with your contest entries.

Contest Rules and Regulation

Purpose: Encourage youth to develop communication skills through public speaking. Parents and speech coaches are encouraged to help the 4-H member

with the speech, but we do not want your parents or other persons to write the speech for you or for you to copy what others have written.

Eligibility:

Youth must be currently enrolled in 4-H to participate in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest.

Youth must be selected at their county Public Speaking Contest to compete in Regional competition.

Contestants in the Novice Division are not eligible for Regional competition.

Youth may participate in both the Speech and PSA categories.

Previous state winners in speech or radio PSA’s are not eligible to compete in the Regional Contest in the category won at the State Contest.

Only individuals may compete in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest, no teams.

Only Senior Division Speech and PSA Regional winners will advance to state competition.

Recognition will be awarded at the county contest.

Scoring information is available at the Extension Office upon request.

Division Age Length of Speeches Topics

Novice Division Age 8 to 10, as of January 1, 2017 Up to 3 minutes May read a short poem or story. Topic does not have to be 4-H related. Contestants in

Novice Division must have never competed in a 4-H speech contest before.

Junior Division Age 8 to 10, as of January 1, 2017 1 to 3 minutes

Intermediate Division Age 11 to 13, as of January 1, 2017 3 to 5 minutes

Senior Division Age 14 to 18, as of January 1, 2017 5 to 8 minutes

Speech Contest Rules

All speeches must be original and include 4-H as the major component of the speech.

Many speakers in the Public Speaking Contest have given speeches in other contests.

This is fine; however previous speeches may not be used verbatim for the 4-H

contest. It is okay to use the same ideas from a speech previously delivered in

competition, but it must be 4-H related. Enough changes should be made to make

that speech new to the speaker and the audience. 4-H public speakers may not use

an old speech written by a sibling, other 4-H member, or anyone else. Acknowledge

the source of information used in the speech. For example, an article from a

magazine may be used for reference but should not be quoted directly unless you tell

the audience your source. Use of visual aids and props are not allowed. Dress

appropriately. Do not wear costumes or special effect clothing. No team speeches

are allowed.

PSA Contest Rules

Division Age Rules

Junior Division Age 8 to 10, as of January 1, 2017

Intermediate Division Age 11 to 13, as of January 1, 2017

Senior Division Age 14 to 18, as of January 1, 2017

All PSA’s are 60 seconds in length. PSA’s must be submitted electronically as a .wav or mp3 format, along

with 1 copy of the PSA text. Recorded PSA’s and PSA text are due in the Extension Office by March 20.

Email recorded PSA’s to: cpeterson2@unl.edu. PSA text forms can be found at:

http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/custer/educational-programs/custer-county-4-h/

Contestants must qualify at their county contest to compete in Regional Competition. All PSA contestants

must compete in the Region/District where the 4-H’er is enrolled. All PSA’s will be judged prior to the

county contest, then played the evening of the contest. All PSA’s will use the state theme as the basis for

their PSA. The 2017 theme is “4-H Grown.” All radio PSA’s must promote 4-H and be general enough to be

used anywhere in Nebraska at anytime of the year. All 4-H PSA’s must include the following tag line within

the last ten seconds of the PSA: “Learn more about Nebraska Extension 4-H Youth Development Program

at 4h.unl.edu.” The tag line is included in the 60 second time limit. Do not use the tagline “Know How,

Know Now.” Sound effects and public domain music may be used. Copyrighted material may not be used.

All PSA’s must be the original work of the presenter. Contestants may not use PSA’s written and provided by

the state or national staff.