4-H PUBLIC SPEAKING (TALK MEET) PROGRAM

REGISTRATION DEADLINE TO STATE OFFICE: June 1, 2006
STATE EVENT: SATURDAY JULY 8, 2006
SITE: WHITE HALL CLASSROOM BUILDING - UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MAIN CAMPUS
TIME: ALL DAY (SPECIFIC JUNIOR AND SENIOR AGES TBA) Tentative Registration at 9:30a.m. and event at 10:00 a.m.
PARKING: FREE - MEMORIAL COLISEUM (EUCLID & ROSE STREET)
FEE: $10.00 PER PERSON (PAYABLE TO Kentucky 4-H Foundation, Inc.)

AGENTS should place an asterisk(*) beside the age category for any 4-H'er also entered in Demonstration. 4-H'er may register for one Talk Meet category and one Demonstration..

DESCRIPTION
The ability to speak publicly whether giving a committee report or a formal speech, is essential to every 4-H member's development and future. The Kentucky Talk Meet Program is designed:

Please type or print

* Prefer SSN come with registration form. However, only category champions need SSN on day of event.

Incomplete information, including birthday, may be a factor in a 4-H'er being disqualified from participating at the State Event.
Due to the short turn around time between registration and state event, please make sure all information is completed.

1. To provide a practical experience which will help youth develop into capable, confident adults who can contribute constructively to their society.
2. To help the 4-H participant develop poise and self-confidence.
3. To provide experience in which 4-H participants will learn to use their voices effectively.
4. To provide an opportunity for 4-H participants to develop skill in listening to, analyzing and evaluating, both their own and others' spoken messages.

AUDIENCE
4-H youth, who have passed their 9th birthday and have not passed their 19th birthday as of January 1 of the current year State Contest is held. This is an excellent program to interest new youth in the 4-H program. Any young person may participate in the 4-H Talk Meet Program at the county, district and state level.

PROCEDURE
JUNIOR LEVEL: The boys and girls will be combined in each of five categories. Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, and thirteen year olds will be the five junior categories.
SENIOR LEVEL: The three senior categories will be 1) fourteen; 2) fifteen; 3) sixteen, 4)seventeen-nineteen. Winners of the county event will compete at the district level. District registration forms for seniors are due in state office by June 1 , of the current year. The following forms can be used from county to district and from district to state. Please be certain that the form is complete and accurate and legible.

LOCATION
The state event for senior & junior 4-H members is held on the University of Kentucky campus at the Classroom Building (main campus area).

CONTACT AGENT RESPONSIBILITY:

- Coordinate a district Public Speaking event.
- Submit completed registration forms for Senior Talk Meet event by deadline, June 1st of current year.
- Assist State Coordinator in securing Talk Meet judges and host/hostess for state event by May 15.
- Be available to act as superintendent at the state senior event.
- Be responsible for verification of the accuracy of district registration forms before submission to state office. Please verify age.

The ability to speak publicly, whether a committee report or a formal speech, is essential to every 4-H members development and future. The Kentucky Talk Meet Program is designed:

A. To provide a practical experience which will help youth develop into capable, confident adults who can contribute constructively to their society.
1. To help the 4-H participant develop poise and self-confidence.
2. To develop understanding of the relationship of good posture and appropriate dress to acceptance of oneself by others.
3. To learn to identify and correct personal mannerisms which detract from effectiveness in dealing with others.

B. To provide experiences in which 4-H participants will learn to use their voices effectively.
1. To develop skill in using voice properly (pitch, tone, volume, range).
2. To improve enunciation.
3. To develop skill in talking in public.

C. To provide an opportunity for 4-H participants to develop skill in listening to, analyzing, and evaluating both their own and others spoken messages.
1. To develop skill in selecting and judging suitability of a message for a specific audience.
2. To develop skill in organizing, or in analyzing the organization of a talk.
3. To develop skill in summarizing ideas and arguments for maximum effectiveness.
4. To develop skill in introducing, developing, closing and summarizing an idea within a fixed time limit.
5. To develop skill in objective listening, weighing, and evaluating their own and others' talks.

LIFE SKILLS
*Planning/organizing
*Communication
*Sharing
*Critical thinking
*Self-motivation
*Self-responsibility
*Self-discipline

JUDGING INFORMATION:

1. Remember, this is not an oratorical or declamation contest. Talks should be informal, informative, persuasive - a message which should motivate the listener to participate, seek more information, or respond in some other way.

2. Please make your criticism constructive, as the score sheets will be returned to the contestant. Your comments should benefit the participant. The 4-H Publication "Speak Up" should be used as a guide by both the 4-H member and the judge when presenting or judging 4-H speeches.

3. Judge each participant in terms of the scoring indicated under each factor. Do not exceed the point limits as established.

4. In the state contest, judges will be instructed to subtract three points from final score for the speaker who exceeds or falls short of the time limit. (Senior speeches should be 5 - 7 minutes. Juniors speeches should be 3 - 5 minutes). Participants will be eligible to receive 1st (category champion), 2nd or 3rd placings.

5. Suggestions regarding each item to be evaluated:
A. Appearance: Does she or he use face and body to help put ideas across? Is she or he free of undesirable speech mannerisms? (Clothing is not a consideration, only that the 4-H'er is neat in appearance.)
B. Audibility: Is her or his voice clear and free of unpleasant qualities? Are words pronounced clearly? Is her/his language effective? Is speaker comfortable with her/his own voice?
C. Presentation: Is introduction of subject effective? Is speech easy to follow and are gestures appropriate? Are grammar and vocabulary correct? Are pauses used effectively? Is conclusion short, interesting, and final?
D. General: To your knowledge, is subject matter correct and up-to-date? Does the speaker appear to understand the content of their speech?
E. Electronic equipment - is not allowed.

6. Please be aware that the use of note cards is optional. Do not add or subtract points unless their use is distracting.

1. Any boy or girl age 9-19 (must have passed their 9th birthday but have not passed their 19th birthday as of January 1 of the current program year of event) may participate in the 4-H Talk Program on a county basis. SENIORS must have passed their 14th birthday but not their 19th birthday as of January 1 of the current program year of event.

NOTE: We understand that districts may host this event in the Fall which falls before January 1^st of the current year for the State event. Please keep this in mind when certifying age on the registration form for the State Event. (i.e. youth may be age 15 in Nov., however, state event is not until July of next year, youth has a birthday Dec. 1, and is now age 16 for the state event, he/she cannot be the district representative for the 15 age category).

2. District Senior registration sheets, are to be submitted to the State 4-H Office on or before June 1st of current year of Event by District Contact Agent for Talk Meet.

3. Talks by Seniors (14-19 age youth) must be between 5 to 7 minutes long. Juniors are 3-5 minutes.

4. Senior Level: Because this is an educational learning experience, the Senior 4-Her is expected to choose a topic, research and write their own speech. A participant may have help with practicing the speech.
Junior Level: The 4-Her may have assistance in writing and preparation based on age level.

5. *A penalty of three points will be subtracted from the speaker's total score for time errors (under/over time). The time requirement penalty will apply to the State Senior Talk Meet, but not necessarily to county or district events. Participants will be eligible to receive a 1st (category champion), 2nd or 3rd placing.

6. No visual aids will be used in the Kentucky 4-H Talk Meet. Costumes and/or electronic equipment are considered visual aids. Speakers using visual aids will receive a ribbon, but will not be considered for championship.

7. The use of note cards is optional. Points will not be added or subtracted for the use of note cards unless the speaker uses them in a distracting manner.

8. Dramatic readings, dramatic monologues and recitation of poems (as the entire speech) will not be accepted in the 4-H Talk Meet. Excessive or distracting body or hand gestures are unacceptable. These distractions will be counted against participant in the scoring section.

9. The contestant will be introduced by name, county/district, and subject (title) by the master of ceremonies (host/hostess) when he/she will present their talk. Talk should not include the speaker's name or residence; however there will be no penalty if name, county, and subject (title) are used during the talk.

10. Previous State Talk Meet winners are eligible to compete.

11. These rules supersede all previous published rules on the Kentucky 4-H Talk Meet.

12. Category Champions will be asked for their social security number the day of the event.

• Public Speaking Registration Sheet (JUNIOR AND SENIOR)

• Link to 4-H Talk Meet Score Sheet

• Talk Meet Fact Sheet