Agricultural Public Speaking Contest

4-H/FFA/FCCLA AGRICULTURAL PUBLIC SPEAKING CONTEST  

  

Preliminary Contest - Saturday, September 21st, 2024  

Finals Contest – Thursday, September 26th, 2024

  

SUPERINTENDENT: Sara Dufrene  

  

Preliminary Contest Location:  Chapel Hill JH/HS Library  

Finals Location: Titus County Fair Livestock Pavilion

Entry Deadline                                                September 1                          11:59 PM  

Registration                                                     September 21                         8:00 AM  

Orientation                                                      September 21                         9:00 AM  

Preliminary Contest                                        September 21                         9:00 AM  

Finals (Livestock Building in Show Ring)        September 26                        7:00 PM

CONTEST REQUIREMENTS   

  

Entry Form   

Guidelines   

  

  1. ENTRY: Entry forms are available online at the Titus County Fair website   

(http://www.tituscountyfair.com). The completed entry form with signatures in appropriate places and the statement of originality signed by the youth contestant must be emailed in a readable / useable format (pdf / jpg) to sara.dufrene@yahoo.com by the entry deadline. Incomplete, late or illegible entries will not be accepted. ONLY ONE speech entry per contestant will be accepted.  

  1. MANUSCRIPT:  
    1. Bring one (1) copy of the manuscript to the speaking contest.  
    2. The manuscript must be completed in APA style, including but not limited to: page numbers, cover page with contestant’s name, division, age group, and a bibliography.

Entry abstract is not required. Information about APA can be found at the following link: www.apstyle.org.   

  1. A bibliography following APA style must be included. Lack of bibliography will result in disqualification.  
  2. Entries with obscene language will be disqualified.  
  1. ORIGINALITY: The manuscript and speech presentation must be the contestant’s own effort. A statement of originality is included on the entry form and must be completed as a part of the entry.  
  2. ELIGIBILITY:  Participation is limited to Titus County Students Only. Participants must be enrolled in, and attending, public, private or home school elementary or secondary schools (grades 3-12) and they must be at least 8 years old and in the third grade.  
  3. AGE GROUPS:  Contestants will be divided into two age groups.  
  1. Junior: At least 8 years old and in the third grade, but no more than in the eighth grade during the 2024-2025 school year.  
  2. Senior: At least ninth grade during the 2024-2025 school year, but no more than in the twelfth grade during the 2024-2025 school year.  
  1. CONTEST FORMAT:  
    1. The speech presentations will be judged by a panel of 2-3 judges. The semi finals and finals will be judged by a panel of 2-3 judges.
    2. Divisions within age groups may be combined into rooms of not more than 15.  
    3.  Based on number of entries, contestants may be divided into multiple rooms for preliminaries.
    4.  If there is only one room for an age group, the initial round will be the semifinal round.
    5.  If there is more than one room for an age group, two contestants per room will advance to semifinals.
    6. The top 3 contestants from each age group will advance to the final round.   
  2. TIME LIMIT: Each speech shall be a minimum of four (4) minutes and a maximum of eight (8) minutes. Deductions will be applied to overall score if time is under/over the allotted time. Time point deductions will apply as follows: Under four minutes – one point per ten seconds, over eight minutes – one point per ten seconds.  
  3. QUESTION/ANSWER PERIOD: A three-minute question/answer period will follow each speech. At the end of three minutes, time will be called, and all questioning will end. If time is called during the student’s answer to a question, the contestant may complete his or her answer. Only official judges may ask questions of the contestants.  
  4. ATTIRE:  Official 4-H, FCCLA or FFA dress is required for seniors, and business attire is required for junior division.  
  5. PROPS: The use of props of any kind is prohibited. Violation will result in disqualification.  
  6. DIVISIONS: Each contestant will enter their speech in one of nine divisions. The division must be declared on the entry form. There are topics which may be appropriate in more than one  

division. If a topic is appropriate in more than one division, the final division determination of all speeches will be at the discretion of show management.  

  1. Agribusiness: Any current or future subject that addresses topics such as cooperatives, sales, service, communications, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, commodities, hedging, advertising, etc.  
  2. Agricultural Policy: Any current or future subject that addresses policy or legislation on the following: domestic farm issues, international trade, international competition, rural economic development, legal issues, animal welfare, subsidies, price supports, etc.  
  3. Agriculture Communication: Any current or future subject that addresses the process or act of communicating agricultural related information to the public.  
  4. Animal Science: Any current or future subject that addresses any aspects of the dairy, equine, poultry, sheep, goat, swine, beef or specialty animal industries.  
  5. Livestock Show Ethics: Any current or future subject that addresses any aspect of the ethics practiced in the livestock show industry.  
  6. Natural Resources: Any current or future subject that addresses topics such as soil, water, air, water quality, wildlife, forestry, aquaculture, conservation, recreation, recycling, energy environmental issues, etc.  
  7. Horticulture: Any current or future subject that addresses any aspect of the horticulture and/or agronomy industries including floriculture, fruit and/or vegetable production, nursery operations, turf and landscape management, crop production or specialty crop production.  
  8. Western Heritage: Any current or future subject that addresses topics such as western history, culture or heritage.  
  9. Agricultural Technology: Any current or future subject regarding advancements made in agricultural practices through the use of technology, computer systems, or cutting-edge ideas.  
  1. SCORE SHEET: Judges’ comments will be returned by mail to the County Extension Agent, Advisor or Agriculture Science Teacher following the contest. Score sheets can be found at the Titus County Fair website.  
  2. RESULTS:  The contest results as announced will be final.  
  3. AWARDS:  

Grand Champion Speaker by Age Group

Banner & Buckle

 

Reserve Grand Champion Speaker by Age Group

Banner & Buckle

 

Third Place Speaker by Age Group

Plaque or other Award

 

2019 Winners

 

 

 

2018 Winners

     

Senior Age Division

Grand Champion - Zoe Carlisle

Reserve Champion - Caitlyn Hobbs

 

2017 Winners:

Senior Age Division
Grand Champion - Ashlynn Eubanks
Co-Reserve Champion - Avery Hall
Co-Reserve Champion - Tracy Branch


Junior Age Division
Grand Champion - Jaycee Eubanks
 

2016 Winners:
Senior Age Division
Grand Champion - Tracy Branch
Reserve Champion - Parker Laing

Junior Age Division
Grand Champion - Avery Hall
Reserve Champion - Karlee Rogers