Public speaking is the No. 1 fear among most adults.
One of the goals of the 4-H program is to help youth conquer this fear.
The Quesnel 4-H clubs will be holding a public speaking and demonstrating competitions soon.
Public speaking gives young people the opportunity to express their opinions and the confidence to believe in them.
The top speaker and demonstration team from each region will have the opportunity to compete at the 4-H Provincial Communication Finals. All of the top competitors from around British Columbia will compete in this dynamic competition.
It gives members a chance to meet other people from around the province, improve their communications skills, and gain confidence in themselves.
This competition takes place every year, over a weekend in July.
Since, 4-H is an agriculture-based program, members will spend a day touring farms in the Okanagan, learning about B.C. agriculture and the issues that affect farmers.
The competition is a challenge for all members and encourages them to push themselves to excel.
The rules of the competition are different for the speaking portion.
Demonstration teams will present their prepared demo, while the speakers must present an impromptu speech. They will have 40 minutes to prepare a speech on a topic, chosen by the judges, related to B.C. agriculture.
The winners are chosen based on the content of their speech and the presentation.
The 2017 Provincial Communication Finals was held in Salmon Arm. It was an amazing learning experience for all the members attending.
The top speaker was Maria Clemotte, who went on to compete at the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition in Toronto where she won second place in Canada.
The 4-H program gives young people the opportunity to challenge themselves and excel.
4-H not only gives them the skills, but the confidence to speak about what they believe in. It helps them overcome the fear of public speaking and use it as an important life skill.
The 4-H clubs of Quesnel are still accepting membership applications.
For more information, please contact the District Key Leader, Erin Kishkan at kishkan@quesnelbc.com or Suzannah Meir, Cariboo Wolf Pack 4-H Club leader, at 250-998-4446 or ballroom-rumba@hotmail.com.
Jacinta Meir is the club reporter for the Cariboo Wolf Pack 4-H Club.