Audience Appeal Earns 4-H’ers Awards at Iowa State Fair

4-H Clover

Mahaska County 4-H’ers earned recognition as communicators at the Iowa State Fair.

4-H’ers compete in four categories of oral communication — educational presentations, working exhibits, extemporaneous speaking — and one category of visual communication. In educational presentations, the 4-H’ers teach their audience about a topic they selected and researched. In working exhibits, the 4-H’ers invite passers-by to try a skill they demonstrate. In extemporaneous speaking, the 4-H’ers prepare a speech in 30 minutes and deliver it to an audience. In share-the-fun, the 4-H’ers participants perform vocal or instrumental music, dance, humorous skits, monologues and specialty acts. In poster communication, the 4-H’er conveys a message visually.

“Almost any time fairgoers come into the 4-H Exhibits Building they can learn from a 4‑H’er participating in a communications activity,” said Mitchell Hoyer, program specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 4-H Youth Development and 4-H Exhibits Building Superintendent. “Effective communication means appealing to the interests of your audience.”

Mahaska County 4-H’ers giving educational presentations follow:

Jessie Eveland – Seal of Excellence; Aliveah Brinegar – Certificate of Recognition; Megan Eveland – Seal of Excellence; Emmit Boender – Seal of Excellence; Katy Roose – Seal of Excellence; Abby Drost – Seal of Excellence

“Many work situations require the ability to demonstrate a skill while instructing others who are learning the skill,” Hoyer said. “4-H’ers frequently practice this skill as they present information at club meetings and county fairs.”

Mahaska County 4-H’ers with working exhibits follow:

Leah Van Donselaar – Seal of Merit; Ephraim Van Zante – Seal of Recognition; Alexandra Nolan – Seal of Merit; Lydia Denniston – Seal of Merit

“Throughout their working lives, 4-H’ers will find that most workplace speaking situations call for extemporaneous delivery skills,” Hoyer said. “In 4-H youth prepare for typical face-to-face contact in which the speaker and listeners are simultaneously sending, interpreting, generating and receiving messages.”

Mahaska County 4-H’er in extemporaneous speaking was:

Emmit Boender – Merit

About 100 youth perform for Share-the-Fun each day of the fair, according to Mitchell Hoyer, program coordinator for Iowa State University Extension 4-H Youth Development. “Our judges give skill-building pointers in several areas including presence, performance techniques and interpretation.”

Mahaska County 4-H’ers in Share-the-Fun follow:

Jessie Eveland – Participation; Allen Hayes & Grace Marshall – Participation; Ryan Van Gilst – Participation

“Performers receive evaluation comments from a judge, but are not ranked,” said Mitchell Hoyer, program specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 4-H Youth Development and 4-H Exhibits Building Superintendent. “The purpose of the show is to entertain the audience and have fun while you’re doing it.”

“Billboards, television, newspapers, the Internet — the need to visually communicate effectively faces us each day. The poster class helps members improve layout and design skills as they interpret a promotional message about 4-H,” Hoyer said.

Mahaska County 4-H’er in posters was:

Tucker De Jong – Certificate of Recognition

For more 4-H information, contact the Mahaska County ISU Extension and Outreach office at 641-673-5841 or email vermeerA@iastate.edu