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 three 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 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 who gave educational presentations follow:

Jamie Stewart – Excellence, Jessie Eveland – Excellence, Jeb Shaw – Merit, Julie Wanders – Recognition, Lisa Wanders – Recognition, Macy Moore – Merit, Trisha Van Donselaar – Merit

“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:
Bailey Edmonds – Merit, Megan & Brooke Eveland – Merit, Trisha Van Donselaar & Amanda Fay – 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’ers in extemporaneous speaking follow:

Bailey Edmonds – Excellence, Taryn Shaw – Excellence

Mahaska County 4-H’ers performed during the Share-the-Fun event in the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair. Share-the-fun participants perform vocal or instrumental music, dance, humorous skits, monologues, and specialty acts.

“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.”

About 100 youth perform 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 being recognized in Share-the-Fun follow:
Allen & Molly Hayes, Cory Van Gilst, Jordan Breon

For more 4-H information, contact the Mahaska County ISU Extension office at 641-673-5841.