By Rebecca Seratt
Extension Agent
A popular quote (author unknown) states, “If you can speak, you can influence. If you can influence, you can change lives.” This spring, several Chester County 4-H members demonstrated their public speaking skills and their ability to influence others by taking part in county-level and sub-regional level public speaking contests. In March, all students in fourth – eighth grades were given the opportunity to participate in the Chester County 4-H Public Speaking Contest. Participants were tasked with choosing a topic of importance to them, scripting a timed speech, and delivering that speech via video recording.
Fourth grade winners in the county-level contest were Ava Crumley (1st place), Kensley Carter (second place), Connor Katras (third place), and Claire McCord, (fourth place).
Sixth grade winners in the county-level contest were Hudson Lewis (first place) and Zayden Surratt (second place).
The winner in the seventh grade county-level contest was Rheanna Huddleston (first place).
First place winners in the county-level contest were invited to participate in the sub-regional contest held on Monday, April 12. The sub-regional contest consists of first place winners in fourth – eighth grades from eight different counties. The counties included in the sub-region are Chester, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Madison, McNairy, Shelby, and Tipton counties.
The competition at the sub-regional contest proved to be very competitive as each speaker was well prepared to deliver his or her respective speech. Chester County was well represented in the sub-regional contest. Ava Crumley (fourth grade) spoke about the human body’s cardiovascular system and how it works. Hudson Lewis (sixth grade) spoke about how music is important to his life and how certain songs inspired him during his father’s battle with COVID-19.
Both Crumley and Lewis placed second in their respective grade levels.
Chester County 4-H would like to say “congratulations” and “job well done” to all of our 4-H members who participated in these contests and we hope you continue to develop the important life skill of public speaking.
