BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. — Youth from across Saratoga County showcased their knowledge and skills at the 4-H Public Presentations Event on Saturday, March 2nd. Over 250 4-H’ers from all corners of the county participated in the public speaking event held at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County.

Young people, ranging in age from 5 to 19, who are involved in the 4-H Youth Development program, chose from different categories to present in a variety of methods; Show and Tell, demonstration, illustrated talk, speech, or recitation. They publicly presented on a topic of their choice. Presentation titles included “How to Walk a Rabbit”, “Is Your Cow Mad”, “Petunia the Pig”, and many more! The 4-H’ers covered everything from mermaid slime to Bunker Hill and everything in between.

They were evaluated by 2 volunteers, using the Danish system of judging, a system based on an ideal standard for each presenter and not comparing to others. The participant’s age, skill level, and number of presentations were also taken into account for the evaluation. Each 4-H’er received a certificate and an award.

“Many of our alumni mention Public Presentation Day and their ability to speak in front of people to be one of the most important life skills they learned through 4-H. It is so rewarding to see a quiet, somewhat scared first time youth present in front of strangers, only to walk out of the room with their certificate of completion and a giant smile on their face”. –Greg Stevens, Extension Program Leader, 4-H & Family and Consumer Sciences

4-H Youth Development actively involves youth in opportunities that help them learn to lead, build their communities, connect with Cornell University, and connect with each other. For more information about 4-H Youth Development of Saratoga County, contact: Saratoga County 4-H Office, 518-885-8995, or visit www.ccesaratoga.org.

–Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County

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