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Wirt County 4-H Presentation Contest

Age Requirements & Eligibility

Visual, Digital, and Public Speaking Contest -  Any current 4-H youth (age 8 as of October 1, 2018, up to Last Day as a 21-year-old) may enter regardless of his/her project enrollment. No project requirements. The exhibitor must be a 4-H participant during the year the presentation is submitted.

4-H Pledge Showcase - Cloverbud members (age 5 as of October 1, 2018, up to age 8 as of September 30, 2018) may only participate in the 4-H Pledge Showcase. Cloverbud participants will be awarded a participation ribbon and will not be assigned a score.

Registration Information

To ensure we have the proper number of judges, each individual and team must register by March 8, 2019. To register you can do one of the following:

  1. Online Registration
    2. Register Online Now 
  2. Mail in the form attached to the back the packet you received at your club meeting in February to P.O. Box 700, Elizabeth, WV 26143.  
  3. Call the Wirt County Extension Office at 304-275-3101 and register.  
Late registrations will only be accepted if space is available.

4-H Pledge Showcase - Cloverbuds Only

All Wirt County 4-H Cloverbud members are eligible to enter this contest. This contest is not open to traditional 4-H members. In this contest, Cloverbud members should memorize and recite the 4-H pledge, including the hand motions.

Cloverbud members are not eligible to compete, therefore only participation ribbons will be awarded to participants.

Purpose

To provide 4-H members with an opportunity to communicate creatively and showcase their development of skills that are essential to communicating productively, while nurturing the spark inside that drives them to share information and stories in meaningful ways.

Presentation Contest Types

There are three (3) different types of presentations that can be submitted:

  • Visual
  • PowerPoint/Digital
  • Public Speaking

View strong examples from previous state level participants at the bottom of the page.

Who

Any current 4-H youth (age 8 by June 30, 2022 up to age 21 by September 30, 2023) may enter regardless of his/her project enrollment.

Age Divisions

There are three (3) age divisions:

  • Junior – 4-H members age 8 to 10 by June 30, 2022
  • Intermediate – 4-H members age 11 to 13 by June 30, 2022
  • Senior – 4-H members age 14 by June 30, 2022 up to 21 as of September 30, 2023

Categories

Public Speaking Presentations will not be categorized but all Visual Presentations and PowerPoint/Digital Presentations should be classified in one of the following categories:

  1. Horse
  2. Large Animal (includes the following types: beef, dairy, sheep, goats, etc.)
  3. Small Animal (includes the following types: cats, dogs, poultry, small pets, etc.)
  4. Veterinary Science
  5. Plant Science and Horticulture (includes gardening, cultivated agricultural and horticultural plants and crops)
  6. Mechanical Science and Technology (includes the following types: bicycle, tractors, robotics, computers, small engines, etc.)
  7. Natural Resources and Environment (includes the following types: wild flowers, wild birds, forestry, recycling, entomology, etc.)
  8. Leadership and Citizenship (includes personal development, leadership, community development, etc.)
  9. Leisure and Recreation (includes the following types: hiking, recreation, games, sports, etc.)
  10. Communication and Expressive Arts (includes the following types: theater arts, creative arts, crafts, photography, music, etc.)
  11. Safety and Healthy Living (includes the following types: first aid, healthy choices, etc.)
  12. Family Sciences (includes the following types: child development, financial education, etc.)
  13. Clothing (includes construction, selection, wardrobe construction, etc.)
  14. Foods and Nutrition
  15. Career and Workforce Development
  16. 4-H Promotion—Camp (includes camping overall or a specific camp—county, regional, or state; weekend, overnight, or day camps)
  17. 4-H Promotion—Club and Special Interest Programs (includes community clubs, after school clubs, and specialty programs, like shooting sports, robotics, livestock, photography, and teen leadership)
  18. 4-H Promotion—General (includes presentations intended to promote 4-H overall)
  19. School Presentations (includes science and social studies fair projects, etc.)
  20. First Lego League Innovation Project
  21. West Virginia History
  22. Landmarks and Tourist Attractions
  23. Music (includes band, strings, choir, etc.)
  24. Miscellaneous

Rules

  • Each county may enter a maximum of one individual and one team presentation per category in each age division (Junior, Intermediate, Senior). In each presentation category, the highest scoring individual and highest scoring team from each county contest will be eligible to participate in the state contest. It is at the county’s discretion to send winning presentations on to the state level.
  • Visual Presentations and PowerPoint/Digital Presentations can be presented as a team. Teams can consist from two to four youth. All members must be from the same age division.
    • Public Speaking Presentations must be given individually.
    • *NOTE: The First LEGO League Innovation Project Category will follow the policies of FLL for size and team member requirements. This will allow team size to range from 2-10 youth, spanning multiple age divisions.
  • A 4-H member may participate in one or all 3 State 4-H Presentation Expo Contests. However, the maximum is one individual and one team presentation for each 4-H member in Visual and PowerPoint/Digital presentations, and one Public Speaking Presentation. As such, participating in more than one category within a single contest IS permitted within a given year ONLY if the 4-H member is presenting as an individual and as part of a team.
  • 4-H members may be state (Gold Ribbon) winners twice in each respective category and each age division—once as an individual, and once as a member of a team. (For example, a 4-H member who has received a Gold Ribbon for a visual presentation in the Junior Individual Horse category is not eligible to win a Gold Ribbon in the Junior Individual Horse visual presentation category in subsequent years. But they are eligible to receive a Gold Ribbon for a visual presentation in the Junior TEAM Horse category.)

Procedures

Visual Presentation Contest

  • The presentation may be a demonstration or illustrated talk pertaining to the subject of the category entered. Each contestant is responsible for providing his/her own introduction.
  • Visuals, posters, models, or charts used must be easily seen and convey a message effectively.
  • Electronic projected visuals (e.g. videos, PowerPoint, etc.) may not be used in Visual Presentations.
  • If note cards are used, they must be small (no larger than 3” x 5”) and should not be read.
  • Reference to product brand names should be avoided.

PowerPoint/Digital Presentation Contest

  • Presentation must be the original work of the contestant(s).
  • Each contestant or team is responsible for providing their own introduction.
  • If note cards are used, they must be small (no larger than 3” x 5”) and should not be read.
  • Reference to product brand names should be avoided.

Public Speaking Contest

  • No visuals of any sort may be used.
  • Speeches must be the original work of the speaker.
  • If note cards are used, they must be small (no larger than 3” x 5”) and should not be read.

Time Requirement

  • Junior/Intermediate Divisions – All Junior and Intermediate presentations must be a minimum of 3 minutes in length.
  • Senior Division – All Senior presentations must be a minimum of 5 minutes in length.
  • All Divisions – All divisions have a 10-minute maximum. If time limit is exceeded, only the first 10 minutes will be shown. A penalty for not meeting the minimum time requirement will be noted on the scoring rubric.

Scoreing and Awards

All 4-H member participants will receive a certificate and appropriate ribbon for participating in the state level contest. Ribbons correspond to the following total points earned:

  • Gold: Ribbons will be awarded to all participants who score 95 or above.
  • Blue: Ribbons will be awarded to all participants who score 90-94 points.
  • Red: Ribbons will be awarded to all participants who score 80-89 points.
  • White: Ribbons will be awarded to all participants who score 70-79 points.
  • Green: Ribbons will be awarded to all participants who score below 70 points.

All 14-19 year old gold ribbon winners will be awarded $100 towards registration and travel expenses for the 2023 National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, November 24-28, 2023. This award is contingent upon an interview with the National 4-H Committee, which will be held in early summer 2023.

Up to 6 top Senior Division scorers will be invited to represent West Virginia in the second annual Northeast States 4-H Presentations Fest being held virtually in September, 2023.

Timeline for Contest

  • Counties or regions are responsible for arranging to judge presentations or hold contests prior to May 1, 2023.
  • All eligible county level participants who wish to participate at the state level must record their presentation, upload their video to YouTube to receive a link, and submit a “2023 State 4-H Presentation Expo” ZSuite registration by May 1, 2023. Each member of a team presentation is required to register for the “2023 State 4-H Presentation Expo” event in ZSuite.
  • Judging of presentations on the state level will occur between May 1 through June 2, 2023.
  • State level participants will be notified of their results no later than June 9, 2023.
  • Recognition for state level participants will occur during the State Fair of West Virginia, August 10-19, 2023.

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