4-H Tropicana Speech Contest

Winners & Participants

The 4-H Tropicana Public Speaking Contest is a successful and popular school enrichment program that provides a forum for over 3000 Citrus County youth to gain some of these "life skills."

The elementary school kids in the fourth and fifth grade from a dozen public and private schools, and the sixth graders in six county middle schools, practiced abilities such as researching, writing and giving a presentation. These standards lead to life skills such as planning and organizing, communication, and self-esteem. The best time to teach people to talk and think on their feet is when they are young. This is one of the objectives of the 4-H Tropicana Public Speaking Program. The program is sponsored by Tropicana and administered through the 4-H Youth Development Program, Citrus County Extension, and the University of Florida/IFAS.

Participants start by each writing and delivering a two to three minute speech, on a topic of their choice, in their classroom. Classroom winners progress to the school contest, and the first and second place school winners are invited to the County Contests.

Dr. Joan Bradshaw, Citrus County’s Extension Director and County Contest judge said, "Each year I really look forward to participating as a judge for the 4-H Tropicana Speaking contest. I have the distinct privilege of listening to 36 of Citrus County's very best young speakers. Not only are the presentations informative and enlightening, their youthful enthusiasm catches like wildfire. It is an amazing experience!"

The sixth grade County Contest was held May 9th at the Citrus County Canning Center in Lecanto. Jack Kelly, from Inverness Middle School, was awarded the first place plaque and a scholarship to attend 4-H Camp this summer. In his speech "Hair," Jack explained that it's not just a fashion statement, but explained the important science that can be linked to the hair on one's head! Cristal Cloer, from Crystal River Primary School, was the winner of the Elementary contest for fourth and fifth grades, May 16th. In her speech titled "Eagles" she illustrated how we should all "shed the past in order to move forward" as eagles do when they molt. Sometimes we all may experience hard times like the eagle and feel like pulling our feathers out, but making it through those hard times we become stronger in the end. This is an example of the detailed and insightful speeches given by Citrus County youth just nine to eleven years old!

The 4-H Youth Development Program staff, Ginny Celano, Program Secretary and Amy Duncan, 4-H Agent, coordinated the speech contest and couldn't have done it without the help of many others. Appreciation and thanks are deserved by the people that assisted in providing this high impact program to the youth of our community. These folks include the many judges, Jennifer Hetland the Program Specialist for Elementary Language Arts and Social Studies, Citrus County School Curriculum Specialists, Teachers, and the participants' parents.

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