Chessmore Earns Blue At 4-H Public Speaking Contest

4-Hers from across the northeast region came together to participate at the Northeast Regional 4-H Public Speaking Contest held on May 25, 2017 at the Lifelong Learning Center in Norfolk, Nebraska.
    
Sixty youth from 20 counties throughout the state competed in their respective age division in the 2017 Regional 4-H Speech competition.  Additionally, thirty-six contestants from eleven counties in the northeast district competed in their respective age division in the 2017 Regional 4-H Public Service Announcement (PSA) competition.
    
Contestants earn the opportunity to participate in regional competition by winning their age division at the county level.  Contestants may compete in one or both categories.   Contestants are awarded purple, blue, or red awards in recognition of their accomplishments in speech or PSA; in addition, the top four individuals in each division received medals.  The four winners of the senior division speech and PSA competition are given the opportunity to compete for awards at the State 4-H Public Speaking Contest to be held in Grand Island during the Nebraska State Fair.  All youth competing in state competition and staying for awards will receive special awards. The top two speech and PSA winners in State 4-H Public Speaking Contest receive scholarships.
    
Jayda Chessmore from Elgin represented Antelope County well in the Regional 4-H Public Speaking Contest by earning a blue ribbon with her speech, “The Fair”. She competed against 24 other juniors in the her age division. Jayda qualified for the district speech contest by earning a purple ribbon at the combined Antelope, Boone & Nance speech contest that was held in Albion on May 8th. 
    
Public speaking is a communication with many career possibilities.  Present 4-H members and 4-H alumni have identified communication skills as some of the most important life skills gained through their 4-H experience.  The Nebraska State 4-H communication program is sponsored by the Nebraska Rural Radio Network, which includes KRVN, KNEB, and KTIC.  The Northeast Regional contest is conducted by Nebraska Extension with support from Northeast Community College.

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