Communication & Public Speaking

Sharpen your voice, share your story, and inspire others.
The 4-H Communication and Public Speaking project empowers you to confidently express your ideas—whether you’re giving a speech, leading a meeting, writing for impact, or sharing your thoughts one-on-one. Through hands-on practice and creative challenges, you’ll develop the skills to inform, persuade, and connect with any audience.

Contact your county Extension office to get involved!

Public Speaking Competitions

Public speaking skills can be put to work in many ways—from competing in county and regional contests to representing your area at 4-H Congress. Youth can lead club lessons, host community events, take on leadership roles like 4-H Council, or serve as 4-H represenatives for your region. Whether on stage, in meetings, or at special events, every experience builds confidence and strengthens communication skills.



Communication & Public Speaking Project Toolkit

Talk to Me

This lesson focuses on providing students with the basic information on structure for an informative speech. This information can be useful if presented in a club meeting prior to the local 4-H Public Speaking contest. A good follow up to this lesson is “What Did You Say?” which discusses proper delivery of speeches.

What Did You Say?

This lesson looks at methods and skills that are important when delivering a speech. These include being prepared, staying relaxed, planning body and hand motions, and paying attention to detail. Students will then be able to apply the skills learned in this lesson to their 4-H speeches.

Follow the links below to find some great online resources for your project.

  • Impromptu Speeches – Pick a topic and speak for 2–3 minutes.
  • Storytelling Night – Share personal stories with an audience.
  • Speech-to-Video – Record and share a speech online.
  • Leader Interview – Ask and share insights from a community leader.
  • Teach a Workshop – Lead a short session for younger members.