December 2010 - 4-H Ontario

4-H ONTARIO LEADERSHIP IN ACTION • DECEMBER 2010 • PAGE 10
Megens and French named Champions
Eight 4-H members competed for
the title of 2010 4-H Communications
Competition Champion, Senior and
Junior titles. Sylvia Megens, whose
speech “The Joy of Simple Successions”
became the 2010 Senior Champion while
Julie French, with her speech “Once in a
Lifetime Opportunity”, became the 2010
Junior Champion.
“Communications and public
speaking is an integral part of the 4-H
Ontario program. The 4-H Provincial
Communications Competition celebrates
the skills of 4-H members from across
the province,” says Marianne Fallis, 4-H
Ontario Opportunities Coordinator. “The
quality of speeches and presentations
during the competition were amazing
and showcased the strength of future
generations.”
Youth participated in two
communication categories, Prepared
Speech and Speak & Show. The
Prepared Speech asks one participant,
without the use of visual aids, to give the
audience an increased understanding of
the topic being presented. The Speak &
Show category has a single participant
increasing the audience’s understanding
of the topic, teaching the audience a
new skill or creating a finished product.
Did you know
Competitors competed within an
the junior or senior age division;
juniors are members aged 10 to
14 while the senior division is
made of members aged 15 to
21.
Senior division winner
Sylvia Megens of Uxbridge,
representing the Durham West
4-H Association has completed
24 4-H projects and has held a
variety of executive positions in
her clubs. She has attended a
variety of regional and provincial
4-H events and currently sits
as a member director on the
Durham West 4-H Association’s
Board of Directors. Outside of
4-H, Sylvia is currently attending
Uxbridge Secondary School
where she is an active member
of the Senior Band and Student
Council as well as a peer mentor
to younger students.
Junior division winner Julie
French of Caledon, representing the
Peel 4-H Association has completed
six 4-H projects. This past summer
Julie took part in a 4-H exchange to
British Columbia. Outside of 4-H, Julie is
involved in school soccer, is a member
• There were double the number of competitors in 2010!
• There are three communication categories to choose from:
Speak and Show, Prepared Speech and Demonstrations.
Provincial 4-H
Communications Competition
CHAMPIONS
of the Treblemakers Choir and Finance
Minister for the Macville Public School’s
student parliament. She is the current
Junior Fair Ambassador for the Albion &
Bolton Agricultural Society.
Sponsored by the Ontario 4-H
Foundation.
• The age divisions are: Junior (9 to 14) and senior (15 to 21) with age being prior to January 1st
of the current calendar year.
• In January 2011 each local Association, through their Association Resource Contact (ARC), will
be receiving a Communications Competition Handbook which has all of the information you will
need to run a local competition.
Information on the communications categories, scorecards for each category, volunteer official fact sheets, media invitation
and news release templates, advertising posters, yearly time lines and more will be included for local Association use. The
handbook will also have space provided for the Association to input their tips and tricks as the years move forward.