4-H Presents with Rockingham and Strafford Counties

Share your interests and build your communication skills!

County 4-H Presents (formerly known as County Activities Day) is an annual county event that provides youth the opportunity to build skills and confidence in the realm of public speaking. Youth participate in one or more of a variety of categories aimed at conveying emotion, information, and skills through public speaking, visual aid, and even performance. Every 4-H member is encouraged to give a presentation each year. Each event is judged by a helpful and knowledgeable set of evaluators that provide both in-person and written feedback to participants. Through their presentations, youth learn to research a subject, organize their ideas into a logical order, and practice public speaking skills.

Back by popular demand is the Clothing and Textiles Judging.

Register through 4-H Online. Deadline to register is April 19. Photos or posters are to be printed, mounted and delivered to either 4-H office by April 19.

Strafford County 4-H members will also have the opportunity to submit their artwork to the Strafford County 4-H Traveling art show at the same time (please submit your artwork to the Strafford County office by April 15). If you choose to submit your artwork to the Traveling art show, please be aware that your work will stay in the traveling art collection from 4/15 until at least 7/20.

General 4-H Presents Guidelines

1. 4-H Members (ages 8-18) may enter a maximum of two Communications events (Demonstrations, Action Exhibits, or Public Speaking). Cloverbuds enter the Show-and-Tell. In addition, all 4-Hers (all ages) may enter the Photography contest and/or the Poster Contest.
2. Presentations, photos or posters which have been previously delivered at a 4-H Presents event may not be repeated without significant changes and must be new work completed since July 15th, 2023.
3. Live animals are not allowed at the event.
4. Firearms may not be included in any presentations. For presentations related to firearms, models or photos must be substituted.
5. Any use of the 4-H Clover must be in accordance with the rules governing the emblem.

Watch these videos on YouTube for some great overall tips and examples on giving 4-H presentations:

• Its Showtime! How to Demonstrate the 4-H Way
• How to Give a 4-H Demonstration
• 4-H Working Exhibits

QUALIFYING FOR EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION (The Big E):
4-H members 12 and older will have an opportunity to qualify for the NH 4-H Communications Team and bring their presentation to the Big E (https://www.thebige.com/) in September. High-scoring individuals from the action exhibits, public speaking, and demonstrations will be announced on the day of the event and will receive an invitation to participate in the next step. High-scoring posters and photographs are also sent to the Big E for exhibition. Additionally, 4-H members 12 and older with equine demonstrations and public speaking presentations can qualify for the NH 4-H Horse Communications Team and present at Eastern National 4-H Horse Round Up in Louisville, Kentucky in November. These individuals join a team with other 4-H members and practice throughout the year. More information and exact qualifying criteria for all these events will be communicated prior to the event.

Presentation Types

Participation in 4-H Presents can take many forms. Continue reading for more description about each presentation type. Guideline documents and scoresheets for each type are included in the following or contact your 4-H office for more information.

Cloverbud Show & Tell

• Cloverbud members can present a “Show & Tell”. This is a non-competitive and fun way to share what you like and learn from others too. Cloverbud Show & Tell presentations can be 1-3 minutes.

Demonstrations / Illustrated Talks

Demo/IL Guidelines and Demo/IL Score Sheet for Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks

• Demonstrations are simply showing and telling how to do something. You explain what you are doing while you work on something you like to do. Example: How to transplant a house plant. Illustrated Talks are like Demonstrations but instead of working on something while you talk, you just talk and use a variety of visual aids to help you. Example: Explaining horse breeds and colors using horse models. Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks last 3-10 minutes depending on your age category.
• Topic ideas (click here). Registration categories include: Animal Science - Horse Public Speaking (Seniors Only), Animal Science - Horse,  Animal Science - Livestock & Dairy Production, Animal Science - Small & Companion Animals, Animal Science - Poultry, Citizenship & Civic Education – Citizenship/ Community Service, Communication & Expressive Arts - Arts & expression, Consumerism - Family & Consumer Sciences, Consumerism - Hospitality, Etiquette, & Social Graces, Environment Science - Bugs & Bees, Environment Science - Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Environment Science - Forestry & Wildlife, Environment Science - Environmental Science (Soil & Water), Healthy Living - Health/Fitness/Physical Activity, Healthy Living – Foods/Nutrition/Healthy Eatingn Healthy Living - Safety, Science & Technology, Science Experiment/Invention Project, Open Category

Action Exhibits

AE Guidelines and AE Score Sheet for Action Exhibit

• Action Exhibits are interactive presentations that involve the audience in the presentation process. Like a Demonstration, you show or demonstrate a skill, such as how to make something, or show how something works. Unlike a Demonstration, the audience asks questions and interacts with the presenter and may even try the skill themselves. Audience members may even be able to take home something you’ve shown them how to make. Example: How to make bath salts. As different audience members visit your exhibit, you may demonstrate your skill multiple times for up to 50 minutes. Action Exhibits may be done individually or in teams of 2-3 people.

Public Speaking

PS Guidelines and PS Scoresheet for Public Speaking

• Public Speaking is a chance to research, organize facts, and present a speech on an issue or topic of interest. Speeches can be 2-10 minutes, depending on your age category.

Photography

Photo Guidelines and Photo Scoresheet for 4-H Photography contest

• Framed or matted photograph taken after July 15th, 2023. Categories are: New Hampshire at its Best, 4-H at its Best/4-H Promotion, or Open Category.  Photograph must be delivered to the 4-H office by April 19th. Contact your 4-H office for drop-off dates/times or arranging a drop-off

Poster

Poster Guidelines and Poster Scoresheet (Promotional) or Poster Scoresheet (Educational) for 4-H Poster contest

• You can submit a poster you made in one of these categories:  4-H Citizenship, 4-H Promotion, Healthy Living, Science, Other. Posters must be delivered to the 4-H office by April 19th. Contact your 4-H office for drop-off dates/times or arranging a drop-off

Quilts AND SewING (Garments AND OTHER SEWN Objects)

Project Description Form and Garment Score Sheet 

• Youth have the opportunity to receive written feedback from judges on their sewn items.