News Release

for: Week of March 4, 2002

by: Vickie B. Mullins

Extension 4-H Agent

Santa Rosa County

4-Hers Learn to Speak Up

What is one of the greatest fears known to mankind? Public speaking! That’s right, most people no matter what their age, even grown adults, would rather do almost anything than speak before a group. One person once told me that they’d rather go to the dentist, because at least when they opened their mouth, they wouldn’t have to talk.

Having been in the education field for many years, more than I wish to acknowledge, I’ve had the opportunity to teach students of all ages from kindergarten to college. And one thing never seems to change. Tell the students they have to do an oral report or speech and they go into sheer panic. I’ve known students who would beg me to let them do a written report instead of an oral assignment. Some were even willing to accept a lower grade if they could only give their speech in written form, or if at the very least, they could give it to me alone with no one else listening.

I’ve had 4-H members drop out of an activity because it required them to talk in front of a group. Usually, I was able to work with the 4-H member and help them face their fears so they could participate.

What is it about speaking before a group that makes us so uneasy, nervous or downright scared to death? Most often the answer is that the individual is afraid that they will “say something stupid,” “forget what they plan to say” or in extreme cases the individual is afraid that they will “faint” or “throw-up.”

Even the best speakers get a little nervous and will probably have sweaty palms and butterflies in their stomach. That’s only natural. Most even forget at least a word or two, while others would never make it through their speech without their notes.

In all my years of listening to speeches, I’ve never once seen anyone faint or throw up. They may have done so before or after the speech, but I’ve never actually seen that during the speech.

So how do we learn to not fear public speaking? It’s like most everything else we learn - through practice and perseverance.

4-H offers many opportunities for children to learn and practice public speaking skills. The 4-H Tropicana Public Speaking program is one example. The program is for 4^th, 5^th and 6^th grade students in public, private and homeshool. The program provides teachers with free educational materials, including lesson plans, based on the Sunshine State Standards in language arts and free informational and promotional pieces for the students and their parents.

Following classroom instruction on how to plan and present a speech, students write and give a two to three minute speech on any topic of their choice. Everyone is considered a winner just for having participated and every child receives a “Certification of Participation.”

Each class holds a “classroom contest,” then school contests are held, and finally the County Contest is held. The program provides for the first, second and third place speeches the following: ribbons for classroom winners, medals for school winners and plaques and trophies for the county contest winners.

4-H Tropicana Public Speaking is just one of the many programs in 4-H that promotes public speaking skills. County Events, where the children do demonstrations and speeches, is another program. At every club meeting children are “learning by doing” as they participate in discussions and educational activities.

Although all 4-H members aren’t great speakers and many still may dread public speaking, 4-Hers are on the path to learning how to overcome their fears. 4-H will give children many opportunities to practice and persevere.

4-H programs and activities in Santa Rosa County are open to boys and girls ages 5 to 18 regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex or handicap. For more information about the 4-H Tropicana Public Speaking or any other 4-H Program contact Vickie B. Mullins, Santa Rosa County 4-H Coordinator, at 623-3868 or 939-1259, Ext. 1360 (for south county residents).