4-H participants speak their mind

March 26, 2008 10:31 am

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Does the thought of doing public speaking makes you nervous? Youth involved in the 4-H programs of UNH Cooperative Extension develop confidence in public speaking and gain an advantage for their entire life through their participation in County 4-H Activities Day.

Each year, youth in 4-H choose the format in which to participate at their County 4-H Activities Day: interpretive reading, public speaking, demonstrations and action exhibits. It's a great way for 4-H youth to share information with people of all ages. The variety of topics selected by youth are an indication of the many topic areas youth can explore in 4-H youth development programs and projects.

Rockingham County 4-H Activities Day took place at UNH Thompson School on Saturday, March 15.

Giving public speeches were Grace Magnusson, 14, Brentwood, who gave a personal account of how 4-H has influenced her; Jackie Janigian, 15, Auburn, who spoke about life lessons from solving the Rubics Cube; Julia Janigian, 13, Auburn, who talked about her family's trip to the Grand Canyon; Andrew Davis, 17, Madbury, who gave a speech on Heroes in Harnesses that focused on fire fighting; Leah Himmer, 17, Methuen, who shared a personal memory of her pony, Lilly; Alexandra DeMartini, 16, Methuen, who spoke about What's Your Friend Worth ... alternatives for keeping horses alive; Brandie Rice, 14, Fremont, who gave a talk on Imaginary Travels through reading; Sarah Cote, 14, Lawrence, who spoke about Charger, the Something into Nothing Horse; and Daniel Turner, 12, Derry, who chose for his topic, No Child Gets Ahead. Serving as judges in the public speaking contest were Joe Kenick, Exeter; Pam Welsh, Kensington; and Kelly Greeke, Dover.

Cloverbuds, who are youth between the ages of 5-7, had the option of doing show and tells. This year participants and their topics were: Patrick Marcoux,7, Brentwood, Coins; Alex Marcoux, 5, Brentwood, How Old Is a Tree?; and Samantha Marcoux, 5, Brentwood, My Pony.

Demonstrations in 4-H involve explaining how to make or do something as you do it or work with visuals to teach others a topic that is of interest to the youth.

Participants and their topics were: Alex Rose, 11, Exeter, Set Up a Micro Aquarium; Jenny Elwell, 10, Stratham; Pipe Cleaner Penquins; Sammy Merrill, 8, Stratham, Play a Fiddle; Nicholas Batista, 11, Hampton Falls, a Healthy Heart; Ben Thayer, 9, North Hampton, Parts of a Computer; Brad Rose, 13, Exeter; Transferring Music to a CD; Kenny Elwell, 11, and Jackson Elwell, 13, Stratham, teamed to present Make an Insect Collection; Mary Sandholm, 17, Chester, worked with Andrew Davis, 17, Madbury, to explain Prepared or Not Prepared for Horse Shows; Leah Himmer, 17, Methuen, worked with Sarah Cote, 14, Lawrenece, to present Good or Bad ... Which Sport Are You?; Kylee Jones, 16, Dracut, teamed with Emily Shultz, Methuen, to present Willy's Carrot Cookies; Kelsey Mathouser, 13 , Brentwood teamed with Heather Berlo, 13, Brentwood, to demonstrate English Versus Western; Meagan Moran, 14, Amesbury, Fancy Footwork; Ashley Welsh, 16, Kensington, Pick a Perfect Bit; Mark Hanlon, 12, Chester, Play Lacrosse the Game that Defies Gravity; Amy Hanlon, 14, Chester, demonstrated Do a Health Check on Your Rabbit, Brandie Rice, 14, Fremont presented Mailing Packages to the Troops; and Samantha Thayer, 17, North Hampton, Lyme Disease and Your Dog.

Judges for the demonstrations were Conrad Moses, East Kingston; Robin Weeks, Greenland; Cristy Gylfphe, Nottingham; N.H. state Rep. John Reagan, Deerfield; Bec Cronin, Newmarket; and Becky Davis and Mary Davis, Madbury.

Giving 4-H Interpretive Readings were; Grace Magnusson, 14, Brentwood, Officer Buckle and Gloria; Sammy Merrill, 8, Stratham, Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge; Noah Abasciano, 9, Hampton, Gettysburg Address; Gary Kimball, 9, Hampton, Silly Poems; Richie Gress, 11, Newmarket, Haunted Place; Julia Kneeland, 14, Brentwood, Love You Forever; Ashley Harris, 16, Exeter, Dr. Suess; and Daniel Turner, 12, Derry, West Running Brook.

Judges for the interpretive reading room were N.H. state Rep. Dennis Abbott, Newmarket; and Kat Sandholm, Chester. Ray Harris, Exeter, volunteered as an evaluator of the Strafford County 4-H Action Exhibits.

Youth and families can become involved in 4-H by contacting Lynn Garland, extension educator, 4-H Youth Development in Rockingham County at 679-5616.