Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky.  The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader.   Using age appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communications & Expressive Arts Curriculum, educators can maximize the ability of youth to develop their writing, reading and personal communication capacities.  This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006)

Trimble County 4-H sponsors a 4-H Speech and Demonstration Contest in the spring of each school year at Milton Elementary School.  Participants include every 4^th grader each year.  The 4-H Agent supplies each participant with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Speak Up publication.  The participants then work at home and in class to prepare their speech or demonstration.   The Agent recruited 5 judges this spring to go into the schools and judge all of the demonstrations and speeches.  

This year 41 students ages 9-10 wrote and delivered a speech or demonstration in their classroom.  Six advanced to the county contest.  Of the six youth who qualified to attend the Trimble County 4-H Communication Event, five chose to participate, and four received blue ribbons and qualified to participate in the Area 4-H Communications Event at the end of April 2022.