Coward informs Exchange Club members about 4-H speaking contest

Coryell County Extension agent, Becky Coward, recently spoke to a meeting of the Gatesville Exchange Club.

She told the club members that the 4-H students had been busy lately with all the latest stock shows and that last week the 4-H State Ambassador Team had visited the state capitol. “4-H just doesn’t stop after the county fair, it just picks up,” Coward said.

Coward said the 4-H members will soon be participating in their speaking contest and that there will be thirty-two 4-H members who will give presentations. She explained that the students research their 4-H projects that they’re interested in and want to learn more about that then they do a five-minute speech in front of a panel of judges. “It teaches them communication skills they need, public speaking skills, and it lets them research about something they’re interested in,” Coward said.

Coward introduced two of her 4-H ambassadors who gave their speeches to the Exchange Club members including GHS junior Matti Mann who gave a presentation on dental health and GHS sophomore Jeret Burks who spoke about beef cattle and the new types of feed.

Matti was described by Coward as being a Healthy Texas Youth Ambassador meaning that she is a leader for the state for the 4-H program helping people be healthy – specifically her peers. “Matti has been interested in dental health for a long time and also as a potential career,” she said.

Coward said that Jeret feeds commercial steers for the county show and “he’s looking to try to get a better angle at that and improve his feed efficiency and that’s why he chose this topic.”

“It’s such a blessing for our kids to communicate effectively. Speaking in front of people can sometimes be a challenge for the students,” she said.