MANHATTAN, Kan. – Admit it: the thought of speaking in front of an audience makes your palms sweaty, maybe even your knees buckle.&nbsp;Beth Hinshaw, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas4-h.org/" target="_blank">Kansas 4-H</a>&nbsp;youth development specialist in southeast Kansas, knows that the nerves do not necessarily go away as we get older, but speaking in public does get easier.&nbsp;“Honestly, it is all about learning how to organize information and deliver it,” she said. “Young people may have a lot of it written out the first time they give a presentation, but as they grow in that skill, they will get to where they are using an outline.”&nbsp;Beginning in February and through March, youth are honing their public speaking skills across the state during Kansas 4-H Days hosted by their local clubs. Hinshaw said the annual events challenge youth to tell about a 4-H project they are working on in front of a judge, who then provides feedback.&nbsp;“In 4-H, we think of these things as something that is necessary for college and career,” Hinshaw said. “Youth learn to organize thoughts in a logical manner; find information and research a subject; express ideas clearly and convincingly; prepare visuals to support the presentation; and accept feedback.”&nbsp;Local clubs host Kansas 4-H Days for youth ages 7 to 11. Most of this year’s events are being held virtually. “If you have friends or family that are doing presentations, there’s a good possibility that there is a video somewhere that they could share with you,” Hinshaw said.&nbsp;She added there is an&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/4H979.pdf" target="_blank">online publication</a>&nbsp;that guides youth through the process of organizing their talk. Most talks are done individually, though a few are demonstrations by teams of youth. Some youth also give illustrated talks, while others give talks that persuade, inform, entertain or inspire, according to Hinshaw.&nbsp;“A lot of people will tell us they would not have had the communication skills and abilities (later in life) that they have if they had not their 4-H background,” Hinshaw said.&nbsp;“Ultimately, the goal in any presentation experience is for members to complete the presentation with a good feeling about themselves and what they have accomplished and learned.”By Pat Melgares

Kansas 4-H Days help build youths' public speaking skill