Young voices took center stage as 4-H members from Bureau, LaSalle, and Marshall-Putnam Counties gathered for the inaugural multi-county Public Speaking Contest at Illinois Valley Community College. Contestants delivered impressive speeches across three categories, celebrating both creativity and clarity. Myracle Johnson earned Overall Best Speech and advanced as a state delegate, joined by Raylen Campbell, Caroline Klostermann, Lillian Miller, and Gwen and Josie Heeley. Public speaking, a cornerstone life skill in 4-H, was clearly on display. The top participants will represent their counties at the state contest on April 25th at Parkland Community College in Champaign.
Formal Speech Division:
● Myracle Johnson (LaSalle County): Best Speech (LaSalle County), Overall Best Speech, and State Delegate
Illustrated Speech Division:
● Raylen Campbell (Marshall-Putnam): State Delegate
● Caroline Klostermann (Bureau County): Best Speech (Bureau County) and State Delegate
● Paisley Brewster (Bureau County)
● Sariah Brewster (Bureau County)
Original Works Speech Division:
● Lillian Miller (LaSalle County): State Delegate
● Gwen and Josie Heeley (Marshall-Putnam): Best Speech (Marshall-Putnam County) and State Delegates
For those interested in exploring 4-H programs or joining future events, the University of Illinois Extension invites inquiries. Contact their office at 815-433-0707 or reach out via email to Shasta Hladovak at [email protected] to discover a variety of opportunities available through 4-H in the region.
From left to right: Josie Heely, Gwen Heely, Lillian Miller, Sariah Brewster (back left), Paisley Brewster, Caroline Klostermann, Myracle Johnson, and Raylen Campbell. Photo by Karina Delgado.