EXTEMPORANEOUS PUBLIC SPEAKING CONTEST
DISTRICT, REGIONAL AND STATE CONTEST PROCEDURES
PURPOSE: To develop agricultural leadership by providing for membership participation in
agricultural public speaking activities, and to stimulate interest in leadership and citizenship.
ELIGIBILITY
1. Limited to active in-school FFA members of a chapter in good standing with the Michigan
Association of FFA who are enrolled in an agricultural education/agriscience course or are on a
supervised agriculture experience program.
2. The contest will be limited to two contestants representing each chapter in the district contest.
A maximum of two contestants will be selected to compete at the regional level. Each region
will select two contestants to represent their region at the state contest. A member substitution
between contests is not permitted.
CONTEST PERSONNEL
District Contest Chair - FFA Advisor in charge of the overall operation of district contest. The
district chair is the FFA advisor at the school where the contests are held.
Regional Contest Chair - FFA Advisor in charge of the overall operation of the regional
contests. The regional chair is the FFA advisor at the school where the contests are held.
Contest Coordinator - FFA advisor in charge of a specific contest, i.e. parliamentary procedure,
public speaking, demonstration. etc.
JUDGES
1. Three competent and impartial persons shall be selected to judge the contest. At least one
judge should have an agricultural background.
2. Although it is the responsibility of the district or regional chair to have available judges for
each contest, it is recommended each school be responsible to bring a judge to the district and
regional contests. The judge's name must be submitted to the contest chairperson in advance to
allow time to get instructions to the judges one week before the contests.
SELECTING WINNERS
1. Judges will make a joint report on the final placing. All judges must use the official
extemporaneous speaking score card.
2. District Judges will select two contestants to enter the regional contest. Each region will select
two contestants to represent their region at the state contest. (see Eligibility #2). An alternate
contestant will be selected by the district judges and by the regional judges in the event the
selected contestants are unable to participate.
CONTEST PROCEDURE
1. It is suggested that contestants relate their preparations to the specific subject areas of their
interests (2 a-d) and studies in the agriculture industry. A contestant may choose to alternate the
major subject area between district, regional and state contests.
2. Major subject areas are as follows:
a. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
b. GLOBAL AGRICULTURE AND AG-MARKETING
c. AGRISCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
d. FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEMS
3. A different question under each major area will be posed between the district, regional and
state competitions.
4. Official Time - Each speech shall be a minimum of four minutes and a maximum of five
minutes. Five minutes additional time will be allowed for each contestant when questions
relating to his/her speech will be asked by judges. Contestants will only be allowed time to
introduce themselves, contest topic and the name of the FFA chapter they represent, and then
immediately proceed with Mr/Madam timekeeper, I am ready to begin. The speaker must
conclude their presentation with Mr/Madam timekeeper this concludes my speech.
5. Timekeeper - A timekeeper shall be designated who will record time used by each contestant
in delivering the speech. The exact total minutes and seconds must be recorded showing
undertime or overtime for which deductions will be made. The timekeeper will time the question
period and signal the close of the 5 minutes, which shall end the question period.
STOPWATCHES ARE RECOMMENDED. The timekeeper should stand at 4 minutes and hold
up a 8 1/2 x 11 inch card indicating that 4 minutes have elapsed. The timekeeper should remain
standing until recognized. The timekeeper should stand again at 5 minutes time elapsed, again
standing until recognized.
A deduction of 2 points will be made for each minute (or major fraction, thereof) over 5 minutes
and 4 points for each minute (or major fraction thereof) under 4 minutes, based on the
timekeeper's record. (To avoid penalty, a contestant must speak 3 minutes and 30 seconds and
under 5 minutes and 30 seconds).
6. Order of appearance will be drawn by lot, 30 minutes before the contest is to begin.
7. Contestants will draw a speech topic from their selected subject area and speak on the given
topic. (For clarification, two speech topics will be prepared for each subject area. The
contestant will draw both topics and choose one in which he/she will write the speech.)
8. As soon as the contestant has chosen a topic, he/she will have 30 minutes to prepare his/her
speech without consultation and without reference to prepared notes. Each speech shall be the
result of the contestant's own effort without using reference material or assistance of any kind.
(Each contestant in sequence of appearance will draw his/her topic every ten minutes and
proceed to the preparation room.)
9. If brief notes prepared in the preparation room are used, they should not detract from the
effectiveness of the presentation. All paper and note cards will be furnished in the preparation
room by the contest coordinator.
10. District and regional chair will be general chairperson of the contests. He/she is responsible
for appointing a committee of not less than three teachers to resolve any questions where
problems occur. This committee does have the power to act by a 2/3 majority vote of the
committee. A contestant may be disqualified if they bring any notes or other written speech
material into the prep room.
11. During the contest the judges will seat themselves apart from one another in different
sections of the room. Each contestant shall be judged on the basis of adherence to the topic,
content and delivery, using the rating sheet provided.
12. Contest coordinator will introduce each contestant in order of the drawing and announce the
subject.
13. Contestants shall be ranked in numerical order by each judge on the basis of the final score,
without consultation among judges. The judge's ranking of each contestant shall then be added
and the winner will be that contestant whose total of the rankings is the lowest. Other placings
shall be determined in the same manner. (Low point ranking score method of selection). In case
of a tie, that contestant who has the highest grand total score shall have a higher rating.
AWARDS
1. Local - The chapter may present the National FFA Foundation Extemporaneous Public
Speaking medal.
2. District - Certificates for "Gold" and "Silver".
3. Regional - Trophy to regional winners as well as medals to "Gold" and "Silver" winners to be
awarded on contest day.
4. State Semi-Finals – Individuals participating will be awarded a trophy with a “Silver” or
“Bronze” ranking.
5. State Finals – Individuals participating will be awarded a trophy with a "Gold" and "Silver"
ranking.
6. State - A $100 cash award, travel assistance to participate in the National Central Region
Contest, and a trophy will be awarded to the first place winner in the state contest. "Gold" and
"Silver" winners in the state contest will also receive trophies.
7. The first place award of $100 in the state contest is provided by the National FFA Foundation
funds. Awards in district, regional and state contests are provided by the Michigan Farm Bureau
Insurance Group.
RATING BY JUDGES - Items to be considered and weight of each:
1. STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE TOPIC, 20 points - Severe discounting for shifting to some
other topic.
2. WELL-CHOSEN INFORMATION, 20 points a. Current information
b. Relative to the subject
3. LOGICAL ORGANIZATION OF MATERIAL, INCLUDING EFFECTIVE
INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION, 20 points a. Information used makes complete speech
b. Does not jump around in sequence
4. EFFECTIVE DELIVERY - 20 points a. Poise, quality, use of voice, directness, expression.
b. Ability to enlist and hold the interest of the audience.
c. Effective use of notes & cards.
5. QUESTIONS FROM THE JUDGES ON THE TOPIC - 20 points - Ability of the speaker to
think and express him/herself on his/her feet.
6. TIME - Deductions of 2 points will be made for each minute (or major fraction thereof) over
5, and 4 points for each minute (or major fraction thereof) under 4 minutes, based on the
timekeeper's record. (To avoid penalty, a contestant must speak over three minutes and 30
seconds and under five minutes and 30 seconds.)
7. OFFICIAL DRESS - 0,2,5,7, or 10 points may be deducted for non-official dress at the
discretion of a the judges. Michigan Official dress is:
Female Members: Black skirt or dress slacks, White-collared blouse, Official FFA blue scarf,
Black dress shoes with a closed heel and toe, Black nylon hosiery or socks and Official FFA
jacket zipped to the top and worn in the manner prescribed by the National FFA Constitution.
(The skirt is to be at least knee length, hemmed evenly across the bottom, with a slit no longer
than two inches above the knee, excluding the kick pleat.)
Male Members: Black dress slacks, White-collared shirt, Official FFA tie, Black dress shoes,
Black socks, Official FFA jacket zipped to the top and worn in the manner prescribed by the
National FFA Constitution.
(Revised 3-17-08)