Providing youth with opportunities to develop communication skills is of great importance to the Clark County 4-H Program.

Clark County 4-H Agents and stakeholders recognize the development of communications skills are preeminent in growing as an individual, community member and as a leader.

Because of partnerships with teachers throughout the county and community partners who help organize and carry out the multiple events, this high-priority 4-H program culminates at State 4-H Communications Day at the University of Kentucky in July.

From Clark County, five youth have advanced through classroom-level, county-level and area-level competitions to compete at the State 4-H Communications Day.

Scotty Mitchell will compete in the 9-year-old Speech category. Sylis Beauregard will compete in the 11-year-old Speech category. Maria Jackson will compete in the Senior Demonstration Health category. Brittnee Franklin will compete in the 14- to 15-year-old Mock Interview competition. Carlee Franklin will compete in the 16- to 18-year-old Mock Interview competition.

To compete at the Bluegrass Area Communications Contest, participants must have advanced from the County-level. The following individuals competed at the Area-level with their demonstrations and speeches:

— Demonstrations: Maria Jackson, Logan Hammer, Wyatt Jackson, and Samantha Moore.

— Speeches: Seth Brush, Asher Thompson, Charlie Castle, James Ray Bowman, Autumn Georgian, Bailey Oakes, Landon Harney, Sylis Beauregard, Claire Kearney, Serenity Elman, Scotty Mitchell, and Carter Johnston.

— Mock Interviews: Brittnee Franklin and Carlee Franklin.

Alissa Pasley won the 12- to 13-year-old mock interview in the county contest, but this is not a division offered at advanced levels.

At the Clark County 4-H Communications Contest, many youths presented demonstrations, engaged in mock interviews, and gave speeches throughout the two-day event.

To compete at the county-level with speeches, participants must have been the top scorers in their classroom speech contests. Classroom speech contests were at Baker, Calvary, Conkwright, Shearer and Strode Station.

— At Baker Intermediate, the following were classroom champions: Scott Elliott, Addison Bailey, Emma Sizemore, Bre Humphreys, Syerra Croy, Ariel Trent, Kylie Conn, Sylis Beauregard, Jillian Ison, Kaylee Christopher, Carmen Vasquez, Serenity Elman, Wyatt Johnson, Lennon Smith, Gracie Henson, Travis Renner, Levi Ross, Valeria Herrera, Savannah Williams, Rayleigh Peck, Jenna Wellman, Landon Harney, Cameron Rodriguez, Jacob King, Lilliann Sands, Cody Gibson, Cody Inman, Jaylee Patrick, Campbell Sutherland, Mason Crowe, and Brooklynn Denny.

— At Calvary Christian School, the following were classroom champions: Jacob Schuler, Seth Brush, James Bowman, and Bailey Oakes.

— At Conkwright Elementary, the following were classroom champions: Fendor Crawford, Emmerson Curry, Emma Caudill, Kaydence Endicott, Akira Hadlock, Kinslee Wesolowski, Emma Cecil, and Porter Tipton.

— At Shearer Elementary, the following were classroom champions: Carter Johnston, Skyler Symonds, Scotty Mitchell, Elijah, Kody, Lakelyn, (last names not provided), Charlie Craig, and Oliver Hutchens.

— At Strode Station, the following were classroom champions: Bella Shepherd, Gunner Brock, Sylvie Coogle, Leon Carter, Hadley Parks, McKenzie Jackson, Brianna Seals, Audrey Saylor, Marleigh Brandt, Claire Kearney, Kyleigh Shelton, and Lilli Hill.