2025 Public Speaking Contest

The Mofairs Public Speaking Contest is designed to develop agriculture leadership, provide for member participation in public speaking activities, and stimulate interest in leadership in general. The final contest is held each year in connection with the Mofairs Annual Convention scheduled at the Margaritaville Lake Resort Osage Beach, Missouri.

FRIDAY, February 7, 2025
Margaritaville Lake Resort
Osage Beach, Missouri

Registration 11:00 am to 12 Noon - Leeward 74 / 75
Contest start 12:30 pm – Parasol ll

GENERAL PLAN

All preliminary contests are for local participation and are held under the direction of the county fair concerned. These events finalize in the state contest held at the MAFF annual convention. All county contests must follow same rules as the MoFairs Public Speaking Contest finals.

AWARD LEVELS

Three scholarships will be awarded based on the judges determination.

1^st Place - $1,500.00 and award plaque

2^nd Place - $ 900.00 and award plaque

3^rd Place - $ 600.00 and award plaque

ELIGIBILTY

1. The state contest will be limited to participation by one student representing any FAIR or FESTIVAL. The sponsoring event must be a current member of the association.
2. The contest is open to students who are currently enrolled in grades 9 through 12 during the 2024 – 2025 school year. Previous state winners (first place, second place, or third place) will not be eligible to compete again.
3. Each contestants manuscript will be the result of the students OWN EFFORTS. It is expected that each contestant will take advantage of all available training facilities in their local area in developing their speaking ability. Facts and working data may be secured from any source but must be related to fairs and agriculture. Topics of a non agriculture nature will be disqualified.
4. Contestants who compete must submit to the MoFairs office the following materials.
   a) Four double-spaced typewritten copies of their speech on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, each copy bound by a staple.
   b) Date and location of qualifying contest
   c) A complete and accurate bibliography used in writing the speech.
   d) A signed copy of the originality form as provided.
   e) All contestants in the MoFairs Public Speaking Contest shall give credit to others where any direct quotes, phrases, or special dates are used in their manuscript in order to not be guilty of plagiarism. Failure to do so will automatically disqualify a contestant
5. Entry deadline is December 22, 2024.

TIME LIMIT

Each speech shall be a minimum of six (6) minutes in length and a maximum of eight (8) minutes. Each contestant will be allowed five (5) additional minutes in which judges will ask questions relating to their presentation. Deductions of 1 point per second will be made from the score of each judge for speeches under six minutes or over eight minutes.

METHOD OF SELECTING WINNER

1. The Board of Directors of the MoFairs will be in charge of the contest.
2. Prior to the contest each judge will be provided a copy of each manuscript which they will read and score on content and composition on the score sheet provided.
3. Contestants will draw for position. The contest chairman will introduce each contestant by name and number. Applause shall be withheld until all contestants have spoken.
4. One time keeper will be assigned to record time used by each contestant noting underage or overage for which deductions should be made.
5. At the time of the contest each judge will score each contestant on their delivery using score sheet provided. A contestant may use notes during their presentation however deductions may be made for this practice if it distracts form the effectiveness of the delivery.
6. Judges shall formulate and ask questions that pertain directly to each contestants subject. Judges will score each contestant based in their ability to answer all questions ask by all judges. The full five minutes will be used.
7. Contestants will be ranked in numerical order based on final score as determined by the judges. Finalists will be selected whose scores ranked highest by each judge. Additional winners are selected using same basis (highest total points on scorecard method). Judges will then rank contestants as 1, 2, 3 with lowest total declared winner. In the case of a tie winner will be the contestant whose grand total score shall have been the highest among the finalist.
8. If the number of contestants require more than one group of speakers to be judged the winners from each group will then be judged in a final run off contest.
9. When contestants have finished speaking each judge will total their score on composition and delivery. The time keepers record will be used in completing the final score.
10. Final score sheets, with the winners ranked, will be delivered to the MoFairs contest chairman for verification. The MoFairs contest chairman will announce the winners at the conclusion of the contest.

AWARDS

The winner will be expected to deliver their winning essay in a public setting at an awards presentation following the contest. The winner must be present to both present their essay and accept their award. The top three contestants will each be giving three complimentary tickets to the Friday evening showcase and banquet. Attendance at this banquet is optional.

TRAVEL EXPENSE

No travel expense will be provided by the Missouri Association of Fairs and Festivals

The original manuscript PLUS 3 COPIES must be on file in the MoFairs office at 10075 Bust Subdivision Rd. Potosi, Mo.63664 as of December 22, 2024.