The Florida 4-H Public Speaking Program became the 4-H/Tropicana Public Speaking Program in 1969 in Manatee County. Prior to 1986, the program was conducted in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades in eight Florida counties. In 1994, Columbia County joined many other counties all over the state of Florida participating in the 4-H/Tropicana Public Speaking Program. Fast forward to now, Tropicana no longer sponsors the project and the name has officially changed back to the "Florida 4-H Public Speaking Contest."
Over 1200 students in Columbia County participated in this program over the last few months, preparing, writing their speeches, practicing. In addition, countless volunteers helped students and over 40 teachers served as Florida 4-H Public Speaking Project leaders by setting aside part of their classroom time to help students research, organize, practice, critique, and present speeches and countless numbers of parents helped at home.
2020 Fourth grade county winners were 1st Place Tyler Clifford, 2nd Place Tyler Harrell, 3rd Place Macy Phillips, and Honorable Mention Mylee Davis.
2020 Fifth grade county winners were 1st Place Lyla Folsom, 2nd Place Skylar Fudge, 3rd Place Bo McDaniel, and Honorable Mention Ansley Crews.
Sixth grade county winners were 1st Place Taylor Adams, 2nd Place Natalie Fannon, 3rd Place Cade Frier, and Honorable Mention Annalee Mills.
The 2020 seventh grade county winner was Emma Foreman, 1st place.
In 2020, the University of Florida Public Speech and Debate Team graciously agreed to send judges to help with the event; Jianna D’Addario, Elena Abbott, and Kaitlyn Jenkins were the judges and their coach, Ms. Kellie Roberts, Director of the Dial Center for Written and Oral Communication and UF Director of Forensics, volunteered as time keeper and tabulator.
