Montana Farm Bureau Foundation holds Youth Speech Contest

Montana Farm Bureau Foundation announces their 2022 Youth Speech Contest which is open to students in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades. Contestants must submit a transcript of their speech by March 15, 2022, which will be judged prior to the convention. The top twenty contestants will be invited to compete by presenting their speech March 31 from 8 a.m. – noon at the FFA Convention in Bozeman.

“One of our Foundation’s most important goals is to aid in the agricultural education and the leadership development of Montana’s youth, and this speech contest fits that goal. We are offering great prizes to make this an exciting opportunity,” noted MFB Foundation Coordinator Scott Kulbeck.

Speech topic: Supply chain problems and labor shortages have shined a spotlight on the need for and importance of careers in agriculture, food processing, freight transportation and vocational trades. Why is there currently such a shortage of people working towards a career in those areas and what can be done to address this issue? Consider the following:

Do public opinions toward vocational trades have a negative impact on the educational and career choices for high school students?

What are the advantages of choosing to attend a vocational trade school or to pursue a trade apprenticeship over a college degree?

What can high school teachers and guidance counselors do to provide students with a broad view of options for their future that includes vocational trades alongside university education options?

The prepared speech needs to be between 2.5 - 4 minutes in length. FFA members, 4-H members and any other student in Montana are eligible to enter the contest. Registration and a copy of the speech must be received by the Montana Farm Bureau Federation office by March 15, 2022. Prizes: are: 1st place - $400, 2nd - $300, 3rd - $200, 4th - $100 and 5th - $50.

For more information and an application, contact Scott Kulbeck, [email protected], 406-587-3153, or go to mfbf.org/foundation.