FFA Creed Public Speaking

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Purpose

The FFA Creed outlines the organization’s beliefs regarding the agriculture industry, FFA membership,and the value of citizenship and patriotism. FFA members recite the Creed as part of the requirements to earn the Greenhand FFA Degree. The Creed speaking leadership development event aims to develop the public speaking abilities of ninth-grade FFA members, develop their self‐confidence, and contribute to their advancement in the FFA degree program. 

 

Objectives

1. Develop confidence and practice great communication skills.
2. Develop an appreciation for the rich heritage and traditions of the FFA.
3. Meet a requirement towards the attainment of the Greenhand FFA Degree.

 

Event Rules

1. This division is for freshman members only. First‐year members competing in this division must be in the ninth grade (sophomores who are first‐year members are not eligible.)
2. The event is open to freshman students who are regularly enrolled in high school agricultural education and who are active members of FFA chapters in good standing with the state association and national organization.
3. Dual members speaking in 4‐H public speaking are ineligible to speak in FFA public speaking during the same school year.
4. Members will present the FFA Creed from the current year’s Official FFA Manual.
5. Each participant must recite the FFA Creed from memory. Each participant shall begin the presentation by stating, “The FFA Creed by E.M. Tiffany.”
6. Each participant shall end the presentation with the statement “. . . that inspiring task. Thank you.” 
7. The event is structured in three levels of advanced participation: Regional, Area and State. The state event will be limited to participation by two students in each division who have been determined winners in an area event.
8. A member that wins a state speaking division is ineligible to speak again in that division.
9. Any FFA Creed participant’s failure to comply with any of the items of Official FFA Dress will receive a five‐point deduction.
   1. Note: Official FFA dress for FFA members is an official FFA jacket zipped to the top. Black slacks and black socks or black skirt and black nylons. White collared blouse or white collared shirt. Official FFA tie or official FFA scarf. Black dress shoes with closed heel and toe. Note: Official garb of recognized religions may be worn with Official Dress. See okffa.org for complete details.
10. The use of props in FFA public speaking is not acceptable. Any member violating this rule will automatically be disqualified.

Event Format

Team Make-Up

Individual

  

Questions

1. Immediately following reciting the FFA Creed, participants will be allowed three minutes additional time to be asked questions from the judges that pertain to the FFA Creed.
2. In the FFA Creed division, because of the likelihood of the same questions being asked to each participant, it is required that any FFA member, parent or guest may enter the contest room at any time between participants speaking; however, once they have entered the room, they must stay in the room until the completion of the event. 

Scoring

Voice Quality - 10
Personal Appearance - 10
Stage Presence - 10

Power of Expression - 25

General Effect - 20

Response to Questions - 25

 

Total Points
Individual - 100

 

Judging 

1. It is recommended that three competent and impartial persons judge each division. A timekeeper will be designated to record the time used by each participant. 
2. Judges should be seated in different sections of the room in which the event is held. Each judge will score each participant based on the criteria of the judge’s score sheet provided. 
3. Following the presentation, each judge will formulate and ask questions. Questions will pertain directly to the FFA Creed. Two-part questions should be avoided. The full three minutes allotted for questions should be used. Judges will score each participant on the ability to answer all questions asked by all judges.
4. No audio or video recorders will be allowed in the contest room.
5. When all participants have finished speaking, each judge will total the score for each participant. On the bottom line of the score sheet, each judge will rank each participant in numerical order based on the final score. Judges will complete the judging process without consultation with each other.
6. Each judge’s score sheet will be submitted to the designated event superintendent to determine the final ranking of participants. The lowest total of the final ranking is the winner. In the event two judges place a participant first, he/she is automatically first. In the event of a tie in the final ranking, the participant that two judges place highest will be determined the winner.
7. No props are to be used. Failure to comply will mean automatic disqualification of the participant. 
8. Applause shall be with held until all participants have spoken. 

 

National Qualifying Rules

1. The state winner in the FFA Creed division at the State FFA Interscholastics in Stillwater will represent Oklahoma in the national event held during the National FFA Convention and Expo.
2. Any member who has represented Oklahoma in a national career development event or national awards area as a 4‐H or FFA member is ineligible to participate again in the National Qualifying Event for that area as an FFA member.
3. A member can participate in only one national career development event in a given year. A member speaking in the state event in both prepared public speaking and the FFA Creed public speaking must declare in which division the speaker would represent Oklahoma in the national event in the event the speaker won both divisions.

Supplemental Materials and Forms

Creed Script

Judge's Score Sheet