MSU Extension 4-H Careers & Entrepreneurship

Many fairs and showcases have in-person judging experiences where youth are asked questions about their work by an adult judge. Sometimes this is a first-time experience for a young person to be interviewed by an adult. Or it might feel overwhelming to have to talk about a project and answer a lot of questions. Any interview experience can feel stressful and bring on feelings of anxiety.

We also know these judging experiences provide great life skill development in communication, social interactions and critical thinking, to name a few. They can help young people gain confidence in interviewing and public speaking situations, which they will continue to encounter in their lives. There are a variety of methods to help young people prepare for an in-person judging so they can feel confident and be successful.

• Make sure youth know information about their projects. Youth may cognitively know what they have done, however, articulating that work can be the challenging next step. As they work on their project, ask them questions. This allows youth to have processed what they are doing as they are doing it, rather than after-the-fact. Help remind them of important points or concepts they might want to share with the judge, such as why they chose the project, a skill they learned, a proud accomplishment or something they might do differently next year.
• Share interview and public speaking Ask youth what a good presentation or conversation would look like. Then discuss some key concepts such as eye contact, good posture, volume and pace of speaking, and positive facial expressions and body language such as smiling and not crossing arms across your chest. The avoidance of filler words, such as “ah, um, you know, and like” is also important to discuss and practice. Taking a pause before speaking can help prevent the use of distracting words.
• Explore common questions. As a group, brainstorm questions that judges might ask about their projects. You can ask: “What might someone want to know about your project or your experience?” Coming up with questions can help youth consider the perspective of the judge in the “how” or “why” of certain questions being asked.
• Practice! This can be done in a variety of ways. Youth can write out their responses​ to the common questions that were brainstormed. They can practice with each other. Hold a “Practice and Popsicles” event where youth take turns being the “judge” and asking questions of each other. Or have other screened volunteer leaders attend to serve in the judge role. End your time with popsicles and reflection on how it went.
• Focus on feedback and encouragement. Throughout the preparation for judging, focus on feedback and encouragement, not just praise. Encouragement and feedback is specific, descriptive and focused on the things that youth can control, such as their process and their choices. For example, rather than saying, “Good job on your interview,” encouragement might include a statement such as, “You did a great job pausing before you spoke so you could calmly prepare your response. You had great eye contact throughout the interview.” Feedback, similarly, can include encouragement and areas of growth such as, “You tried hard during your interview. I liked how you included details on what you enjoyed about your project. Your conversation would be even stronger with more eye contact and using a slightly louder voice. Great job practicing your responses with me.” It can also be helpful, before you provide feedback, to ask the young person what they think went well and what they want to work on for next time. Often, just in practicing, they become aware of what they might want to work on themselves.

Getting to the fair or showcase is more than just completing a project. For the caring adults who work with youth, the preparation for judging can make a huge difference in the confidence young people bring to their in-person judging experience.

Michigan State University Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development help to prepare young people for successful futures.  As a result of career exploration and workforce preparation activities, thousands of Michigan youth are better equipped to make important decisions about their professional future, ready to contribute to the workforce and able to take fiscal responsibility in their personal lives. For more information or resources on career exploration, workforce preparation, financial education or entrepreneurship, contact 4-HCareerPrep@msu.edu.