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Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
Gerald Ford said, ““If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”
Last night I had the privilege of sitting in the audience of our county 4-H public speaking and expressive arts contest. With nearly 30 entries I was blown away at the talent that I got to witness. I watched kids play the piano, trumpet, harmonica, clarinet, and guitar with extreme finesse. I learned about trapping furry animals and planting fairy gardens. I marveled at vocal and dance numbers.
You can bet that my girls shared their public speaking skills that they had been sharpening. My oldest daughter emceed the night. My second daughter shared her FFA speech about Artificial Intelligence in the ag education space. My youngest daughter double entered. Sharing a speech she wrote about her experience raising her 4-H heifer, Tinkerbell and she also shared a poem she had written in the Cowboy poetry division.
For the champion rosettes that my girls will hang on their wall are symbols of the speech writing and research skills they learned, the preparation they put in and the courage it took to stand in front of that crowd and deliver! Those ribbons and rosettes will fade and will someday lie crumpled in storage boxes. But those skills are what they get to carry with them forever! And that is the real gold of public speaking and expressive arts!
karina@youragnetwork.com or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
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