RULES
1. Contestants must be high school students, grades 9-12 (or equivalent).
2. Any prior state winner is not eligible as a contestant.
3. Each contestant must fill out or submit an application form to their local Soil Conservation District Office. This will include name, address, phone number, school, grade, age, club affiliations and a brief statement about interests or involvement in agriculture or conservation practices.
4. Each district will determine prizes for its own contest. Gem SWCD prize money in the following increments: First place: $100.00, Second Place: $75.00 and Third Place: $50.00. Each division will determine division level prizes. The IASCD Auxiliary provides the prize money at the state conference in the following increments: First place: $300 Second place: $200, Third place: $150, Fourth place: $100
5. The speech shall be at least three minutes and not more than five minutes, including the salutation and title. Contestants will not give their name at any time during their speech. No props or visual aids will be allowed.
6. Speech must be contestant’s original text, researched and written by the contestants. Notes will be allowed at the district level ONLY.
7. There shall be three judges and a timekeeper for each contest: district, division and state. It is the IASCD Division Director’s responsibility to include the contest in the fall meeting agenda, and secure judges and a timekeeper. Judges and timekeepers shall not be related, in any way, to contestants. At the division level, supervisors from districts with contestants cannot be judges or timekeepers.
8. Any questions arising during the state level contest shall be decided by the IASCD Executive Director and the IASCD Public Outreach Chairperson. At division meetings, the Division Director will handle questions.
9. Contestants who place first at their division meeting contest may participate at the state competition.
The speech contest takes its theme from NACD’s annual Stewardship Week. For some tips on the theme while preparing your speech, go to http://www.nacdnet.org/general-resources/stewardship-and-education-materials/contests
For questions contact Leanne (208)573-9114 or Leanne.buck@id.nacdnet.net