The Leadership Development Event (LDE) competition provides students with an opportunity to develop public speaking and leadership skills through prepared speeches, extemporaneous speaking, and other competitive events. Participants spend months preparing and refining their speeches before delivering them in front of judges. Three juniors – Grayson Whaley, Samantha Hawk, and Miranda Buettner – shared their experiences before and after the competition, detailing their preparation, challenges, and reflections.
Whaley spent several months preparing for the competition. His speech focused on the importance of agritourism, discussing its economic, educational, and consumer literacy benefits. To prepare, he attended weekly coaching sessions with advisors, practiced independently, and sought feedback from professionals. He found that one of the biggest challenges he faced was overcoming writer’s block when drafting his speech.
Hawk also began practicing early, starting in January. She spent two to three hours writing her speech, which focused on the negative effects of breeding flat-faced dog breeds such as pugs and French bulldogs. To prepare, she attended FFA coaching sessions, made note cards, and rehearsed her speech regularly. This was her second year competing, and she felt more confident than in the previous year.
Buettner began preparing at the end of November and practiced until March 8. Her speech emphasized the importance of spaying female animals. As this was her first LDE competition, she found comfort in being surrounded by friends before delivering her speech. She dedicated significant time to memorization and practiced by reading her speech to others. One of her biggest challenges was fully memorizing her content, which she found more difficult than expected.
When walking into the competition, Whaley felt mostly confident but experienced some nervousness. During his speech, he “stumbled” on a few words but believed he met his personal standards. Hawk also felt confident and thought her speech went well. However, she encountered a brief issue when two of her note cards were out of order. Buettner did not feel nervous before the competition and was pleased that she did not stumble over her speech as much as she had feared.
Each competitor reflected on their performance and identified areas for improvement. Whaley believed he could improve his confidence and tone, as some of the feedback he received suggested he should speak more assertively. Despite this, he was proud of stepping out of his comfort zone and improving his public speaking skills. Hawk noted that she could have made more eye contact with the judges. Despite this, she was satisfied with how she handled the judges’ questions, as she had prepared responses for all of them. Buettner planned to improve her memorization skills and eye contact for future competitions. She emphasized the importance of eye contact, as judges deduct points for lack of engagement.
The participants encouraged other students to take part in LDE competitions. Whaley emphasized that public speaking in FFA provides valuable skills that benefit individuals throughout life. Hawk highlighted how these events helped build her confidence. Buettner advised future competitors to prioritize memorization, as it significantly affects overall performance. All three students expressed interest in competing again next year, with some considering switching to extemporaneous speaking. The LDE competition remains a valuable experience for students, offering an opportunity to grow as public speakers and leaders.
