2012 AFR Fall District Speech Contest Winners Announced

OKLAHOMA CITY-American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) wrapped up the 68th annual AFR Fall Speech Contest series this week. Each year, the fall contest series gives more than 500 Oklahoma youth from across the state an opportunity to display their public speaking and leadership skills.

The fall speech contest is divided into five AFR district contests, giving youth in every part of the state an opportunity to participate. Each speech must include a tie to AFR and to a yearly theme. Competitors in this year's contest wrote speeches based on the theme "I Believe in Oklahoma Agriculture."

At each contest, students grades 4-12 compete in five categories-American Farmers & Ranchers, Natural Resources, Student Organizations, Agribusiness and Agriscience. First and second place winners in each category advance to the state speech contest, resulting in more than 150 finalists advancing. The state contest will be held Dec. 1 at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. "The AFR speech contests are an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their talents and their hard work," said AFR Youth and Education Coordinator Lin Farris. "The fall contests give participants another chance to hone their skills in addition to the traditional spring speech season."

AFR and its sister organization, Oklahoma Farmers Union, provide the youth of Oklahoma varied opportunities to develop into the leaders of tomorrow. The fall AFR speech contest is just one of several exciting AFR Youth Program traditions. AFR hosts a poster contest, summer youth leadership summit, statewide scholarships, livestock handling and skills contest, livestock judging and grading, and many other leadership opportunities.

For more information on the AFR fall speech contest or other AFR youth events, contact AFR Youth & Education Coordinator Lin Fariss at (405)218-5561 or lfariss@afrmic.com. American Farmers & Ranchers was established in 1905, and is headquartered in Oklahoma City. AFR is actively supportive of Oklahoma's agricultural industry and rural population, and provides educational, legislative, and cooperative programs across the state. AFR also provides insurance products statewide, and is recognized as a leading domestic insurance carrier in the state of Oklahoma.