Practicum Areas
The practicums will consist of four individual events. Each team must assign a
member to one of the following areas PRIOR to arriving at the state event.
Web Design
- Each designer will use the press packet and information that was gathered in the press conference to develop a WordPress site.
- The objective is to communicate the press conference speaker’s organization through appropriate design, navigation and use of provided photos and graphics.
- Each designer will have the option of a Mac or PC and will work in a computer lab.
- The designer may use the provided WordPress templates or customize the template. Each participant will have 90 minutes to complete the practicum.
Video Production
- Students will be given a selection of video clips, photos, and music and will create a 60-90 second video that promotes the speaker’s product or service.
- Students need to know how to export their video to a .mov or m4V file.
- Students will be working in Adobe Premiere Pro. Students will need to provide their own headphones.
Journalistic Writing
- Writers are to write a 250-350 word feature story based on the press packet and information that was gathered in the press conference.
- It should be written as if it would be printed by an agricultural or local newspaper and contain 100% factual information with no opinions.
- The student will type the story on a provided PC computer and turn in to be scored. Participants will have 90 minutes to complete the practicum.
Opinion Writing
- Students are to write a letter to an editor that would be published by a newspaper. This is an opinion piece, but the author is not affiliated with the paper. It should start with “Dear Editor” and be 250-300 words.
- The writer should approach the story as if he or she works for the speaker’s organization or is a strong supporter of the organization.
- Although the document should be 100% factual, the writer needs to incorporate his or her opinion, as if he or she were stating an opinion or taking a stand to support (or write against) an issue.
- The student must provide a laptop computer and know how to save to a jump drive. Participants will have 90 minutes to complete the practicum.