ABOUT THE AGRICULTURAL
​COMMUNICATIONS CDE

Contest Format

Writing Mechanics Exam
30 minutes to complete a 25 question exam individually. Exam is multiple choice and each question is worth 2 points 

Press Conference
20 minute Press Conference
10 minute Q&A

Practicum
​3 hours to complete your practicum and develop a team communications plan in a collaborative environment 
Magazine Layout Design
Broadcast Production
Feature Story
Social Media Plan
Communications Plan
​Video overview of the Agricultural Communications CDE
​Scoring rubric for Agricultural Communications CDE

Equipment

Students should bring
  • Wear Official Dress
  • Computer device (laptop, tablet, etc) and charger
  • Pens or pencils
  • Headphones
  • Privacy screens for laptops (not required, but allowed)  
  • Microphone (not required, but helpful for recording in a newsroom environment)
Provided 
  • Blank paper 
  • Digital photographs/images, video files and audio files 
  • Information regarding press conference speaker and topic
  • Dummy text
  • ​Logos
Contest occurs in a collaborative classroom environment 

CONTEST COMPONENTS

Magazine Layout Design
Target Publication: New Horizons 

Utilize any page layout software: Canva, Adobe Express, InDesign, etc.
​
Task:
  • Use press packet and information gathered in the press conference to develop a 2-page magazine layout. 
  • Must use the text written by the feature story writer. 
  • Photos, graphics and logos will be provided. ​
  • Submit your magazine layout as a PDF file.
Broadcast Production 
Utilize any software: Canva Video, iMovie, Movie Maker, Spotify for Podcasters, etc.
​
Task:
  • Create a 60-90 second story for the New Horizons website using the press packet, information gathered in the press conference and provided audio/video clips.  
  • Can be a TV story, podcast, video, radio story or slideshow.
  • Purpose is to promote readership of the story created by your team or supplement what is in the written story. ​
Feature Story
Utilize any software: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.

Task:
  • Create a 350-500 word news story for New Horizons magazine using the press packet and information gathered in the press conference.  
  • It should be written for the magazine’s target audience, have a strong focus and lead, and include a headline. 
  • You will submit this feature story and your team will use it as the text for the magazine layout design.​
  • Submit your feature story as a PDF file.
Social Media Plan
Utilize any software:
Canva, Adobe Express, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc. 
 
Task:
  • Develop posts to accompany and promote their team’s magazine story. 
  • Create 1-week of content: including at least three social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.) and a minimum of seven posts. 
  • Submit your social media plan as PDF file of screenshots, links and/or embedded image of each created post. 
Communications Plan
Utilize template provided: Available in both Microsoft Word and Google Docs

Task:
  • Create a 3-page communications plan PDF as if it were to be presented to a client. This should be a collaborative effort with your team. 
  • Should include components noted in the template such as an overview of the plan, central theme, main question, call to action, and the rational and goal of each practicum.
  • Template will be provided.
  • ​Submit your communications plan as a PDF file.  

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