You are sitting at a 4-H club meeting. Someone tells you that all members should sign up to give a presentation at a future club meeting. Your hands get sweaty, your heart falls into your stomach, and you think, "I have to do what?" Then you watch some of the other members give presentations at the meeting, and they seem to be completely relaxed! It seems like they just get up and start talking. Some people can do this, but most of us have to plan and practice to feel less nervous.

Put your jitters to rest; use this fact sheet to help you prepare for your first presentation. Understanding the steps to prepare will help your first presentation go smoothly. Like a puzzle, a presentation has different pieces that fit together. Let’s look at the pieces to the presentation puzzle.