September Newsletter

How To R.O.C.K A Presentation

Let’s face it, we all have been in the position of having to present for a meeting or for educational purposes.  Most people often have presentation jitters and anxiety, so how can you R.O.C.K. your next presentation and overcome the obstacles?

Research – The biggest culprit for presentation anxiety is not researching your material and preparing in an adequate manner.  So don’t delay, when it is more enticing to push off the task, you are only hurting yourself from rocking it on the big day.  

Overcome – You are able to overcome many of the presentation jitters by simply practicing your presentation.  It may be as simple as visually going through your presentation; it often helps to find key words that you assign as a trigger to advance to the next segment of the presentation.

Colorful – No one wants to sit through a presentation that puts you to sleep.  It is imperative to put your best foot forward by being colorful; which can mean many things.  Being colorful, could be utilizing vivid graphics and / or video.  Or it could mean being genuinely enthusiastic about your materials.  If you are not enjoying the subject matter yourself, it will be difficult to illustrate your message to your audience. 

Know Your Stuff – As you research and prepare you are actually familiarizing yourself more with the material.  As you become more knowledgeable about your subject matter you are able to recall the information in a more fluid manner, ready to tackle any questions that might otherwise catch you off guard.

Agriculture Insight

Brandi Herndon

Agribusiness Manger
Tulsa State Fair
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Now days, when people think of the Fair, they think of the outstanding food and fun rides, often times neglecting the foundation of Fairs, agriculture.  Not only do Fairs across the country provide competitive opportunities for our livestock exhibitors and agriculture youth, but also, educational opportunities for our Fair patrons.  Educating the general public about agriculture is probably one of the most important jobs we have has a Fair with the simplest of lessons like, “where our food and fiber comes from”.  Last year during the Tulsa State Fair, more than ever did I realize how important continued education really is.

It was closing time the last day of the Fair and we were in our birthing center getting ready to close down and load out all the animals.  We were standing by the bottle calves when a young boy, approximately 12, approached us.  In pure amazement he asked, “what is that?”.  This simple question provided us the opportunity to not to just explain to him what animal(s) he was looking at, but gave the opportunity to share where his food comes from.  If we did not make an impression on a single person during the duration of our Fair, we know we left an impression on this young man.  He left with a greater understanding of where his “hamburger” comes from and hopefully he shared the message with his family and friends.  

More now than ever, it is so important to continue to find more educational opportunities.  Each of us in the Fair industry should feel so privileged to have the opportunity to carry on the tradition of educating our Fair patrons!

YPI VIP Highlight

Letrice Midgett
Commercial Space Administrator & Administrative Assistant
North Carolina State Fair
Raleigh, North Carolina

Letrice Midgett has been employed with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer services for 17 years and has served the North Carolina State Fair, Raleigh, since 2006. She serves as the Commercial Space Administrator & Administrative Assistant.

As a child, Ms. Midgett went to the fair with her parents. She grew up in the city, so when the fair was going on she was exposed to farm animals. She saw chickens, cows, sheep, rabbits, and visited the petting zoo. Her family would stay all day and enjoy the numerous treats available at the fair, including sausage dogs with onions, candy apples, funnel cakes, and more. She has an AAS degree in Office Systems Technology and completed the Administrative Professionals Certificate Program from Wake Technical Community College.

In her current position, Ms. Midgett is responsible for more than 500 vendors/exhibitors for the NC State Fair and the Got to Be NC Festival. She creates contracts, suggests and approves products and locations, collects payments, and finds new vendors and exhibitors. She also assists Fair Manager Wesley Wyatt and Assistant Fair Manager Ray Frost by scheduling meetings, answering customer questions and complaints, performing clerical duties, backing up the receptionist, and generally helping out in the daily operations of the office.

“I have truly enjoyed the experience of working at the North Carolina State Fair and know that it’s not just a one person job. Every employee at fair goes beyond their job duties to make sure we put on the BEST and SAFEST fair. Working with great people and sharing great moments is worth all the headaches we all endure in the planning process,” stated Ms. Midgett.

Ms. Midgett volunteers with the Big Brother Big Sister program, Career Day, local homeless shelters, and her church. She is a member of NICA and is currently enrolled in the IAFE Institute of Fair Management. She currently chairs the IAFE Commercial Exhibits & Concessions Committee. 

Ms. Midgett and her husband Terrell have one child and are expecting their second child on Jan. 3, 2014. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling.

Mentor Spotlight

Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe
State Fair of West Virginia
Lewisburg, West Virginia

How long have you been in the fair industry?
Summer job from 1984 - August 1, 1989.  Full time since August 1, 1989.  

What’s the best lesson you have learned in the industry / or the hardest? 

Best Lesson - Without a doubt, my best lesson is that no one is perfect and people make mistakes. You have to find the good in everyone and decide if it is enough to give them additional chances. More often than not, it is. 

Hardest Lesson - The hardest lesson learned is that not everyone will always be as committed to the job as you are but it doesn't mean they are not engaged and interested.

What’s your favorite fair food? 
Fried Green Tomato Sandwich.

What do you feel is the biggest change / challenge you have faced? 

Professionally it has been the challenges with school start dates in our region impacting our attendance. The growth of non-fair events has changed the nature of our jobs and challenges us as far as work load.

What question would you ask a mentor? 
How do you find the time to think about the big picture?

If you could give one piece of advice what would that be? 
Respect those around you and lead among them, not above them.

What’s the one thing during the fair you can’t live without? 
A new pair of boots and hugs from my kids.

What’s your advice on handling failure? 

Having the strength to try new ideas is far more important than being afraid to try them and not knowing what the outcome would be. I have always believed it was better to try and fail than to never have tried at all. Failure is part of the game.

What’s your favorite quote? 
"If You Are Going to Dream, Dream Big"

Who is your role model / mentor? 

I've been blessed with several but I would have to say that the one person who has helped me understand the challenges of motherhood, work, the fair industry and life in general would have to be my dear friend Cindy Hoye.

YPI Updates

• Food from Fairs will Feed the Hungry through the Dream Big Food Drive in 2013. For more information and how to get involved, CLICK HERE.
• Join the YPI Facebook Discussion Group to connect with other YPI members, CLICK HERE.
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