3/14/2015 Sat 9:00am Area S6 Contest, Pueblo West Library
3/15/2015 Sun 2:15pm Area S3+S4 Contest, PPLD East Library
3/29/2015 Sun 1:00pm Area S1+S5 Contest, PPLD East Library
4/04/2015 Sat 4:00pm Area S2 Contest, PPLD East Library
4/11/2015 Sat 8:00am Southern Division Contest, Penrose Library, Carnegie Room
Taking part in a Toastmasters Contest is an amazing way to try yourself beyond the normal club environment. We all joined Toastmasters to get better at speaking in front of groups - taking part of a contest is an amazing way to take that next step! It is still Toastmasters, but it is a larger group with more people you don't know. Yet, being in the Toastmasters realm, it makes it a more safer and comfortable place. Being a contestant will help you learn and grow in Toastmasters at a much faster rate!
You fill out some simple forms. You check in, and then they give you a briefing. You pick or assigned a random order from all the other contestants, within your area.
You will be given a chance to speak, in order - see the details for specific contest at the end.
After all the contestants have gone. you will be brought up as a group, handed a participation certificate, and the Toastmaster will do a short interview with you: usually asking about your club, how long you have been in Toastmasters, and usually asking a question based on your bio sheet.
You will then sit back down.
At the end of the contest, winners will be announced. Depending on the number of contestants, they will announce 3rd place (if 5 or more contestants), or 2nd place (2-4 contestants), with a trophy for 1st place. They will take pictures.
The winner of Area will continue to Division level. If first place can not make it, or does not show up, second place can step in, and so on.
The winner of Division will continue to District level, where the will be one best Table Topic contestant for the year.
When the contest starts, you will be escorted out of the room with all the other contestants (unless you are first). One at a time, you will be brought to the speaking area, and given the same question. You will not have heard the question before. You can only hear how others answer the question who go after you. You must make 1 minute, to green. If you go more than 30 seconds over red - at 2:30, you will be disqualified. However, they do not announce who goes over time, just if any contestants had gone over time.
Best answers are usually creative, personal, well performed, and are presented in an organized fashion.
Each level of Table Topics will have a different question.
The international speech contest is an original 5-7 minute speech. It can be on any topic, and must be 75% or more original content. Any content included from outside sources, must be referenced (for example, including the group or singer for a song title or quote, etc.).
To take part in the International Speech Contest, you must have completed at least 6 speeches in your Competent Communicator manual. If you not yet there, it is easier than you think to get to that level while practicing your contest speech at our club, if you get started early enough.
Many speeches in the International Speech Contest are of the Inspirational or Motivational variety, but can be of any general type.
You must speak for 4:30 minutes to qualify, and must not go over 7:30 minutes. Realize that audience reactions may differ from practice and club, and this may take more time.
The reason that the contest is named 'International', is that the contest continues past the District. One winner from each District will go on to the Toastmasters Yearly International Conference, and compete in a Semi-Final round. Usually 9 winners will continue to the final round, and must present a different speech. The winner of the final round is named the World Champion of Public Speaking of the year. Participants who get to these levels are usually in higher demand for public speaking engagements.
It is valuable to start preparing your speech ahead of time, to get the most time to hone your presentation. You can get extra chances to practice in the club.
Remember, each time you do your speech, you can be evaluated in your Competent Communicator manual. We can also do panel evaluations to give you additional feedback.
Volunteers Needed
The contests need lots of volunteers! It usually takes at least 15 volunteers to make a contest happen, even if it is just for one contestant. There are 5 sets contests going on in the Division. Please consider volunteering to help. Contestants may not be judges in out contests, but may still help with other roles!
Roles include: Contest Chair, Toastmaster, Chief Judge, Sargent at Arms, Ballot Counters, Timers, Voting Judges
Voting Judges need to have completed 6 or more speeches in their Competent Communicator manual, and are asked to have done judges training. You can do this online on Toastmasters International
