PDS staff members Trisha Brush and Christy Powell won their respective speech contests on a recent Saturday and will be advancing to the next level in Lexington in March. Both are members of the Northern Kentucky Toastmasters club that meets at PDS at noon on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. This club is part of Toastmasters International.
According the Toastmasters International, more than 30,000 Toastmasters compete in one or more contests each year. Competition begins with club contests and winners continue competing through the area, division, district and all new region quarterfinal levels. Region quarterfinal winners advance to the International competition, where they will compete in the semifinals for a chance to take part in the World Championship of Public Speaking®.
Powell competed in the Table Topics contest. This contest challenges participants to answer a question with an impromptu speech of 1 to 2 minutes. All contestants answer the same question and don’t get the hear the previous contestants answers. Powell was excited to draw the first position in the contest so that she was able to hear the other contestants answers.
Brush won the International Speech Contest. In the International Speech Contest, contestants have to create and give an original 5 to 7 minute speech on any subject they choose. Unlike the Table Topics contest, contestants are able to watch all other speeches in the contest. Brush gave a speech about gratitude.
If Powell wins the Table Topics contest in March, there is one additional level in April with contestants from Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. The International Speech contest that Brush is competing in continues to the World Championship of Public Speaking in Denver this August.
Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, the organization's membership exceeds 357,000 in more than 16,600 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.