2. Club Contests The Special Events Helen Carothers and Emily Ahern January 2013 Toastmasters Leadership Institute

3. Agenda Why Should We Have Club Contests? Why Should We Have Club Contests? The Chair The Chair The Toastmaster The Toastmaster The Chief Judge The Chief Judge The Contestants The Contestants Q & A Q & A

4. Practice competitive speaking Practice competitive speaking Speak before larger audiences Speak before larger audiences Publicity for your club and Toastmasters Publicity for your club and Toastmasters Learning experience Learning experience Refinement Refinement Opportunities Opportunities Why should we have club contests?

5. The Chair

6. Choosing A Contest Chair Biggest responsibility Biggest responsibility Professional, organized Professional, organized Understands contest rules Understands contest rules Experience with Toastmasters contests is an asset but not a requirement Experience with Toastmasters contests is an asset but not a requirement

7. Checklist

8. Before the Contest Read the Speech Contest Rules Read the Speech Contest Rules Marketing – Notify and invite Marketing – Notify and invite Download all contest materials Download all contest materials Draft contest agenda Draft contest agenda Timing, sequence, roles, duties Timing, sequence, roles, duties Recruit team Recruit team

9. Week Before Contest Confirm all participants Confirm all participants Verify contestant eligibility Verify contestant eligibility Send Contestants Packet to participants Send Contestants Packet to participants Verify venue including timing equipment Verify venue including timing equipment Finalize the agenda Finalize the agenda Prepare contest forms, awards, and gifts (include extras) Prepare contest forms, awards, and gifts (include extras) Final marketing campaign Final marketing campaign

10. During the Contest Do not assign yourself an official role. Do not assign yourself an official role. Assure that all participants are present, prepared, and briefed. Assure that all participants are present, prepared, and briefed. Make sure that recognition and awards are presented in a ceremony that will make recipients proud Make sure that recognition and awards are presented in a ceremony that will make recipients proud

11. After the Contest Make sure you have the name and contact information for the winner and runner-up. Make sure you have the name and contact information for the winner and runner-up. Ensure that the Chief Judge notifies the Area Governor of results. Ensure that the Chief Judge notifies the Area Governor of results. Plan workshop(s) to assist winners prepare for next level. Plan workshop(s) to assist winners prepare for next level. Act on feedback. Act on feedback. Provide feedback and recognition to the team. Provide feedback and recognition to the team.

12. The Toastmaster

13. The Contest Toastmaster 1. Choosing a Toastmaster 1. Choosing a Toastmaster 2. Tips For Your Contest Toastmaster 3. The Contestant/Target Speaker Interviews

14. Choosing A Contest Toastmaster Personable, yet professional Personable, yet professional Neutral Neutral Consistent, Consistent, Consistent Consistent, Consistent, Consistent Time/tenure with Toastmasters is not as important as the other factors Time/tenure with Toastmasters is not as important as the other factors

15. Tips For Your Contest Toastmaster USE NOTECARDS!! USE NOTECARDS!! Write phonetic spellings on notecards. Write phonetic spellings on notecards. Double check speech titles and write them on notecards. Double check speech titles and write them on notecards. Respect the minutes of silence. Respect the minutes of silence.

16. Tips For Your Contest Toastmaster (continued) Have a few intro and closing remarks prepared. Have a few intro and closing remarks prepared. Punctuality is a priority! Punctuality is a priority! Smile and HAVE FUN!! Smile and HAVE FUN!! Dont worry about making mistakes. Dont worry about making mistakes.

17. The Contestant/Target Speaker Interviews Look at contestants bio forms ahead of time. Look at contestants bio forms ahead of time. If something is written in all capital letters on bio form, they want you to talk about it. If something is written in all capital letters on bio form, they want you to talk about it. Channel Jay Leno, not Larry King. Channel Jay Leno, not Larry King. Avoid all religious or political questions, even if the contestant talked about them or write them on the bio form. Avoid all religious or political questions, even if the contestant talked about them or write them on the bio form.

18. The Contestant/Target Speaker Interviews Try to equally balance the number of questions (this can be tricky). Try to equally balance the number of questions (this can be tricky). Provide contestants with their certificates of participation after each interview. Provide contestants with their certificates of participation after each interview. If a contestant is double entered, do not interview them after the first contest. If a contestant is double entered, do not interview them after the first contest.

19. The Chief Judge

20. The Role of the Chief Judge Oversees the SAAs, the ballot counters, the judges, and the timers. The chief judge is in charge of briefing all of these roles before the contests. Oversees the SAAs, the ballot counters, the judges, and the timers. The chief judge is in charge of briefing all of these roles before the contests. Assists the Toastmaster with running the contest in a timely manner. Assists the Toastmaster with running the contest in a timely manner. Oversees and monitors the ballot counting process for accuracy. Oversees and monitors the ballot counting process for accuracy. Destroys the ballots off-site at the conclusion of the contest. Destroys the ballots off-site at the conclusion of the contest. Provides the contest results to the contest chair. Provides the contest results to the contest chair.

21. Choosing A Chief Judge If possible at the club level, choose someone that does not have any deep personal ties to any of the contestants. If possible at the club level, choose someone that does not have any deep personal ties to any of the contestants. You want someone who is completely neutral and will keep judges results completely confidential both during and after the contest. You want someone who is completely neutral and will keep judges results completely confidential both during and after the contest. I would pick someone who is very organized. I would pick someone who is very organized. Someone with more experience/tenure with Toastmasters might be preferred for this role. Someone with more experience/tenure with Toastmasters might be preferred for this role.

22. The Contestants

23. Tips for Contestants HAVE FUN!!! HAVE FUN!!! Fill out your bio form thoroughly – Help the TM out! Fill out your bio form thoroughly – Help the TM out! If you are in the International Speech contest and have props, make sure a SAA knows where to properly place them before the beginning of your speech. If you are in the International Speech contest and have props, make sure a SAA knows where to properly place them before the beginning of your speech. If you are competing at any level, you cannot be a judge for another contest. If you are competing at any level, you cannot be a judge for another contest. Ensure your dues payments are up to date with TI. Ensure your dues payments are up to date with TI.

24. Questions??

25. Tools/Resources Toastmasters International Toastmasters International Toastmasters.org>Member Experience Toastmasters.org>Member Experience Speech Contests Speech Contests Speech Contest Materials Speech Contest Materials Toasmasters.org>OfficerResources>Toastmasters Learning Connection>Speech Contest Module Toasmasters.org>OfficerResources>Toastmasters Learning Connection>Speech Contest Module D2 website D2 websited2tm.org>Resources>Downloads>Contests Toastmasters WIKi Toastmasters WIKi Toastmasters.wikia.com and search on club contests

26. Tools/Resources Google Google Search Toastmasters club contest how to Contacts Contacts Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - joyce.a.nugent@q.com Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - joyce.a.nugent@q.com Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Helen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.com Helen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.com

27. Additional Tools/Resources Google Google Search Toastmasters club contest how to Contacts Contacts Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Helen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.com Helen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.com

28. Plan and prepare Select the best team you can Have fun !!

29. Let The Contests Begin!!