Speech Contests: A Variety of Opportunities

Every year, our Toastmasters District hosts speech contests that progress through several levels of competition. Last year, I competed in humorous and even won at the District (roughly state) level. Being on camera for that competition could cause a fluttering of nerves, but it was also a lot of fun!

This year, I am assisting and watching the contests, and have had great opportunities to learn and to enjoy the speeches I am hearing.

It's nice to watch a well-run contest. It's also nice to help make a contest a success! So far, I have served as Toastmaster, "sergeant-at-arms," and tech support at contests. I have had the opportunity to work with a team in a supporting role to help the contest succeed. I am not the star of the show, and as tech support I may not even be seen, but I am still a part of running a good contest!

Tonight was also an opportunity for me to be really behind the scenes. I was watching the YouTube stream that I had helped set up, but which I had trained another member to run. There was something very freeing and rewarding about watching the stream that I had instructed someone else on managing! My opportunity tonight was not to be on camera or in charge, but to see that I had successfully taught someone else!

Toastmasters offers a variety of opportunities, and I enjoy taking advantage of those opportunities and helping others to do the same.

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