2017 Fall Conference – Calling for Presenters
Call for Education Session Presenters 2017 Fall Conference Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Lake Tahoe November 10/11, 2017 At our District Conferences, the goal is to offer members education sessions that inform, entertain and broaden their Toastmasters’ experiences. Education sessions are a primary reason for conducting conferences, typically offering from 3 to 9 or more sessions. You are invited to apply to be a presenter of a 55-minute education session at the upcoming Conference. Please review the criteria below and submit an application if interested. We appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and skills with your fellow Toastmasters! Some Suggested Topics: Leadership – How to be an effective leader, developing teams, leadership principles Effective Evaluations – Organizing your thoughts, delivering observations effectively Effective Meetings – Preparing an agenda, Robert’s Rules of Order, coordination Power Point or Prezi Presentations – How to and how not to use these applications Goal Setting and Planning – Techniques, getting buy-in, adjusting plans Effective Speaking − Types of speeches, words and phrases to avoid, appropriate language Storytelling – What makes a great story, types of stories, why and how to use them Delivery Techniques – Add pizzazz with voice, appearance, gestures, stage presence How to Sell Yourself – Using Table Topics in the job interview process, networking benefits Leadership – Being the boss you always wanted, getting others to follow with minimal effort The Professional Toastmaster – Emcee at company parties, family reunions, community benefits, wedding receptions Typical candidates for whom we are looking: Toastmaster members in good standing who have completed Competent Communicator or Competent Toastmaster award. Members who have previously presented at the District level, have equivalent professional experience, or have coordinated and conducted registered Success/Leadership, Success/Communication, or Youth Leadership programs. If you do not meet these requirements, you may request an appointment to audition your program for the District 39 Fall Conference Education Committee. Persons not eligible to present: Members competing in Area, Division or District Fall speech or evaluation contests Declared candidates for District Office Expectations and Information: Presentation should be appropriate for a large audience (50 members) and relevant to new and experienced Toastmasters Team or panel presentations will be considered First preference will be given to those presentations that have an interactive element and encourage audience participation, not solely lecture style Sessions are usually 55 minutes in length, including 10 minutes of Q & A Presenters at the conferences will present at their own expense. There is no reimbursement for conference registration, meals, travel expenses or printing of handouts. Indicate any requirements for electronic support equipment in the course description Call for Presenters Application – Click Here
Submit Your Club Proxies
Submit Your Club Proxies Club Presidents and Club Secretary -Sign on to TI website, Toastmasters International, click on Leadership Central, click on Club Central, Click on club number, and click the top link to assign your club proxies to a district member attending the annual business meeting at the Toastmasters International Convention in August. It is important to remember that there is a business side to the Toastmasters International Convention. The convention provides an opportunity for representatives from clubs around the world to make decisions that guide the organization into the future. To ensure a quorum is met with sufficient representation, Toastmasters International uses a proxy system at the Annual Business Meeting to conduct the business of the organization. If a club representative cannot attend the convention, they can name its District Director or another Toastmaster member that is attending the convention to serve as its proxy.
Meet your District 39 Champion!
Only having been a Toastmaster ten days shy of 11 months, Keerthi Karnati represented The Original Articulators and won District 39’s International Speech Contest May 20, 2017. Keerthi shares her thoughts on her background, Toastmasters, mentorship and competing. D39: Where did you grow up and go to school? I grew up in India and did my Bachelors there. I went to Arizona State University for my Masters, worked in Arizona for some time and moved to the Bay Area. I got lost in the crowd and busy life of the Silicon Valley. That’s when I decided to rebuild myself and my personality in a calmer location. I moved to El Dorado Hills in May 2015. What do you do for a living? How has Toastmasters helped you at work? I work as an analyst for a Healthcare company. I am more confident in my meetings and presentations. I am also calmer because I can better articulate my emotions without having to show them physically. What is your dream job? I would love to do something where I am coaching and inspiring young girls who are struggling with confidence issues, who have been bullied or abused. I want to be able to tell them that they have hope. I could not save a friend from suicide years ago, a guilt I carry everywhere I go. So, I want to make sure I stop someone else in my radar this time. How did you find out about Toastmasters? I was googling “Ghostmasters” for a weekend activity and came across Toastmasters. I knew at that very instant, it was something I had to do. Who are your mentors in Toastmasters? I have had the incredible opportunity to be mentored by a lot of people, but Noralee Cole and Skip Smith have been the key. Noralee was more than happy to be my mentor when I walked up to her after the first meeting I attended. Skip has been a great evaluator of all my speeches and his feedback works the best for me. Who convinced you to compete at the club level? After my third speech, [Area Director] DawnMarie Times, introduced this idea of the International contest. I googled the information and brushed it away thinking I’d never be able to reach that level. But as I progressed in speeches, I gained some confidence. I decided to give it a try. I have never done anything solo on stage and felt this was a good opportunity to see where I stood. I was bent on conquering my fear at any cost this time. How did you practice for the competition? Do you tape record or video your speeches? I made a rule for myself that I would practice the speech once every day no matter how busy I am. I did record myself on my phone but never videoed it. I worked with Noralee Cole and Skip Smith over the weekends, I visited clubs for feedback. I wrote all the feedback down and evaluated the ones that resonated with me. Incorporated them and practiced again. My biggest challenge was timing. I was close to 7:30 min most practices. Fortunately, I was 6:56 min on the district stage. I honestly, do not know how the time works for me. I worked my enunciation because I am not a native English speaker. What was the scariest part of competing? That if I didn’t succeed, I’d never be able to convince myself to fight my fear again. It was not just a competition for me, it was a battle, a battle against my inner demons. How did it feel to be the only woman on a stage with all men? I was intimidated by the level of sophistication each of my very talented fellow contestants carried. And there was definitely that added pressure that if I don’t perform well, I would add to the stereotype that a woman cannot compete against men which is not true. Women are just as equally talented as men. You are the only contestant in recent memory who wore something so culturally specific. What was your intent in wearing it at the contests? What I wore is called a “Salwar”. I felt it would be authentic to present my story with as many details as I could visually. I was wearing mostly salwars back in India. It helps me portray the person I was in my speech, during my bullying, teenage years. It does not necessarily shape my speech but definitely reinforces my personality in my speech. How did it feel while you were competing? I was close to fainting. Stage fright has been my worst enemy for years. Even to this day, I struggle with it. I have learnt to face it with all my strength. Right before the competition, all the failures I have faced, all the times I embarrassed myself in front of the audience flashed in my head. Michael [Stephens], one of the other contestants, came to me and said “You are presenting your truth and you should not be afraid of it”. That’s when I felt a little relaxed. I felt like I am telling everyone my story because I know there are people in the audience with the exact same experience and they needed to know that they were not alone. What were you thinking when Toastmaster Ed Johnson was announced the winners? I was sure I didn’t win. My friends were jumping with joy and I didn’t quite understand why. I was just trying to console myself saying I did my best and that was winning in itself. When my name was announced, I was speechless and had a mini-heart attack. I did not expect that. But when I saw the audience give me a standing ovation, I felt extremely blessed. It was those claps and smiles that touched my heart much before I touched the trophy. I have never in my entire life expected such a response. What did you and your
Myra Golson has passed away!
This morning our beloved friend and District 39’s “Georgia Peach”, Distinguished Toastmaster, Myra Golson, passed into heaven. Among the most notable of all things Myra were her amazing smile, her incredible love of travel and her wiliness to share knowledge and experience with everyone. So many of us were welcomed into her home for her annual District 39 Christmas parties, leadership breakfast a…nd district conference committee meetings with a bowl of soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, ice tea and her great, big, wonderful smile. Myra has been a Toastmasters member since 1996. While she has been a member of many clubs throughout the years, her true love and current membership was with Traveling Trainers Toastmasters. Myra served as club officer many times over, on countless District 39 committees, and the following District 39 officer positions: 2003-2004 Division G, Area 72 Governor 2004-2005 Division H, Area 81 Governor 2009-2010 Division H, Area 83 Governor 2012-2013 Division H Governor 2013-2015 District 39Treasurer Myra, thank you for your many kindnesses, and for your love of the members of District 39 Toastmasters. Your smile will forever remain in our hearts. Memorial information will be provided as soon as possible. S Sondra Nunez, DTM District 39 Director Toastmasters International Sondra.nunez@district39.org
Submit Your 2017-2018 Club Officer List Now
Dear Club Officers, Your club still needs to update the club officer list by the deadline. The deadline is June 30, 2017. Now is the time to update your officer list for the 2017-2018 term. Clubs who wait for the deadline always have website problems. How do I submit my club officer list? Log into Club Central at Toastmasters.org, click the link to update club officer information and update the officers for the January – June 2017 term. Why is it important? Good leadership starts with good management. The Distinguished Club Program’s easiest goal is updating club officers. Keep your clubs on track by leading by example. Links: June Club Officer List Report: How To Update Club Officer List online Thanks, Zack Souza, DTM District Director Elect – 2017-2018 District 39 Toastmasters Zack.Souza@district39.org Mobile: 916-837-0012 “Every Member Deserves to Belong to a Distinguished Club” Sondra Nunez, District Director 2016-17, District 39 Toastmasters
Message from District Director Elect Zack Souza DTM
Dear Division Councils, Keep up the great work, and thank you for your service! We are continuing to make progress as we close out the 2016-17 Toastmasters. We just few days left, how can we as Division Teams support Areas close to being distinguished? Because of club loss, not all divisions and areas are eligible. However, many of our areas still can make distinguished. Consider how a team’s effort can encourage clubs to get that last member or get that last DCP point. Review the list below, and how we can all help this area director in my division be successful? It’s now time to consider how can we all celebrate the success of others? Thanks, Zack Souza, DTM District Director Elect 2017 – 2018 District 39 Toastmasters Zack.Souza@district39.org
Pathway Guides Needed
Dear Members, You are invited to apply online for a Pathways Guide position in our district! This is a great opportunity for you to be a part of Toastmasters International history. As a Pathways Guide, you also earn credit toward your Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award. You will partner with an Ambassador to visit up to 10 clubs in our district and deliver a presentation about the Pathways learning experience. You will also conduct regularly scheduled virtual support sessions with the vice presidents education of your assigned clubs and answer their questions. To ensure you are prepared, you will be given all resources and guidelines you need to succeed in your role. Your six-month term will begin in the Fall of 2017 and will conclude 6 months later (exact dates TBD). For your service, you will be awarded with credit toward your DTM award and may be substituted for one year of service as a district leader. Please review the Pathways Guide Role Description located on the Toastmasters International website for further details. If you are interested in serving in this exciting position, please complete the online application. Please submit your completed online application to me no Sunday, June 11, 2017. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for your time and participation. Sincerely, Zack Souza, DTM Program Quality Director 2016-17 Toastmasters District 39 Online Application Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G5WZN8M Pathway Guide Role Description: http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/75BADD1508074CA09442A82ED522B134.ashx
Beat the Clock!!!
Program Dates: May 1 – June 30 Toastmasters are taught to run meetings on time, finish speeches on time and reach membership goals on time. In that spirit, “Beat the Clock” is a great motivator for finishing the year on schedule—on time and with record numbers! Make it your club’s goal to earn the “Beat the Clock” award and encourage every member to take part. Clubs adding five new, dual or reinstated members with a join date between May 1 and June 30 receive a “Beat the Clock” ribbon to display on the club’s banner. Qualifying clubs also earn a special discount code for 10-percent off their next club order. (The discount code expires six months from the date of issue and is not valid with any other offer.) Applications and payments for members with a join date between May 1 and June 30 must be received at World Headquarters or online no later than June 30. The addition of transfer and charter members does not count toward “Beat the Clock” credit. The winning clubs will be revealed online within a few weeks of the submission deadline. Winning clubs should allow up to 10 business days to receive their award if they are located in the United States, and up to 21 business days if they are outside of the United States. Sondra Nunez, DTM 2016-2017 District 39 Director District 39 Toastmasters International Sondra.Nunez@District39.org 916-599-5975 Every member deserves to belong to a distinguished club!
Special message from International President Mike Storkey
Dear Toastmasters. Are you looking for more ways to get involved in your club or district? Watch this special video message from International President Mike Storkey, and learn about the many leadership opportunities Toastmasters has to offer. Mike Storkey DTM Message – Clear Here!