Tag: contests

Announcing Contest Season!

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

Mark your calendars because the Club Contest season is just around the corner, starting from October 15, 2023, and running through to December 10, 2023. This is your chance to showcase your communication and leadership skills on a club level. Our two contests this year are the International Speech Contest culminating at the World Championships of Public Speaking at the annual Toastmasters International Convention in August 2024; and the Evaluation Contest, culminating at our own District 53 stage.

Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

  • Club Contests 🏆 (October 15, 2023 – December 10, 2023): Clubs will kick off the contest season, providing members with a platform to shine and compete.
  • Area Contests 🌐 (December 11, 2023 – February 10, 2024): Winners from the club level will move on to compete at the area level, taking their speeches to a broader audience.
  • Division Contests 🌟 (February 11, 2024 – March 31, 2024): The competition will intensify as the best from the areas face off. It’s all about leveling up!
  • District Contests 🌍 (Date to be determined): The ultimate stage, where champions from each division will compete. Stay tuned for the date announcement, tentatively targeting the 3rd weekend in April!

You can follow the development of the contest season by bookmarking the Contest Schedule Page — and if you’d like to list your own club’s contest dates, please contact our webmaster!

We’ve adjusted the contest calendar to ensure that Division Contests are wrapped up before April 1st, avoiding any conflicts with dues renewals.

The Club Contest format is entirely up to each club’s discretion. You can choose to hold your contests online, in-person, or even opt for a hybrid format. Flexibility is key, so adapt to what works best for your club.

Please note that all Area, Division, and District Speech Contests will be held in-person.

Get ready to embark on this thrilling journey of self-improvement, competition, and growth. Stay tuned for more details and instructions on how to participate in these contests. 

Results of the District 53 Contests 2023

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District Program Quality Director Patti Walter is pleased to publish the results of the District 53 Contests for the 2022-2023 program year, held on May 6, 2023.

International

The International Speech Contest was held at 7:45 pm on 6 May 2023 at the Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place hotel during the District 53 Annual conference. Chad Babcock served as Contest Toastmaster and Mark Wing served as Chief Judge.

The placed winners were:

  • 1. Michael Whitehouse
  • 2. Donna Plen
  • 3. Craig Moore

Tall Tales Contest

The Tall Tales Contest was held at 10:45 am on 6 May 2023 at the Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place hotel during the District 53 Annual Conference. Rick May served as Contest Toastmaster and Mark Wing served as Chief Judge.

The placed winners were:

  • 1. Christine Austin
  • 2. Poonam Hassija
  • 3. Kevin Haven

Our thanks go out to all the contestants, timers, ballot counters, chief judges, voting judges, tie breaking judges, contest chairs, and contest Toastmasters, as well as to the audiences, at club, Area, Division and District levels, who made our hybrid program so successful this year.

Results of Area Contests 2023

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District 53 and the webmaster have received the following results from Area-level contests in the International Speech and Tall Tales Speech contests:

Area Level Results: International

Division ADivision BDivision CDivision DDivision E
Area 11
Greg Hirshorn		Area 21
Chad Betz		Area 31
Donna Plein		Area 41
Philip Pape		Area 51
Craig Moore
Area 12
Jeff Bradbury		Area 22
Heather Skaanning		Area 32
No Contestant		Area 42
Rose Day		Area 52
Nancy Baum Delain
Area 13
Oscar Romero		Area 23
Ann Canfield		Area 33
Chris Chessaro		Area 43
John Michaliszyn		Area 53
Linda Salzer
Area 14
No contestant		Area 24
Megan Scribner		Area 34
William Caro		Area 44
No contestant		Area 54
David Kolman
Area 15
Angel Mary		Area 25
Michael Whitehouse		Area 35
No Contestant		– N/AArea 55
Terry Goodemote

Area Level Results: Tall Tales

Division ADivision BDivision CDivision DDivision E
Area 11
Poona Hassija		Area 21
Tom Farrelly		Area 31
Zita Bodonyi		Area 41
Yvette Fredericks		Area 51
Roderick Rattlecat Kerrigan
Area 12
Cheryn Morgenstern		Area 22
No Contestant		Area 32
Saicharan Sirangi		Area 42
Chelsea Rule		Area 52
Linda Gingold Seaman
Area 13
Chris Connor		Area 23
Christine Austin		Area 33
Kevin Haven		Area 43
Michelle DeDominicis		Area 53
LeLe Luan
Area 14
Christina LaPerie		Area 24
Jack Cunningham		Area 34
Divanny Pena		Area 44
Denise F. Mock		Area 54
Jim Brooks
Area 15
No Contestant		Area 25
Larry Zaccaro		Area 36
Joseph Carfago		– N/A Area 55
No Contestant

Chief Judge appointed; Rules Clarification

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District 53 has appointed a Chief Judge for the 2022-2023 contest season.

Andrew B. Watt, DTM will serve in this role until and unless a member of his club disqualifies him from contest participation. Questions may be directed to him.

With regard to Rule 3.B.3 and 3.B.4 in the Toastmasters Contest Rulebook 2022-2023, the District has decided that only one (1) contestant from each contest at club, Area, or Division will advance to the next level of competition, regardless of whether that contestant is the winner or the runner-up.

All contests at Area level and above must be held, even if there is only one (1) contestant competing, in order to ensure that minimum and maximum time rules are respected.

District 53 announces Contests for 2022-23

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District Director John J. Hogan and Program Quality Director Patti Walter have announced the following contest program for the 2022-2023 year:

  • The International Contest, leading to the World Championship of Public Speaking
  • The Tall Tales Contest, ending at the District 53 Conference in May

The contests for each level of competition must occur by the following dates:

  • Club Contests must take place by January 15, 2023
  • Area Contests will take place between January 16, 2023 and March 15, 2023
  • Division Contests will take place between March 16, 2023 and April 16, 2023
  • The District Contests will occur as part of the District Conference in May 2023

All contests at all levels must conform to the Toastmasters Contest Rulebook for the 2022-2023 program year. Questions should be directed to Patti Walter as the Program Quality Director.

Winners of the District International Speech Contest

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District 53 held its International Speech contest on the morning of May 7, 2022 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. 

Contest Winner Amrita Bannerjee with the District Executive Leadership Team — Club Growth Director Patti Walter, Program Quality Director John J. Hogan, and District Director Akihiro Ishii
Contest Winner Amrita Banerjee with the District Executive Leadership Team —
Club Growth Director Patti Walter, Program Quality Director John J. Hogan, and District Director Akihiro Ishii, photographed on Zoom.

In the District International Speech contest, one contestant from each of our five Divisions in the District have a speaking period of five to seven minutes to deliver a speech on a topic of their choosing. Each contestant has advanced from a specific club in District 53, and arrives at the stage after competing at the Area level against 3-4 other clubs, and the Division level competing against contestants from four other Areas. The winner of the District International Speech contest then advances to the Region Quarterfinals, and possibly to the International Semifinals and the World Championship of Public Speaking (WCPS).

District 53 2021-22 International Speech Contest Winners: Third Place Kevin M. Finn, Second Place Brian David Crawford, and First Place Winner Amrita Bannerjee
District 53 2021-22 International Speech Contest Winners: Third Place Kevin M. Finn, Second Place Brian David Crawford, and First Place Winner Amrita Bannerjee, photographed on Zoom

The winners of the contest were:

  • First Place: Amrita Banerjee
  • Second Place: Brian David Crawford
  • Third Place: Kevin M. Finn

In the interviews following the contest, both the winners and other contestants thanked the judges, audience members and others for the opportunities to grow and learn as speakers and presenters. They reminded the audience that new Toastmasters should take every opportunity that they can get to speak, and that, under the pressure of preparing to speak for an audience, practice brings improvement and gracefulness.

Many thanks to all the contestants, representing the five divisions of District 53:

  • Division A: Sandra Weiner, representing Greater Stamford Toastmasters, with a speech titled, “What Next?”
  • Division B: Donna Peterson, representing New Dawn Toastmasters, with a speech titled “Lead With Your Heart.”
  • Division C: Kevin M. Finn, representing Cedar Hill Toastmasters, with a speech titled, “M-O-M.”
  • Division D: Brian David Crawford, representing Speechweavers, with a speech titled, “42.”
  • Division E: Amrita Banerjee, representing Bethlehem Club, with a speech titled, “The Choice.”
District 53 2021-22 International Speech Contest, Division Contest Winners: Division A Sandra Weiner, Division B Donna Peterson, Division C Kevin M. Finn, Division D Brian David Crawford, Division E Amrita Bannerjee
District 53 2021-22 International Speech Contest, Division Contest Winners: Division A Sandra Weiner, Division B Donna Peterson, Division C Kevin M. Finn, Division D Brian David Crawford, Division E Amrita Bannerjee, photographed on Zoom.

Our Thanks also go out to our senior functionaries, the Program Quality Director John J. Hogan, and the Contest Chair, Contest Master and Chief Judge, who together assembled the team of more than fourteen functionaries, judges, and back-up leaders who managed the contest behind the scenes.

Contest functionary team John J. Hogan, Jennifer Cimilluca, Dave Pelland, and Elizabeth Keeling
Contest functionary team John J. Hogan, Jennifer Cimilluca, Dave Pelland, and Elizabeth Keeling, photographed on Zoom.
  • Program Quality Director John J. Hogan
  • Contest Chair Jennifer Cimilluca
  • Contest Master Dave Pelland
  • Chief Judge Elizabeth Keeling

and thanks again to all our contest functionaries, judges, and audience members.