Spring Conference 2010...

The Early Bird Deadline is May 1st... so get your registration sent in (or register online at http://www.district53toastmasters.org/).

Check out the video by the conference team...




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmc9tFp7Qi8

More "Why Toastmasters?" videos...

We had a great turnout at the Toastmasters Leadership Exchange last Saturday (12/12) in Manchester, CT and a number of people took advantage of our video setup and created videos for the D53 YouTube Challenge .

Check out the District 53 YouTube Channel and all the "Why TM?" videos (we are up to at least 20)...

http://www.youtube.com/user/D53Toastmasters#

Why Toastmasters? Sample Videos

Below are some sample YouTube videos provided by Sherri Rafftery, District 31 Governor 2009-10; Kristen Nicolson, Past Intl. Director for Toastmasters; and Heath Suddleson, Toastmasters Intl.Director from Region 7 2009-11.







If you want to add your own YouTube video for the "Why Toastmasters?" video challenge, be sure to tag the video with D53 (since District 53 is organizing this challenge) and "Why TM" so that your video can be found via a YouTube search.

If you would like your video listed as a favorite on the D53 YouTube Channel, send an email with a link to your video to Dave Wheeler. His email address is theshot92 [at] gmail.com. The email address is listed this way (without the @ symbol) to prevent automatic programs who capture addresses and send spam.

Of course, your video should be "Toastmasters-friendly". If you don't know what that means, ask another Toastmaster or a club officer.

Special Thanks to Sherri, Kristen and Heath for stepping forward and providing these excellent examples !

YTM YouTube Challenge... Why Toastmasters?

District 53's
"Why Toastmasters?" YouTube Challenge
Showcasing the Value of Toastmasters !

How to Enter:
Create a 1-2 minute YouTube.com video where you answer the question, "Why Toastmasters?". Your TableTopics-length speech should articulate what you feel is the value of Toastmasters to the viewer. Basically, it is your “elevator” speech for Toastmasters.

All entries will be in the form of videos loaded to YouTube.com. The videos must be tagged with “D53” and "Why TM" and include the contestant’s name, their club name & number. This information can also be added as text overlay or in the description of the video, but the "D53" and "Why TM" must be clear to judges and searchable in YouTube. (Otherwise, we won’t be able to find all the entries.)

Content of the video should be “Toastmasters-friendly” and in good taste such that it could be shown at a District 53 event. District Sr. Team will determine if a video is disqualified for content.

Speech Time:
1-2 minutes (2:30 maximum total video time)

Who can enter:
Any active Toastmasters member in good standing of a club in good standing within District 53 may submit a video for the D53 Challenge. Members of other districts are welcome to create videos... they just won't be part of the D53 Challenge. The member who enters the video must be in the video for at least 50% of the time. Non-members may assist and even appear in the video but there is not liability assumed by Toastmasters. Entrants assume all liability.

Current and immediate past district officers may enter except for the current District Governor, Lt.Gov.-Education & Training, Lt.Gov.- Marketing and the District 53 Chief Judge. Finalists may not be finalist judges.

Judging:
Public opinion will decide the 10 finalists via YouTube.com’s ability for viewers to rank the videos. An important part of this effort will be how entrants promote their videos (to get “votes”). Finalists will be announced 1 week before the District 53 final event where the finalists will be recognized. Current plans are for the challenge to culminate at the D53 Spring 2010 conference.

Judges will be chosen by the Chief Judge & Sr. Team from all District 53 Divisions. The judges will view the finalist videos online during the week prior to the final event and deliver their ballots to the District 53 Judging Team at least 2 days prior to the final event.

Prizes & Recognition:
Finalist Videos will be shown at the Spring Conference and awards presented for:
1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Overall
Most Humorous
Most Creative

What if I don’t own a video camera or computer?
A videographer will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis at Division contests within District 53. These sessions give an opportunity to members who are not able to enter themselves due to a lack of video equipment or computer access. The number of video slots at the Division contests will be limited so contact your Division Governor to sign up. Keep in mind that these videos may not have as long to accumulate votes online.
Questions?
Contact Dave Wheeler, D53 Lt.Gov.-Education & Training, via email address theshot92 [at] gmail.com. Be sure to include "Why TM?" in the Subject line.

Passing of a great speaker...Jim Rohn

On Dec.5th, 2009 personal development legend Jim Rohn passed away.

If you have not heard of him, check out the YouTube videos below...



Here are the links in case the embedded videos don't work on your computer...
Best Year Ever...Video 1 of 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfA-qNWLBHo

Best Year Ever...Video 2 of 3 (Measurable Progress in Reasonable Time)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2AyudSJl_s&NR=1

Best Year Ever...Video 3 of 3 (The Day that turns your life around)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWOJt1kCYP0&feature=related

International Speech Contest Season starts soon!

Toastmasters International Speech Contest typically focuses on speeches that are especially inspirational or motivational... so to kick off the "Intl. Speech Contest Season", I've found a short (2 min.) video with clips from a bunch of movies that distills them down to the "best of the best" ...



Happy Speech Contest Season !
Dave Wheeler
D53 LGM, 2008-9

Speech of a Lifetime - Dr. Randy Pausch of CMU

Have you ever considered what speech you would give if you only had a limited amount of time left to live?

Carnegie Mellon University had a series that they called "Last Lectures" and recently Professor Randy Pausch gave a speech where he really did have a limited time to live. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was given only a few months to live... and his lecture (all 76 minutes) is an incredible glimpse into his life, his dreams and his philosophy for living.

The YouTube.com video below is the full 76 minute speech and, while he talks about many things, the greatest part of the speech is his humor. It would be very easy to get "deep" and melodramatic with this type of speech, but Randy does a great job of "introducing the elephant in the room" and then giving an excellent speech anyways!

It is well worth the time to watch! (I have also included the 10 minute version that was on Oprah... but it has much less impact.)





Click here if you have a problem with the above linked image.

10 minute version of the speech on Oprah:





The video below is a great speech by Coach Jimmy Valvano at the ESPY's awards. It is in the same theme ... Jimmy V had cancer at the time.

Editor's note: Dave Wheeler ran in the triathlon that benefitted the Jimmy V Foundation in North Carolina a number of times and that was where he first heard of the his motto... "Never give up. Never, ever give up." (which is a great motto for life... but even more so if you are running a triathlon in the July heat).

If you are wondering how Randy is doing now... click here for his medical update blog.

What if your club had a "Last Lecture" meeting where the speakers gave "the last speech of their life"? Or TableTopics questions focused on what lessons you have learned in your life?

Don't you think that it would be a great event and you would learn alot about life from your fellow Toastmasters?

Please leave a comment here or, if there is a problem leaving a comment, send your comments to theshot92 [at] gmail.com and we will post them for you.

What makes a good speech?

Dan Pink, author of A Whole New Mind says the 3 keys to a good speech are ..."Brevity, Levity and Repetition."

Here is a video of Dan that also includes the quote above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhKLSTBSgwI

What do you think is the key to a great speech?

Leave us a comment and share your ideas !

Tips for Tall Tales Contestants (or anyone writing a speech)...

The YouTube videos by Ira Glass (see links below) were featured on Presentation Zen (another blog) today and they have some great ideas for anyone building a speech ... especially those of you who are entering the Tall Tales contest.

Check them out...

Video # 1 (Click here)

Video # 2 (Click here)

Video # 3 (Click here)

Video #4 (Click here)

Let us know what you think ... leave a comment below !

Martin Luther King Day, Jan.15, 2007

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, here is a link to his famous, "I have a dream" speech, as posted on YouTube.com!

(A blend of new technology with a classic speech.)

Have you ever taken the time to listen to the whole speech? I probably had heard it before, but I took the time to listen to it all the way through today (in honor of the holiday). The speech runs about 17 minutes and it has lots of interesting points that a Toastmaster might pick up....

Did you know that in the beginning of the speech he used notes? (Or at least he looked down and appears to use them.) Notice how little he uses them toward the end of the speech!

Check out his use of Pauses ... especially as the speech builds up to its climax.

He also uses some great verbal "word pictures" and his vocal variety builds through the speech until it is greatest at the end !

40+ years later ... we are still learning from MLK !

Happy Martin Luther King Day !

Dave Wheeler