1. Award(s) from Toastmasters International to date:
Competent Communicator (CC)
2. Most challenging speech or project:
The last one “All about Chocolate” – I knew I was so close but I was struggling with finding a speech topic. It took me a while to realize that a speech is simply telling a group of people about something you are interested in. Finally, I came up with a fun speech about chocolate using the resources I got from a special chocolate exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
3. Most memorable speech or project:
The speech “Best Lecture” for the “Speak to Inspire” project
It’s about the last lecture given by Randy Pausch, a computer sciences professor at the Carnegie Mellon University who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given 6 months to live (he passed always last July). It was the most inspiring speech I ever heard. I really wanted to share it and felt that I can connect it to our Toastmasters experience. It was a speech about overcoming obstacles. We all have obstacles to overcome obstacles, no matter it’s the fear of public speaking, or ems and ahs in our speeches, or other obstacles that keep you becoming a better speaker.
4. Where do you feel you have most improved leading up to your award(s):
Confidence – I still get nervous from time to time, but now I know how to calm myself down and quickly get back to the track before the audience notice it.
5. What advice do you have for members of rdu-toastmasters working towards similar recognition
At first, we are all eager to learn and grow. After the second or third speech, finding something to talk about could be challenging and tend to hold us back. Again, it took me a while to realize that a speech is simply telling a group of people about something you are interested in, and what to tell and how to tell are the elements of developing a speech. Virtually any topic can be interesting, narrow the focus to a particular aspect, and convey the message in a memorable way – then you’ve done another great speech and are closer towards CC.
