Speech Contest Training

1. Speech Contest Training District 3 Toastmasters Connie Weiss Jennifer Sarracino Fall 2013

2. Agenda • Contest Chair Training • Contest Management Training • Chief Judge Training • Judges Training

3. Types of Contests • Spring 2014 • International • Tall Tales

4. Contest Overview Participants: • Contest Chair • Contest Manager • Chief Judge • Contestants • Judges • Tiebreaking Judge • Timers • Counters Purpose: Speech contests are an important part of the Toastmasters educational program. They provide an opportunity for Toastmasters to gain speaking experience, as well as an opportunity for other Toastmasters to learn by observing proficient speakers.

5. Speech Contest: Contest Chair District 3 Toastmasters Jennifer Sarracino

6. Contest Chair by level

7. Build Your Team • Contest Chair • Contest Manager • Chief Judge • Facilities Committee • Hospitality Committee • Advertising Committee

8. Role Fulfillment • Contest Manager • Recruits Functionaries • Provides equipment • Organizes Sub Committees • Promotes contest • Provides certificates • Chief Judge • Recruits Judges & Timers • Briefs Judges • Oversee ballot counting • Provide winner slate to Contest Chair & remind Ags/DvGs to submit results to District

9. Contest Chair • Budget • Location & Logistics • Promotion • Timed Agenda • Contestant Eligibility

10. Facilities • Multiple contests held at a single facility over several hours on the same day What can be shared • Facility costs • Refreshments • Some functionaries • Hospitality • Sgt at Arms • Ballot Counters • Timers What can NOT be shared • Contest Chair • Contest Manager • Chief Judge • Judges panel must be substantially different for each contest held

11. Before Contest: Facility • Confirm date and location • Agenda • Set times for the contestant and judges briefings • Recommendation: Briefing minimum 30 minutes before contest start

12. Contestant Eligibility • For any contest: • Be a member in good standing of the club/area/division/district in which they are competing • The club must be in good standing • For the International Speech Contest • Member must have completed 6 projects in the Competent Communicator manual

13. Timed Agenda • Setup • Briefings • Pledge & Invocation • Introduction of Dignitaries • Audience Briefing / Housekeeping • Running the Contest • Contestant Interviews & Participation Certificates • Presentation of Awards • Cleanup

14. Contestants Briefing • Collect Forms From Contestants • Profile • Eligibility • Draw for Speaking Order • Determine any Special Requirements • Props for Speech must be setup by Contestant or someone Contestant enlists, not the responsibility of the Contest Chair or any other contest official • Define Speaking Area

15. Contestants Briefing, Cont. • “Substantially original” Rules Requirement • Contestant Introduction Protocol • Contest Timing Requirements • Timing of Green/Yellow/Red Lights • When timing starts and stops • Minimum and maximum time allowances • Review Protest Procedures

16. Audience Briefing • Contest Chair: “Chief Judge, are we ready for a contest?” • Chief Judge: “Contest Chair, we are ready.”

17. And the Winner Is……. • Area Contest • Second Place • First Place • If only two contestants in the contest, announce the first place winner first. • Division Contest • Third Place • Second Place • First Place Note: Do not use 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place certificates from contest kit

18. Speech Contest: Contest Management District 3 Toastmasters Jennifer Sarracino

19. Contest Manager • Logistics • Functionaries • Refreshments • Budget Expenditures • Contestant Eligibility& Bio Sheets

20. Functionaries • Timers • Ballot Counters • Sgt. At Arms • Pledge/Invocation • Refreshments Committee • Optional: • Registrar/Sign-In Person • Photographer • Certificates & Awards Committee • Participant certificates • Appreciation certificates for major roles • Facilities Committee • Setup of room, tables, food • Clean up, leave things better than you started

21. Functionaries, (Cont.) • Timers • Two required for each contest • Ballot counters • Three required for each contest • Registration Table • Minimum one person • Sergeants at Arms • Number will depend on facility and type of contest

22. Checklist Tracker

23. Promotion • Be Creative • Start Early • Distribute fliers to neighboring clubs and community centers • Post online in local event calendars

24. Things to Prepare • Certificates • Contest Program • Do not put club name with contestant names or education level • Dignitaries List • Sign-In Sheets – optional • Forms • Blank Forms, Index Cards, Envelopes

25. Things to Pack • Stopwatches (2) • Timing Lights • Backup Timing Cards • Gavel • Backup Forms

26. The Day of… • Check in with all sub-committee leaders • Confirm all major functionaries • Arrive early • Trust your team (the art of delegation) • Keep smiling

27. Contest Manager’s Toolkit • Contest Checklist • Contest Planner • Timed Agenda • Donation Letter • 2014 Speech Contest Rulebook • Sample Flyers & Programs • Participation & Award Certificate Templates

28. Contest Resources D3 Website • Dignitary Sign-in List • Timed Agenda • Sign-In Sheet for contests • Contest Kits • Certificate of Appreciation • District 3 Chief Judge Report • Sample of Area and Division Programs • Contest Checklist (Contest Chair & Chief Judge) • Contest results submission form (AGs & DvGs): http://www.aztoastmasters.org/events/results.html

29. Speech Contest: Chief Judge District 3 Toastmasters Connie Weiss

30. Recruiting Voting, Chief, and Tiebreaking Judges • Contest Chair may assist in recruiting • Judges • Minimum 5 at Club and Area • Minimum 7 at Division and District • At Division & District contests nochief judge, voting judges, or tiebreaking judge shall be a member of any club in which a contestant is a member • If a member is still competing or intends to compete at the club level, they are ineligible to be a chief judge, voting judges, or tiebreaking judge in the same contest type

31. Recruiting Voting, Chief, and Tiebreaking Judges At Area/Div/District contests, voting judges must be Toastmasters in good standing for a minimum of six months and have completed at least six Competent Communicator projects. Tiebreaking judge (does not briefed attend the judges’ briefing) name is only known by the chief judge

32. Recruitment of Contest Functionaries • Timers (Chief Judge) • Two required for each contest • Ballot counters (Contest Manager) • Three required for each contest • Sergeants at Arms (Contest Manager) • Number will depend on facility and type of contest

33. Contest Forms • Speaker’s Certification of Eligibility and Originality • 1 per contestant - retained by Chief Judge • Speech Contestant Biographical Information • 1 per contestant - retained by Contest Chair • Counter’s Tally Sheet (x2) • Speech Contest Time Record Sheet (x2) • Voting Judge’s guide and ballot (1 per judge) • Judge’s Certification of Eligibility & Code of Ethics • Tiebreaking judge’s guide and ballot • Notification of Contest Winner • District 3 Chief Judge’s Report • Send to judges@aztoastmasters.org

34. Judges’ Briefing • Determine the briefing room • Review and collect the signed Judge’s Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics forms • Verify the eligibility of each contestant (Contest Chair) • Verify the eligibility of each Voting Judge (Chief Judge) • Provide the speaking order of contestants to voting judges (get list from Contest Chair)

35. Judges Briefing • Complete Chief Judge’s Report • Distribute forms to functionaries • Including ballot envelopes to voting judges • Advise voting judges – “Judge all contestants” • Read speaking order aloud • Voting Judges, timers, and counters record names • Verify spelling • Ask voting judges to print and sign name on ballot • Separate ballots from voting judging guides

36. Judges’ Briefing • Brief voting judges on the speaking area • Contestants are no longer required to stay within a designated area • Judging guidelines • Emphasize content and objectivity • Do not consider timing lights • Ballots discarded if • Incomplete, illegible, or unsigned • 1st, 2nd and 3rd place contestants are not listed • Speeches must be substantially original • Speakers can only quote, paraphrase, or reference 25% of their material • Protest Procedure (limited to eligibility and originality), only voting judges and contestants can protest. • Lodge protests with the chief judge and/or contest chair.

37. Timer’s Briefing • Review the timing sequence for the contests • When does timing begin? • First definite verbal or non-verbal communication • Or sound effects • Or actions • If the device fails, speaker gets additional 30 seconds (advise Chief Judge) • If a contestants is disqualified for time – Note the disqualification on the timing sheet.

38. Counter’s Briefing • Review procedure for collecting ballots • Review procedure for counting ballots • Transparency – everyone checks the process • Las Vegas Rule – What happens in the counting room stay in the room. Never under any circumstances discuss anything that is said or written (i.e. results) in the room with anyone

39. Confidentiality of Judging • Judging is not evaluating • Goal is to pick a WINNER! • No provide feedback to contestants • DO NOT discuss results with anyone • Dispose the top portion of the ballot away from the contest venue

40. Protests • Voting judges {and contestants} may protest on the basis of originality • All protests must be lodged before announcement of results • Write “PROTEST” on the ballot • If a protest is called, the Chief Judge will bring all judges to the briefing area to discuss the protest • The contestant will be called to respond to the protest • A majority vote will decide the outcome of the protest

41. Incorrect announcement • Chief Judge, ballot counter or timers may “immediately interrupt [the winner’s announcement] to correct the error” • “Point of order – please stop the announcement of winners until the results are reviewed”

42. During Contest • Spot check timers – time one or two contestants to ensure proper timing • Assist timers with equipment malfunctions • Personally collect tiebreaker judge’s ballot (Do Not collect the top portion of the ballot) • Monitor ballot collection process • Signal Contest Chair when all ballots have been collected (it’s okay to ask if all the ballots have been collect)

43. Determining Results • Guide the counters through the process of reading, recording and verifying ballots • Use the Counter’s Tally Sheet • Resolve any protests • Tiebreaking Judge’s ballot are ONLY used to break ties. • List all speakers’ names on the Notification of Winners form

44. Determining Results • Award Winner, and 2nd Place at Area level • Award Winner, 2nd Place, and 3rd Place at Division level • Record voting results • Quality Check – Double check math, names, and order of placement • Clearly marked Winner/2nd Place (Area) or Winner/2nd Place/3rd Place (Division)on index card

45. Determining Results • Insert results in envelope • Fill out Notification of Winner form with all the contestants names • Deliver results to Contest Chair • Retain all • Ballots • Timer’s records • Tally Sheets • Destroy these records after contest conclusion at another location

46. Disqualifications • Notify the contest chair of the disqualification • Announcement: • “There has been a disqualification due to timing / eligibility.” • Instruct all contest functionaries to never discuss disqualification or contest results with anyone • Do not release the name of the disqualified contestant

47. Contest Results • Deliver forms to the next contest level • Certificate of Eligibility & Originality • Biographical Information for each winner and alternate • Notification of Contest Winner (for each contest)All contestants must be listed in rank order • Send District 3 Chief Judge’s Report to District Chief Judge: judges@aztoastmasters.org

48. Speech Contest: Judges Training District 3 Toastmasters Connie Weiss

49. Eligibility to Judge • Club level: • A member in good standing – paid dues • Area & above: • A member in good standing for a minimum of six months • Completed at least six Competent Communication manual projects Judges Certification of Eligibility & Code of Ethics • Contestants may not act as voting judge, tiebreaking, or chief judge at any level of contest!

50. Judging vs. Evaluating • Evaluating = appraisal and advice • Judging = selecting a winner Judges’ decisions are confidential!