December 2013 Newsletter
The December 2013 Newsletter is now available ONLINE . If you are interested in contributing to the January 2014 newsletter please contact Krystal Rose.
Toastmasters Celebrate the Holidays Togethere with a Fun Luncheon
- A toast from the club President, Shannon O'Connell
- White Elephant Gift game
- Tasty lunch provided by AKA Bistro
- TONS of LAUGHS!
(click on photo to enlarge)
Happy New Year to all. See you at the first meeting of the year which is Tuesday, January 7th 2014
In the News: Toastmasters Int. Gets Recognition as a Resource to "Get Over the Fear of Public Speaking"
..."The great thing about Toastmasters is that it provides a safe space to practice your public speaking (everyone is there because they want to get better too!) and you get constructive feedback on your presentations from people who have been studying with the program for a while. It’s as close as you’ll get to taking a class on public speaking without paying a lot of money...finding a place where you can practice presenting in front of an audience without the pressure of a high-stakes spotlight is really the first big step to becoming more comfortable with public speaking..."
Key Take Aways:
http://mashable.com/2013/12/26/public-speaking-tips/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner
If you are interested in learning how to join Toastmasters, check out the MEMBERSHIP page for more details
Key Take Aways:
- Practice (in a supportive environment, like Toastmasters)
- Put yourself out there
- Learn from the experts (observe advance speakers, how they speak and their body language)
http://mashable.com/2013/12/26/public-speaking-tips/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner
If you are interested in learning how to join Toastmasters, check out the MEMBERSHIP page for more details
Quoteable for thought
“If you don’t get nervous when speaking to an audience, it probably means you’re dead.” ~Anonymous
New Officers in 2014
Congratulations to the incoming officers for the Jan. –June 2014 term:
President Shannon O’Connell, CC, CL
VP Education Rose Abbott, CC, ALB
VP Membership Kristin Blomstrom
VP Public Relations Krystal Rose, CC, CL
Treasurer Andy Tien
Secretary Mary Marasco
Sergeant-at-Arms Michelle Bender, ACB, ALB
A big thank you to our 3 board members who are going off the board: Tina Lenert, CC, CL; Viola Tawil, Sowmya Venkat. Thank you for your service to the club and members. Your contributions have proven to be valuable and have positively affected our path towards a President's Distinguished Club.
Founders District Speaker Exchange
Are you pressed for time and/or wanting to finish your competent communicator, competent leader or any of the other communicator and leadership awards sooner than later? You may be interested in the Speaker Exchange Program. The Speaker Exchange Program coordinates speaking opportunities for Toastmasters clubs to recieve outside "guest" speakers which means Parsons Toastmasters' members can speak at other clubs and recieve credit. The club wants you to accomplish your personal goals, so speak with the VP of education today for more details.
Parsons Toastmaster's is Thankful for All the New Members in November
Please welcome the club's newest members:
(pictured with Rose Abbott, VP of membership)
Vernon Budinger
Vernon Budinger
Eric Leider
Sterling Wainscott
Sterling Wainscott
Sandra Huang
Kyle Kranzky
Sonja-Sophie Loeffler
Leslie Suhy
Jolene Horn
Parsons Toastmasters Website Takes 2nd Place in Founder's District Contest
Krystal Rose, VP of Public Relations and club webmaster was recognized at the Founder’s District Conference, November 9th, for winning 2nd Place in the Diamond Web Award.
This picture was taken at the Parsons Club meeting on Tuesday. Congratulations, Krystal!
Krystal also wins a free admission to the Founder’s District 2014 Spring Conference.
Our award winning website is: http://parsonstoastmaster.blogspot.com/
(Left to right: Club President Shannon O'Connell with Krystal Rose)
A Month of Visitors
There must be something [good] in the water as this week's meeting counted 11 new visitors. Guests are always welcomed to visit and highly encouraged to participate. If you are new to toastmasters please contact the club's VP of Membership, Rose Abbott and she will gladly provide you with club details.
A Toastmaster’s Journey
A Toastmaster’s journey
Is like a flight
Into the air and
Into the light
Where you’ll end up
Only you will know…
It’s a mystery to learn
How far you can go
At first we are like
a bumbling bee..
but then we practice
and begin to see
Our progress we make
At each meeting we learn
And become more confident
At each new turn
We make a few blunders
Here and there
We’re not afraid to show
that we care
We gain our confidence
And then…
We come back for more
Again and again
Who is to say
What we can do
Only you will know
What’s inside of you
Let’s not be afraid
To try something new
For we can soar high
Into the blue
Keep up your journey
Into the light
Spread your wings like a bird
Upon a free flight
You’ll soar on the wind
And up far and high
Into the clouds
With the sun and the sky
Like a bird who learns
To enjoy the flight
Your journey with Toastmasters
Can bring YOU to new heights!
Is like a flight
Into the air and
Into the light
Only you will know…
It’s a mystery to learn
How far you can go
a bumbling bee..
but then we practice
and begin to see
At each meeting we learn
And become more confident
At each new turn
Here and there
We’re not afraid to show
that we care
And then…
We come back for more
Again and again
What we can do
Only you will know
What’s inside of you
To try something new
For we can soar high
Into the blue
Into the light
Spread your wings like a bird
Upon a free flight
And up far and high
Into the clouds
With the sun and the sky
To enjoy the flight
Your journey with Toastmasters
Can bring YOU to new heights!
~Writen and Read by Michelle Bender at the October 22nd meeting
Club Meeting: October 8th
The theme for meeting: "Fail Forward"
What it means: turning mistakes/adversity into success
Inspiration Nancy Urena (1-2 minutes)
Speaker #1` Kristin Blomstrom
Speaker #2 Rose Abbott
Evaluator #1 Sowmya Venkat
Evaluator #2 Shannon O’Connell
Table Topics Master Michelle Bender
Gen. Evaluator Mary Marasco
Ah Counter ?
Timer Daniel Juan
Grammarian Michelle O’Leary
Area B2/B3 Contest this Saturday October 5, 2013- Support Our Club's Contestants
Please plan to attend the Area B2/B3 Contest on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Kaiser (corner of Walnut/Los Robles). Registration at 8 a.m.; Contest begins at 9 a.m. Let's support our Tall Tales Winner, Kristin Blomstrom and our Evaluation Winner, Michelle O'Leary. It will be a fun and entertaining event
Evaluation Contest: Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Contest Toastmaster: Viola Tawil
Test Speaker: Anna Romero
Contestants: Rose Abbott
Marlene Martin - 2nd Place
Jennifer Miller
Michelle O’Leary - 1st Place
Krystal Rose
Vote Counter: Mary Marasco
Timer: Rodney Walker
Judges: We have 5 judges so far
SAA: Ron Morris
Officer Meeting: September 5, 2013
The club officers met today at noon to discuss hot topics, clubs policies, clubs distinguished, the upcoming "Tall Tales" and "Evaluator" contest as well as fundraising ideas and membership.
Tip: Strengthen Your Confidence
Confidence isn’t something you either have or you don’t. It’s a dynamic emotion that, like a physical muscle, needs exercise to grow stronger. Here are two ways to build and maintain it:
- Take inventory of your past. It’s easy to doubt yourself and your abilities. But if you look at your track record, chances are that your successes outweigh your failures. And, more importantly, you likely survived your missteps and gleaned lessons along the way.
- Focus on strengths. Most leaders are very strong in a few competencies, average in the majority, and weak in a few. Concentrate on leveraging what you’re best at. Then, manage your average and weak areas so they don’t detract from your effectiveness.
Source: Havard Business Review
Division B Toastmaster of the Year Award
Out of all the members in Area B2 (includes 5 local clubs), Bill Harmon was chosen as Toastmaster of the Year for Area B2!
Bill also received recognition from the Parsons Toastmasters officers for his outstanding service in leading the club to Presidents’ Distinguished Status.
Your dedication to the Parsons Toastmasters Club and to the members, plus your participation in the Contests and Founder’s District committees were instrumental in your being selected as the Area B2 Toastmaster of the Year
(Bill Harmon with Viola Tawil who presented the Parsons Toastmasters' award).
Message from the Outgoing President
Nine speeches and two years ago, I joined Parsons Toastmasters Club 2151.
Today, I am proud to announce that we have achieved President’s Distinguished Status for 2012-2013, woohoo!!!, which was my goal when I became your president.
Of course, YOU [members] were the ones who achieved this goal by getting your CC, CL, and advanced leader awards, officers getting trained, submitting dues on time (yay, Viola!), and ALL the new members who came and joined.
This is only the third time we have accomplished the goal of earning President's Distinguished Status during the life of the club which began in 1974. In 2008, we did not even get a designation because the club had less than the required 20 charter strength members. And now, here we are ending the term with top honors, awards and a strong member base.
I look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming Toastmaster year (2013-2014), when our new president Shannon O’Connell will certainly bring some much needed dignity back to the role of Toastmasters President.
- Bill Harmon, 2012-2013 Club President
A New Term Starts In July
The next meeting will be held on July 2nd at the normal location (100 W Walnut Str. Pasadena) from noon to 1 p.m. Join in on welcoming the new club term and the new club President, Shannon O’Connell. Outgoing President, Bill Harmon, was recently awarded the “Area B2 Toastmaster of the Year” (a district-wide honor) for his service to the Parsons Club, the surrounding area clubs and the district. Michelle Bender, also a board officer at club and district level, was awarded the “Area Governor of the Year” honor. We encourage you to join a meeting and learn more about the award winning club.
HBR Tip: Brush Up on Your Grammar
People may view your language as a reflection of your competence. If you make a lot of writing mistakes or have grammatical errors when speaking, you may come across as uneducated or lazy. Since practicing grammar, as we once did in grade school, is not part of our daily routine, take it upon yourself to brush up on the rules once in a while. Consult guides on grammar and usage, such as Strunk and White's Elements of Style. Ask knowledgeable colleagues to proofread your material and to explain their corrections. Pay attention to what talented writers inside and outside the organization do. Read first-rate nonfiction, which will help you cultivate an appreciation of the skills you're trying to acquire. Check out what the Harvard Business Review wrote for ways to improve your grammar. No time to read? Try listening to podcast and audio books. I recommend the Grammar Girl podcast.
Source: HBR
This Weeks Theme: Superstitions
Please join us June 4 in the CPS conference room (located on the 2nd floor of the Parsons Building) from 12 to 1pm. The Toastmaster will be Sowmya Venkat and the theme will be "Superstitions". All past and current members as well as guests are welcome to attend. Parking is free with validation. Please email ToastmastersClub.Parsons@parsons.com if you would like more information on this weeks event.
A New Term Brings In New Club Officers
Congratulations to the newly elected club officers, who will be led by Shannon O’Connell, the incoming Club President! Thank you to our current President Bill Harmon, who has led the club during the past 6 months. Under Bill's leadership, Parsons Toastmasters has received recognition from Toastmasters International and Select Distinguished Club status.
Thank you for your service to the Club Bill!
Persuasive Presentation Tip: Make Your Slides Memorable
When you present data, people in your audience don't have time to pour through the numbers. They need to quickly understand by glancing at the slide, reading the title, and looking at the basics of the visuals. Don't make it hard for them by making your slides complex. Start by asking, "What would I like people to remember about the data?" Give that point visual emphasis. If you're projecting a chart about sales trends over five years but talking specifically about how sales are consistently low in the first quarter, show the first-quarter bar in a bright color and other bars in a neutral tone, like gray. Deemphasize grid lines, borders, axes, and labels — you'll provide that kind of context when you speak — and use contrast (color, size, or position) to draw the viewer's eye to the meaning.
Source: HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations
Club Mission Statement Has Been Revised
The mission of the toastmasters club is to: Provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.
Parsons Toastmasters Gives Back to the Community
Parsons TM members (from left to right) Viola Tawil, Bill Harmon, Rose Abbott, Krystal Rose and Mike Berry joined the Parsons Corporation-Sponsored Big Sunday project at Millard Canyon on May 4, 2013. The group collaborated on a stream restoration effort in the canyon which is located in the Arroyo Seco foothills.
There Must Be Something In the Water
Special Guest Speaker, 2008 Olympic Beijing Bronze Medalist Tasha Danver, will be at A.C.T.S Toastmasters Club May 21
THE ADVANCED COMMUNICATION/LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND SPEAKERS BUREAU
A.C.T.S. TOASTMASTERS CLUB
Cordially invites you and your friends, to the
Silver Anniversary Celebration of ACTS Toastmasters Club.
Celebrating the Club.
Celebrating the Member.
Tuesday, May 21 2013
6:00PM
Kaiser Permanente - Walnut Center
393 E. Walnut St - Conference Room 1D
Pasadena Ca. 91188
Featuring as Guest Speaker: 2008 Olympic Beijing Bronze Medalist
Tasha Danver.
This is a Free Toastmasters Event. Appetizers, Beverages and Anniversary Cake.
3 Elements of Great Communication
To make it in any job, you need to be able to convey ideas clearly and effectively. There are three things the best communicators employ to deliver their message:
Source: http://hbr.org/tip/2013/04/26/3-elements-of-great-communication
- Credibility. Prove your authority by demonstrating technical expertise in a specific area, which helps convince people that you know what you're talking about. If you can’t do that, display integrity and character, which convinces them that you're not going to lie to them.
- Emotional connection. People need to believe that what you're saying will matter to them. Connect by giving them your undivided attention and linking your message to something they care about.
- Logic. All the authority and empathy in the world won't help you if people don't understand your basic idea or how you came to your conclusions. Make a clear argument that people can follow and use data and analysis to back up your points.
Meeting April 10: An Especially Entertaining Meeting
This weeks' meeting was especially fun. The meeting was led by Toastmaster (and President) Bill Harmon who, as always, is entertaining and full of surprises. We had two prepared speeches and movie themed table topic questions. To make things interesting, the table topic master, Rose Abbott, engaged members in a non-conventional way, which really keep the speakers and the audience on their toes. There were three guests and three new members. We hope that you can attend our next meeting. There is no telling what will happen.
Meeting Today: Theme is "April Fool-ish"
We hope you can make it to Parsons Toastmasters today. We have a packed meeting today with two prepared speeches, table topics and a fun theme, "April Fool-ish". Be prepared for some interesting responses to table topics. As always, the meeting starts promptly at 12 PM at 100 W. Walnut street 91124. We will be in the Velasquez room. Parking is free.
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Parsons Toastmasters' International Speech Contest
Congratulations to Kim Acedo on winning the Parsons International Speech Contest today! She will represent our club at the Area B2-B3-B4 Contest on March 2nd at Kaiser Permanente (393 E. Walnut Street, Rm. 1D). Cost is $7 and breakfast/registration begins at 8:00 am with contest scheduled to begin at 9:00 am. It would be great if as many of us as possible could be there to lend Kim our support. Congratulations also to our second place contestant, Charlene Love!
International Speech Contest Contestants:
Tina Lenert – Her speech entitled “Fairy Dust” was about special moments and friends in our lives, and how we all have something important to share with each other. She gave an example of her friend Joanie who encouraged Tina to join Toastmasters.
Kim Acedo – Her speech entitled “Would You Sell Your Dog” was about how belief is so important. She gave an example of Sylvester Stallone who believed in himself and eventually became successful, even though he had to sell his dog (but was able to buy the dog back).
Charlene Love – Her speech entitled “Pick up the Pieces” gave a personal story of how she overcame adversity and gained a sense of self-worth. She used a jigsaw puzzle as a metaphor for how she “picked up the pieces” and got her life back on track.
(Tina left, Kim middle & Charlene right)
Welcome to Kim Acedo
Congratulations to Parsons Toastmasters' Newest Member Kim Acedo (seen here with VP of Membership, Rose Abbott). Kim is a veteran toastmaster who recently joined club 2151. We are excited to have Kim who offers advance speaking skills and a positive and supportive attitude outlook. Welcome to Kim and we look forward to your participation.
New Toastmaster Member Steve Feng
Congratulations to Parsons Toastmasters' Newest Member Steve Feng (seen here with VP of Membership, Rose Abbott). Steve has already started working through his competent leader manual by taking on various roles during club meetings. We look forward to hearing his "Ice Breaker" speech.
Tip:Keep Your Audience Engaged By Sharing the Stage
Audiences can find monologues boring. They're less willing to sit for an hour while a single speaker drones on. The key to getting and holding their attention is having new things continually happen. You can keep your presentation lively by doing two things:
- Bring in other presenters. You can invite insight from other experts and have them join you on stage or by video (but remember, it is your presentation so don't let the other presenter steal the spot light). You can also look for your audience members to participate by having them ask or answer questions. Bring them up to the stage or have them stand to speak.
- Be Visually Appealing. Alternate between slides and other media (but not so much to where the audience is confused or overwhelmed). Hang posters and exhibits on the wall (but not too many to where they are distracting). Use video to inject humor, boost credibility through testimonials, or clarify concepts with animated infographics.
Tip was adapted from the HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations.
Record Breaking Meeting
Parsons Toastmasters received eight guests at this week's meeting, breaking our personal record of the most "First Time" guest at one meeting. The theme was "Stress Can Be a Good Thing". Our own President Bill Harmon was the Toastmaster of the day leading the meetings' activities. Member Tina Lenert presented her 9th prepared Speech and we had a number of members and guest particpate in a fun session of Table Topics.
Reminder: Our International Speaker and Table Topics Contests are coming up soon. Please inquiry to find out more on how you can join or attend the contests.
Reminder: Our International Speaker and Table Topics Contests are coming up soon. Please inquiry to find out more on how you can join or attend the contests.
Meeting: Tuesday Jan 15, 2013
The meeting room had a great turn out with15 members and two guests. We had a new member initiation ceremony for Sowmya Venkat, two prepared speeches and several table topics participants. The theme of the day was "Going One Step Beyond" which was a very fitting theme as members and guests pushed themselves to step outside of their comfort zone and practice their public speaking skills. Speeches were presented by our President Bill Harmon and member Vanna Vuong. Thank you to all those who participated in the evaluation team which was lead by Joyce Brew. Don't forget to sign up for roles and guests are always welcome to visit and see why we are a distinguished club.
Parsons Toastmasters Welcomes New Member: Sowmya Venkat
Congratulations to Parsons Toastmasters' Newest Member Sowmya Venkat (seen here with VP of Membership, Rose Abbott). We look forward to your "Ice Breaker" speech.
Leadership And Communication Education (LACE) Training - Jan 12 & 19
The Leadership and Communication Education (LACE) interactive workshops feature 30 hours of training for an economical fee (typically around ($12.00) and is open to the general public as guests of Toastmasters Founder's District.
To register go here http://www.foundersdistrict.org/lace-information
To register go here http://www.foundersdistrict.org/lace-information
Parsons Toastmasters Begins 2013 with New Board Members
Announcing the New Club Officers (Term Jan. 1, 2013 – June 30, 2013)
President Bill Harmon
Vice President Education Tina Lenert
Vice President Membership Rose Abbott
Vice President Public Relations Krystal Rose
Treasurer Viola Tawil
Secretary Ron Morris
Sergeant at Arms Michelle Bender
Know the Impression Your Body Language Makes
Gestures, posture, and facial expressions all convey powerful messages to the people you interact with. Yet far too many people are unaware of the messages their body language sends. Next time you're in an important meeting, ask yourself these two questions:
- Am I fidgeting? If you're sitting still and listening, then all is probably well. But if you're shifting about in your chair, drumming your fingers, or worst of all, looking at your phone, then you can be sure that the person talking feels like you're not interested in what they have to say.
- Am I interrupting? In any healthy debate people will occasionally interrupt. But if you do it a lot, or are leaning in to make your point, people may feel that you're not open to what they are saying
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