Find out about our members, their experiences, and how they have benefited from Toastmasters. Do you have news you wish to share?
Posted August 31, 2020 
Member Spotlights Introduced by Basma Al Kakoun
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Rae Ann George Interviews Richard Zamecki 2019
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Posted August 12, 2020 Member Spotlights We have some exciting news about one of our District 56 members, Mary Ann Faremouth. She is a National Recruiter, Author and Speaker. Mary Ann is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and a board member of NASPD (National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors) and Authors Marketing Guild.
She is an active member of Dining Out Toastmasters. Here’s the excitement – Mary Ann just got recognized by a global recruiting group for her book “Revolutionary Recruiting”. Spotlight on you Mary Ann.
Please take a moment to read the press release and share in her success as she continues her writing journey!
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Posted July 13, 2020 Member Spotlights 
We first saw Akili at District level during the Area N-22 Speech Contest on February 29th. We were delighted with her speech, her energy and passion. Akili’s perspective caused everyone in the audience to sit up and take notice.
Everything changed and we were thrown into a new era by the COVID-19 Pandemic. We all had to find a way to get our message across in a virtual way. Akili made choices on how to step up to this new challenge that showcased her grace, athleticism, intellect, and passion. We were more intrigued than ever as we watched her move on to the next level as a Division N International Speech Contestant winner. Akili made the comment that every win caused a surge of adrenalin which made her work just that much harder. She fine-tuned her speech, gathering insights from those around her, and won at the District level!
We were proud to submit Akili’s district winning speech video to the Region 5 Quarterfinal contest officials to be competing with 9
other Region 5 district International Speech champions. Once again, her message had an impact that catapulted her to the next level. Akili is representing District 56 and all of Region 5 in the Semifinals.
On August 24th, all 14 regions will showcase their international contest winners. To give a little perspective, there are 348,000 members in 143 countries divided into 14 regions. Each region represents 7–10 districts. There are over 30,000 members competing to be the Toastmasters International World Champion of Public speaking! From of all those contestants, Akili is 1 of 28 contestants who will have the opportunity to participate in the Toastmasters International Speech Semifinals contest.
In the interview with Akili, she was asked,
“What brought you to Toastmasters?”
Akili laughed and said, “This is an interesting fact… On July 12, 2013, I gave my ice breaker in Oklahoma and received the best speaker award. I was hooked!”
In 2013, I had just ended a 21-year long marriage as a military wife and realized I was going to have to stand on my own two feet. I was afraid and unsure how I was going to make this happen when a friend invited me to her Toastmasters club meeting. I have two grown children who share parts of my personality. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to witness parts of me living through their lives. It is very humbling.
I have a passion for young adults who are on the autistic spectrum. We teach young people in school how to behave and speak but we do not teach them how to speak in the workforce. A brief story if I may. One of our students was interviewing for a job. The weather was precarious at best. The person behind the desk, laughingly said, I hope you did not have to take a boat to
get here. Our student was unable to see the humor in what the interviewer said and missed making that connection that would have landed him the job.
It is not the responsibility of the interviewer alone to bend to the autistic spectrum, but with a little understanding, both sides can be deeply enriched.
I am the director of training at a non-profit organization that prepares broad spectrum Autistic adults for life in the world. We instill in them a desire to be a contributing member of society, setting them free to live independently and giving them hope for their future, I have found my life’s mission. I realized to change the perception of autism in businesses, schools and the general public I needed to make my voice heard. Many of my students have not learned to speak for themselves, I am their voice.
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Posted October 2, 2019 Member Spotlights College Students Innovative Use of Membership on Break
Toastmasters provides its members with international exposure, with every registered member eligible to participate in any Toastmaster Club Meeting across the globe. Personally, such an opportunity blends in with my passion for traveling. I was offered an exciting opportunity to do research in Santiago, Chile during Summer 2019. It was a two – month program filled with lots of learning, traveling and SPEAKING!
During my stay in Santiago, I was able to attend meetings of Toastmasters After Office. I was welcomed with open arms and was able to participate regularly. It was a unique experience, for I got a chance to mingle with like-minded Chileans from all walks of life. English not being their first language, I was impressed to see the contribution Toastmasters had made in their lives; both professionally and personally. It was a nice short experience and I was awarded “Best Table Topics Speaker”. Being a university student, I would encourage everyone to start Toastmasters as soon as possible; I can vouch that with patience and dedication, it will bring exceptional development towards one’s personality.
Pulakit Mishra, Texas A&M University, Class of 2020.
President, Aggie Toastmasters.
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Posted January 5, 2019 Member Spotlights January 2019 District 56 Member Highlight — Jose Antonio Betancourt, DTM was inspired to begin his Toastmasters Journey two and a half years ago when his wife invited him to hear her first speech, “The Ice Breaker”.
Jose Antonio was surprised by such a friendly and warm welcome from the club members. He was invited to participate in Table Topics, and even though he was scared, nervous, and shy, he chose to participate and enjoyed the experience. The best part of the meeting for Jose Antonio was not to hear all the functionary roles: such as the Timer, Grammarian, and Ah-counter, but rather it was the evaluation process. Jose Antonio heard the Evaluator giving his wife good recommendations in a very positive and encouraging manner. He was “Engage”, and that’s when Jose Antonio decided to join the Toastmasters Club in March 2016.
After a few months, a committed Jose Antonio was very encouraged and found himself helping others improve their communication abilities. He brought microphones in order for members to practice using their hands with a hand microphone. A few months later his club acquired and used wireless head set microphones with the purpose of teaching members to hear their voice and not lose focus or concentration.
Then Jose Antonio had the idea to bring his GoPro camera and record his speeches and roles in order to self-evaluate. The idea was to find the areas to improve for himself. He thought it was a great idea and brought it to the Club’s Executive Committee. They liked it, and decided it was something good for the entire club. Following that decision, the Video Master Role was included in the agenda. As Jose Antonio suggested the role, he also created the profile for the role: how to record, edit, and share on YouTube the speeches and roles for each meeting. It was a great learning experience for all the members.
Jose Antonio was SAA (Sergeant at Arms) for his club, and also helped the VPE (Vice President of Education) develop a mentoring program for their club for mentors and mentees {proteges}. He created guide documents and short video clips to help his club’s members with these roles.
Jose Antonio’s mentor helped him to create a SUCCESS EDUCATION PROGRAM tailored for his Toastmasters Journey including a “Path” to earn his DTM. This occurred about 6 months after Jose Antonio joined Toastmasters in September 2016. He was working on his 6th project of the Competent Communicator manual. It seemed so far away from his immediate plans, but it was a good reference point to start his DTM journey.
Jose Antonio committed to the Success Education Program plan and reached the step to charter or mentor a Toastmasters Club. He got the idea of creating a new club closer to their living area and created a team of six members who showed interest. 13 years after the first Spanish Toastmasters Club in Houston was founded, these members chartered the 2nd Spanish Toastmasters Club. What a “great achievement”! Jose Antonio proudly refers to his first Toastmasters Club, Pensadores de Houston, as his 1st step on the Toastmasters Journey. Pensadores was recognized as a Top-20 Toastmasters Club in the World in Educational Awards per Club in 2016-2017; ranking 19th Worldwide, 4th in the USA, and 1st in Houston. Jose Antonio is proud to be a member and part of Pensadores de Houston Toastmasters Club which has accomplished so much.
Jose Antonio earned his DTM in May 2018, but it was not the achievement that held as much value to him, rather it was the Toastmasters Journey with all that the journey taught him and with all that the journey has allowed him to accomplish. Once, not long ago, he was giving his 1st speech “The Ice Breaker” in English. For Jose Antonio, it was the first time giving a speech in English. Jose Antonio now as has the vision which he plainly states “I have a dream that one day I will be in front of an audience of 5,000 people giving a speech that can inspire and motive them”.
Today, Toastmasters District 56 and Jose Antonio ask for your help in reaching that dream. We ask that everyone share his Toastmasters Experience all over our Houston Hispanic community. We know that this will work with your help to “Spread the word”. Please share with all your Club Members that we have Spanish Toastmasters Clubs for them to join, and tell others that we have “THE Toastmasters experience” in Spanish.
Below, you will find a short YouTube clip in inviting people to join our Spanish Toastmasters meetings and the information of the three Clubs which serve Houston in Spanish:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9u-q8bWH0o[/embedyt]
Trini Mendenhall Community Center
1414 Wirt Rd.
Houston, Texas 77055
contact-694851@toastmastersclubs.org
Meeting Time: 7:00p.m. – 8:30p.m. Monday/Lunes
Prince of Peace Catholic Community
Edificio St. Joseph Room 204
19222 Tomball Pkwy.
Houston, TX 77070
https://goo.gl/maps/p7GPgH4EHPB2
Meeting Time: 7:30pm – 9.00pm Wednesday/Miercoles
Mente Abierta
Trini Mendenhall Community Center
1414 Wirt Road
Houston, Texas 77055
PHONE: 832-816-3975
Meeting Time: 7:00pm – 8.30pm Thursday/Jueves
We, District 56 and Jose Antonio Betancourt, DTM, appreciate your efforts and help to make this dream come true.
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Posted November 1, 2018 Member Spotlights Phillips 66 Toastmaster Spreads Her Wings
November 2018 District 56 Member Highlight — In September, Phillips 66 HQ Toastmasters (N25) member Emily Cloud was among 10 contestants to pitch a business idea to a panel of high powered business Houston venture capitalists at StartHereNow 2018. Her business plan is to provide flame-resistant (“FR”) clothing, styled for female bodies. The stakes for her were high – she was tasked with developing a billion dollar business model. Emily’s fellow Toastmasters stepped up to get her prepared and ready. “I am so thankful for all of the help from my fellow Toastmasters, I had just joined the club and I was blown away by how willing they were to step and help me.” said Cloud. “They gave me some great pointers that really helped set me up for success at StartHereNow.”
An Oklahoma native, Emily holds an engineering degree and an MBA, and works for Phillips 66. She joined the Phillips 66 HQ Toastmasters club in September and didn’t hesitate to step up when the club Secretary position was unexpectedly vacated.
Emily’s Toastmasters family quickly stepped up with support and constructive advice for a 90-second “elevator” speech followed by a 5-7 minute presentation to hundreds. Two Toastmasters from the club purchased tickets to the event and cheered uproariously with the rest of the audience when Emily nailed her speech. “We were so proud of her,” exclaimed Nancy Mercer, DTM and Division R Director. “Her quality business idea carried the day, helped along by her commitment to compose and deliver the best speech imaginable.” Emily worked tirelessly on her speeches, listened intently to the recommendations from her Toastmasters friends, and fine-tuned both the content and delivery until it was flawless. And it paid off. Emily won Houston People’s Choice Prize, the Director’s Choice Prize, and 1st runner-up.
Denise Coleman, CC, CL and Area R62 Director, also attended the event, agrees that Emily’s hard work and awesome performance was inspiring. “It’s infectious – the enthusiasm and commitment to excellence,” remarked Denise. She added, “any contribution we can make – even the smallest – is rewarding in its own right when you feel the glowing appreciation.”
Emily is currently working with business consultants to help fine-tune her business plan and will begin pitching her business to venture capital funds in the near future. As before, her Toastmasters family will be there to assist in any way possible, and to celebrate her success.
Contributors: Nancy Mercer, DTM; Joe Gannon, ACB, CL; Denise Coleman, CC, CL; Emily Cloud
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Find out about our latest District 56 club news and events.
Find out about our latest District 56 news and events.
In District 56, special annual awards are presented to Toastmasters in various roles for their contributions throughout the year.