Speech contests are an important part of the Toastmasters International educational program.  Speech contests provide an opportunity for proficient speakers to gain contest experience, and they provide interesting educational programs for members and for the public.  They also allow those Toastmasters who are not participating in the contests to learn by observing proficient speakers.

Since so many members may participate in these contests, it is important that all contests be conducted fairly and that they follow the rules from Toastmasters International. 

International Speech Contest

In order to provide for people who enjoy competitive speaking, and in order to showcase the best, Toastmasters clubs hold speech contests as many as five contests (Tall Tales, Humorous Speech, Table Topics, Evaluation and International Speech) a year.

Each contest starts at the club level and works its way up through Area and Division to the District. Three contests go on to Regional and one goes on to the World Convention each August. The reason this contest is called "International Speech" instead of "General Speech" or "Miscellaneous Speech" is because it's the only one of the five contests that goes as far as the World level. Each August, winners from the eight Regions and the overseas clubs (9 contestants in all) compete at the World Convention in the World Championship of Public Speaking.

The International Speech contestants for District 61 at the 2006 Spring Conference are:

DIVISION A ______________

DIVISION B ______________

DIVISION C ______________

DIVISION D ______________

DIVISION E ______________

DIVISION F ______________

DIVISION G ______________