Speech Contest Training District 3 Toastmasters Madalyn Lockhart Lisa Corwin Fall 2013

Agenda  Contest Chair Training  Contest Management Training  Chief Judge Training  Judges Training

Types of Contests  Fall 2014  Humorous  Table Topics

Contest Overview Participants:  Contest Chair  Contest Manager  Chief Judge  Contestants  Judges  Tiebreaking Judge  Timers  Counters  SAA 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.

Speech Contest: Contest Chair District 3 Toastmasters Madalyn Lockhart

Contest Chair by level

Build Your Team  Contest Chair  Contest Manager  Chief Judge  Facilities Committee  Hospitality Committee  Advertising Committee

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

Contest Chair  Budget  Location & Logistics  Promotion  Timed Agenda  Contestant Eligibility

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  It is recommended Judges panel must be substantially different for each contest held

Before Contest: Facility  Confirm date and location  Special Considerations  Are there costs?  Do you need access permissions?  Are videos/photography allowed?  Agenda  Set times for the contestant and judges briefings  Recommendation: Briefing minimum 30 minutes before contest start

Use of Video Equipment  Contestants that wish to be Video Taped  All Contestants must give permissions (in writing)  Contest Chair must make an announcement that a speech will be video taped.  Ensure there is approval from the facility if required.

Contestant Eligibility  For any contest:  Be a member in good standing of the club/area/division/district in which they are competing (this must be verified thru WHQ)  The club must be in good standing (minimum of 8 members must be paid and maintain that standing through the level of competition)

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

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  No contestant can be a Judge at any Area level or above and still compete.

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 Please emphasize they MUST make time without going over or they will be disqualified.  Review Protest Procedures

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

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 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd place certificates from contest kit

Speech Contest: Contest Management District 3 Toastmasters Madalyn Lockhart

Contest Manager (Toastmaster)  Logistics  Functionaries  Refreshments  Budget Expenditures  Contestant Eligibility & Profile Sheets

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

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

Checklist Tracker

Promotion of Contests  Be Creative  Start Early  Distribute fliers to neighboring clubs and community centers  Post online in local event calendars

Things to Prepare  Certificates  Contest Program  Do not put club name with contestant names or education level  Do not include the judges in the program  Dignitaries List  Sign-In Sheets – optional  Forms  Blank Forms, Index Cards, Envelopes

Things to Pack  Stopwatches (2)  Timing Lights  Backup Timing Cards  Gavel  Backup Forms  Extension Cord

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

Contest Manager’s Toolkit  Contest Checklist  Contest Planner  Timed Agenda  Donation Letter  2014 Speech Contest Rulebook  Sample Flyers & Programs  Participation & Award Certificate Templates - (only at club level)

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)

Speech Contest: Chief Judge District 3 Toastmasters Lisa Corwin

Chief Judge Duties  Confirm contestants eligibility [ask contest chair if all contestants are eligible to compete]  Recruit Voting Judges and a Tiebreaker Judge  Contest Chair may assist in recruiting  Minimum 5 at Club and Area  Minimum 7 at Division and District ****Never turn down a judge****  Brief contest functionaries

Judges Eligibility  No Area or Division chief 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

Recruiting Voting/Tiebreaking Judges At Area/Div./District contests, voting judges and the tiebreaking judge must be Toastmasters:  Good standing for a minimum of six months  Completed at least six Competent Communicator projects.  Only the chief judge knows the name of the tiebreaking judge (tiebreaking judge does not attend the judges’ briefing)

Recruitment of Contest Functionaries  Timers  Two required for each contest  Ballot counters  Three required for each contest  Sergeants at Arms  Number will depend on facility and type of contest  Recruiting functionaries is a shared responsibility.  The Contest Chair, Contest Manager and Chief Judge are a team who work to ensure they have all functionaries needed.

Contest Forms  Speaker’s Certification of Eligibility and Originality  1 per contestant - retained by Chief Judge  Speech Contestant Profile  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

Judges’ Briefing  Call voting judges and contest functionaries {ballot counters, SAAs, and timers} into the briefing room  District 3 Chief Judge’s Report – everyone signs  Issue forms to contest functionaries  Distribute voting judges packets  Tip: Include programs along with envelopes, pensa and judge ballots, and eligibility and code of ethics form in judges packets  Review [and collect] the signed Judge’s Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics form

Judges Briefing, cont.  Ask voting judges to print and sign name on ballot (If it is not legible it will be tossed out and not counted)  Verify the eligibility of each voting Judge [division and above] “Are you in a club with any of the speech contestants?”  At Area level, this is a District 3 Rule.  Get speaking order from Contest Chair  Read aloud the contestants names and verify spelling of names

Judges’ Briefing, cont.  Brief voting judges on the speaking area  Judging guidelines  Judging is not evaluating  Goal is to pick a winner  Advise voting judges – “Judge all contestants”  Do not consider timing lights

Confidentiality of Judging  Las Vegas Rule – Never discuss the results with anyone, this is includes fellow judges, contest functionaries, fellow toastmaster members, and/or contestants!  Don’t provide feedback to contestants  Dispose of the top portion of the ballot away from the contest venue

Protest Procedure  Voting judges {and contestants} may protest on the basis of originality  Speakers can only quote, paraphrase, or reference 25% of their material  All protests must be lodged with the chief judge or contest chair before announcement of results  Write “PROTEST” on the ballot  If a protest is called, the chief judge will bring all voting judges to the briefing area to discuss the protest and the contestant will be called to respond to the protest  A majority vote will decide the outcome of the protest

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

Counter’s Briefing  Explain/Review counting ballots procedure  Ballots discarded if  Incomplete, illegible, or unsigned  1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd place contestants are not listed  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!

Incorrect announcement  Chief Judge, ballot counters, 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”

During Contest  Respond to Contest Chair when asked if ready for a contest: “Contest Chair, We are Ready.”  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)

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

Recording Results  Award Winner, and 2 nd Place at Area level  Award Winner, 2 nd Place, and 3 rd Place at Division level  Record voting results  Quality Check – Double check math, names, and order of placement  Clearly marked Winner/2 nd Place (Area) or Winner/2 nd Place/3 rd Place (Division)on index card and place in envelope – Give to Contest chair

Disqualifications  Notify the contest chair of the disqualification  Basis on Originality / Timing  Announcement:  “There has been a disqualification”  Instruct all contest functionaries to never discuss disqualification or contest results with anyone  Do not release the name of the disqualified contestant

Required Paperwork  Deliver forms to the next contest level  Certificate of Eligibility & Originality  Contestant Profile for each winner and alternate  Notification of Contest Winner (for each contest) All contestants must be listed in rank order  Timer and counter tally sheets  Judges eligibility and ethics forms  District 3 Chief Judge’s Report

Speech Contest: Judges Training District 3 Toastmasters Lisa Corwin

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!

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

Good Judges Are…  Accurate  Fair  Trustworthy  Knowledgeable  Good listeners

JUDGES’ OBLIGATIONS  Contestants are entitled to a truly professional performance by each judge  Biased or unfair judging creates animosity and demeans the contest, the officials, and our leaders  The audience deserves a good speech contest  As a Toastmaster, judges have made a personal commitment to self-improvement that includes being dedicated to making the correct decision when judging a contest

Barriers to Objectivity  Speaker position – First or Last Speaker is Best  Champion the underdog  Halo effect  Reverse halo

Barriers to Objectivity (2)  Second time around & give someone else a chance  Club Norms  Personal prejudice & preference  Unfamiliar Judging forms

Judges Guide & Ballot  Receive ballot and envelope at the briefing  Sign & print your name on the ballot  Use suggested points as baseline  Weighted pluses and minuses  All contestants judged with same scoring system  Identify 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd place contestants  Tie Breaker Judge lists all contestants in placement order  After scoring, place ballot in envelope and give to ballot counter  Tie Breaker Judge gives ballot envelope to Chief Judge

Judges Criteria  On the judges form you will note there are maximum scores for each category. It is recommended that you start with a mid-way amount, and then add weighted point pluses and minuses as each competitor presents. Here is an example” (Show / Explain with example) Judges Criteria Instructions On the judges form you will note there are maximum scores for each category. It is recommended that you start with a mid-way amount, and then add weighted point pluses and minuses as each competitor presents. Here is an example” “Contents” has three point categories”

Protests  Originality  Substantially original  Identify quoted material Max 25% quoted, paraphrased or referenced  Protest  Write PROTEST on your ballot form

Judge’s Code of Ethics  Avoid bias in selecting winners  Do not time speeches or consider time when ranking contestants (1 st, 2 nd, & 3 rd )  KNOW the contest rules  Never reveal judge scores or ranking

Additional Resources  Lisa Corwin, DTM   Madalyn Lockhart, CC, ALB   Jeff Morud, DTM   Contest Resources:   Contestant Eligibility Verification 