CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL D57 CLUBS HOLDING CONTESTS AND SENDING REPRESENTATIVES TO THEIR AREA SPEECH CONTESTS. EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND AND SUPPORT THEIR CLUB’S CONTESTANTS AND CONTEST CHAIR.
Reach out to this year’s D57 Contest Chair, Kate Mills katemillstoast [at] gmail . com, to schedule contest training, get help planning your event, or receive clarification about contest procedures.
WHAT CONTEST ROLES CAN I FILL AT AN AREA CONTEST?
A surprising number of Toastmasters are required to put on a speech contest. We are holding both Table Topics and International Speech Contests
this year at every Area Contest. Contest functionaries often serve both contests, even when Areas combine their events.
These minimum roles must be filled to hold an Area Speech Contest:
(1) Contest Chair
(1) Chief Judge
(1) Contest Toastmaster (+ 1 back-up suggested) (2) Sergeant-at-Arms
(2) Contest Timekeepers
(2) Ballout Counters
(5) Voting Judges (+ 2 back-ups suggested)
(1) Tiebreaker Judge
Contestants, Chief Judges, Voting Judges, and Tiebreaker Judges all have eligibility requirements to participate. You will find the requirements for Contestants on pages 6 & 7, and for Judges on pages 7 & 8 in the 2025-26 SPEECH CONTEST RULEBOOK (1171). Please reach out to D57 Contest Chair Kate Mills at katemillstoast [at] gmail . com or 510-552-3656 if you aren’t sure whether you or your contest volunteer qualifies for the assigned role. We’ll figure it out together!
Savvy Contest Chairs assign additional unofficial roles to give their events a power boost of fun:
Greeter – What’s not to like about earning a warm, event memory? Send guest book entries to your Area Clubs for follow-up–might be a future new member.
Hospitality Coordinator – Yum. Snacks power up functionaries skipping meals to help you, and say Aloha to guests.
Photographer – Let’s get those clubs on their social media! Also, D57 is looking for pictures to commemorate its last contest season.
ARE THERE ANY PATHWAYS PROJECTS RELATED TO CONTEST ROLES?
Besides fulfilling your Toastmasters Promise, members can complete Pathways projects by taking contest roles. Log into Toastmasters International and go to Basecamp. Some contests are more complicated than others. Here are some possible Pathways projects that could apply:
Contest Chair
Level 2 – Managing Time
Level 3 – Planning and Implementing Level 3 – Successful Collaboration
Level 3 – Develop a Communication Plan Level 4 – Leading your Team
Level 4 – Motivate Others
Level 4 – Manage Projects Successfully Level 4 – Public Relations Strategy
Contest Toastmaster
Level 3 – Deliver Social Speeches
Contest Chief Judge
Level 3 – Develop a Communication Plan Level 4 – Leading Your Team
Level 4 – Manage Projects Successfully
Coaching a Contest Chair
Level 4 – Mentoring
Level 4 – Improvement through Positive Coaching
WHAT ABOUT DISTRICT 57 INCENTIVES FOR CONTEST ROLES?
Points are available in multiple categories for contest roles in the
District 57 Outstanding Toastmaster Award (OTMA).
Go to the D57 OTMA form, save a copy for yourself, and then start adding up your points to earn the award.
Why not make your Toastmasters year and the last D57 Contest Season the best it can be? Have a little fun and build up your network for your Toastmaster journey.
If you have any questions about contests, or have decided to take a role and need training, you can reach this year’s D57 Contest Chair Kate Mills at katemillstoast [at] gmail . com.
By Kate Mills