The document provides a guide for planning and executing a successful club speech contest over 6 weeks. It outlines 64 specific tasks for the contest chair and other officials to complete, organized by week. It emphasizes starting early, creating checklists, communicating with the team, and flexibility in the final week to ensure the contest runs smoothly.

1. Six Weeks to a
Successful Club Contest
A guide for Contest Chairs
Jerry Barrett District 55 January 5, 2013

2. What is a Speech Contest?
Similarities to a Club Meeting Differences from a Club Meeting
•Call to Order by Presiding Officer •Normally two contests back to back
•Optional Pledge and/or Invocation •Preceded by Contestant and Contest
•Guest (dignitary) introductions Officials briefings
•Introduce the Toastmaster •Toastmaster reads a script
•Toastmaster’s introductory remarks •Toastmaster instructs the audience
•Toastmaster returns control to PO •Contestants speak one after another
•Announcements •Silence after each speech to allow
•Awards judges to mark ballots
•Adjourn •Ballots and time sheets collected
•Toastmaster interviews contestants
•Ballots counted under Chief Judge
supervision
•Thank you’s to contest officials
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 2

3. What are the elements
of a Speech Contest?
•Speeches/Speakers •Room/Place
•Judging/Judges •Time/Duration
•Contest Control/Chief Judge •Programs/Agenda
•Timing/Timers •Room Control/Sergeants-at-Arms
•Ballots/Ballot Counting •Meeting Control/Presiding Officer
•Toastmaster/Emcee •Refreshments/Refreshments Owner
•Awards/Presentation/Awards Maker •Lots of Applause
•Contestant Interviews •Contest Team Lead/Project
•Certificates of Participation Management
•Thank-yous for Contest Officials •Contest Notification/Promotion/Flier
•Dignitaries
•Audience!
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 3

4. The Master Plan
Schedule Week Week Week Week Week Week Week
Task Owner -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1
Select Contest Chairman/Team Leader VP Education S F
Obtain Budget approval from Club Officers Contest Chair S F
Create To-do/checklist/timetable (use this as a guide) Contest Chair SF
Set date, time, and place. Hold contest in place of a regular meeting Contest Chair SF
Read documents on the Internet - http://tmd55.org/wp/contests/ Contest Chair S F
Select Chief Judge Contest Chair S F
Select Awards Owner Contest Chair S F
Select Refreshments Owner Contest Chair S F
Invite Toastmaster Dignitaries and Guests Contest Chair S x x F
Order and receive contest materials from TI Contest Chair S x x x F
Recruit and select judges. Network / trade with other clubs Chief Judge S x x x F
Promote the club contest with enthusiasm and optimism Contest Chair S x x x x x x x F
Create a draft agenda Contest Chair SF
Train Chief Judge if necessary, and review tasks and ownership Contest Chair SF
Meet with Chief Judge to review tasks and ownership Contest Chair SF
Select Toastmaster Contest Chair S x F
Create a flier Contest Chair SF
Meet with Awards owner to plan gifts, awards, and trophies Contest Chair SF
Select Test Speaker (Evaluation Contest). Network with other clubs Contest Chair S F
Select Sergeants-at-Arms Contest Chair S F
Select Ballot Counters Chief Judge S F
Select Timers
Confirm judge eligibility. Find new judges as needed
Confirm contestant eligibility with TI
Chief Judge
Chief Judge
Contest Chair
S
S
F
x
S
x
x
F
F
64 tasks
Order blank certificates Awards Owner S x F
Order and receive or make trophies and gifts Awards Owner S x x F
Notify Contestants of Contest details; send rulebook and forms Contest Chair SF
Notify Contest Officials of Contest details Chief Judge SF
Plan the Contestant briefing (use on-line script) Contest Chair S F
Plan the Chief Judge briefing (use on-line script) Chief Judge S F
Meet with the Refreshmens owner to plan the refreshments Contest Chair S F
Train judges if necessary Chief Judge S x F
Personalize on-line Toastmaster Script Toastmaster S x F
Organize forms and awards into folders by person Contest Chair S F
Create/print/copy Agenda/Program document Contest Chair S F
Personalize certificates Awards Owner S F
Plan for miscellaneous items (e.g. stop watches). See the list Contest Chair S F
Reminder to Contestants Contest Chair SF SF
Reminder to Contest Officials Chief Judge SF SF
Refreshments
Purchase and bring refreshments Owner S x F
Prepare for your role as presiding officer Contest Chair SF
Brief the tie-breaking judge Chief Judge SF
Bring materials - folders, forms, etc. to the contest Contest Chair SF
Show up 45 minutes early. Set up the room Contest Chair SF
Find replacements if necessary Contest Chair SF
Provide speaking area to the Chief Judge Contest Chair SF
Conduct Chief Judge Briefing Chief Judge SF
Conduct Contestant Briefing Contest Chair SF
Provide Eligibility and Originality forms to the Chief Judge Contest Chair SF
Call meeting to order, pledge and invocation, guest introductions Contest Chair SF
Introduce Toastmaster Contest Chair SF
Make mandatory announcements Toastmaster SF
Introduce Contestants, call for silence after speeches Toastmaster SF
Interview Contestants Toastmaster SF Legend
Pick up Time Record Sheets, Oversee ballot counting Chief Judge SF
Handle Eligibility protests Contest Chair SF Start of task S
Handle Originality protests Chief Judge SF
Fill out Notification of Winners forms, noting disqualification types Chief Judge SF Finish of task F
Make announcements, thank yous, announce awards, adjourn
Submit Contest results and contestant forms to Area Contest Owner
Contest Chair
Contest Chair
SF
SF F
Continuation of task x
Have a team member fill out Project #10 evaluation in your CL manual Contest Chair S x F
Write Thank-Yous to your team Contest Chair S F
Write Thank-Yous to contest officials Chief Judge S F
Celebrate having a well planned, organized, and executed contest! Contest Chair SF
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 4

5. Week – 6
Schedule Week
Task Owner -6
Select Contest Chair VP Education S F
Obtain Budget approval from Club Officers Contest Chair S F
Legend
Start of task S
Finish of task F
Continuation of task x
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 5

6. Week – 5
Schedule Week
Task Owner -5
Create To-do/checklist/timetable (use this as a guide) Contest Chair SF
Set date, time, and place. Hold contest in place of a regular meeting Contest Chair SF
Read documents on the Internet - http://tmd55.org/wp/contests/ Contest Chair S F
Select Chief Judge Contest Chair S F
Select Awards Owner Contest Chair S F
Select Refreshments Owner Contest Chair S F
Invite Toastmaster Dignitaries and Guests Contest Chair S x
Order and receive contest materials from TI Contest Chair S
Recruit and select judges. Network / trade with other clubs Chief Judge S
Promote the club contest with enthusiasm and optimism Contest Chair S
Legend
Start of task S
Finish of task F
Continuation of task x
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 6

7. Week – 4
Schedule Week
Task Owner -4
Invite Toastmaster Dignitaries and Guests Contest Chair x F
Order and receive contest materials from TI Contest Chair x x
Recruit and select judges. Network / trade with other clubs Chief Judge x x
Promote the club contest with enthusiasm and optimism Contest Chair x x
Create a draft agenda Contest Chair SF
Train Chief Judge if necessary, and review tasks and ownership Contest Chair SF
Meet with Chief Judge to review tasks and ownership Contest Chair SF
Select Toastmaster Contest Chair S x
Create a flier Contest Chair SF
Meet with Awards owner to plan gifts, awards, and trophies Contest Chair SF
Select Test Speaker (Evaluation Contest). Network with other clubs Contest Chair S
Select Sergeants-at-Arms Contest Chair S
Select Ballot Counters Chief Judge S
Select Timers Chief Judge S
Confirm judge eligibility. Find new judges as needed Chief Judge S
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 7

8. Week – 3
Schedule Week
Task Owner -3
Order and receive contest materials from TI Contest Chair x F
Recruit and select judges. Network / trade with other clubs Chief Judge x F
Promote the club contest with enthusiasm and optimism Contest Chair x x
Select Toastmaster Contest Chair F
Select Test Speaker (Evaluation Contest). Network with other clubs Contest Chair F
Select Sergeants-at-Arms Contest Chair F
Select Ballot Counters Chief Judge F
Select Timers Chief Judge F
Confirm judge eligibility. Find new judges as needed Chief Judge x x
Confirm contestant eligibility with TI Contest Chair S x
Order blank certificates Awards Owner S x
Order and receive or make trophies and gifts Awards Owner S x
Notify Contestants of Contest details; send rulebook and forms Contest Chair SF
Notify Contest Officials of Contest details Chief Judge SF
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 8

9. Week – 2
Schedule Week
Task Owner -2
Promote the club contest with enthusiasm and optimism Contest Chair x x
Confirm judge eligibility. Find new judges as needed Chief Judge F
Confirm contestant eligibility with TI Contest Chair F
Order blank certificates Awards Owner F
Order and receive or make trophies and gifts Awards Owner x F
Plan the Contestant briefing (use on-line script) Contest Chair S F
Plan the Chief Judge briefing (use on-line script) Chief Judge S F
Meet with the Refreshments owner to plan the refreshments Contest Chair S F
Train judges if necessary Chief Judge S x
Personalize on-line Toastmaster Script Toastmaster S x
Organize forms and awards into folders by person Contest Chair S
Create/print/copy Agenda/Program document Contest Chair S
Personalize certificates Awards Owner S
Plan for miscellaneous items (e.g. stop watches). See the list Contest Chair S
Reminder to Contestants Contest Chair SF
Reminder to Contest Officials Chief Judge SF
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 9

10. Week – 1
Schedule Week
Task Owner -1
Promote the club contest with enthusiasm and optimism Contest Chair x F
Train judges if necessary Chief Judge F
Personalize on-line Toastmaster Script Toastmaster F
Organize forms and awards into folders by person Contest Chair F
Create/print/copy Agenda/Program document Contest Chair F
Personalize certificates Awards Owner F
Plan for miscellaneous items (e.g. stop watches). See the list Contest Chair F
Reminder to Contestants Contest Chair SF
Reminder to Contest Officials Chief Judge SF
Purchase and bring refreshments Refresh Owner S x
Prepare for your role as presiding officer Contest Chair SF
Brief the tie-breaking judge Chief Judge SF
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 10

11. Contest Day!
Schedule
Task Owner
Purchase and bring refreshments Refresh Owner
Bring materials - folders, forms, etc. to the contest Contest Chair
Show up 45 minutes early. Set up the room Contest Chair
Find replacements if necessary Contest Chair
Provide speaking area to the Chief Judge Contest Chair
Conduct Chief Judge Briefing Chief Judge
Conduct Contestant Briefing Contest Chair
Provide Eligibility and Originality forms to the Chief Judge Contest Chair
Call meeting to order, pledge and invocation, guest introductions Contest Chair
Introduce Toastmaster Contest Chair
Make mandatory announcements Toastmaster
Introduce Contestants, call for silence after speeches Toastmaster
Interview Contestants Toastmaster
Pick up Time Record Sheets, Oversee ballot counting Chief Judge
Handle Eligibility protests Contest Chair
Handle Originality protests Chief Judge
Fill out Notification of Winners forms, noting disqualification types Chief Judge
Make announcements, thank you’s, announce awards, adjourn Contest Chair
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 11

12. After the Contest
(within 7 days)
Schedule
Task Owner
Submit Contest results and contestant forms to Area Contest Owner Contest Chair
Have a team member fill out Project #10 evaluation in your CL manual Contest Chair
Write Thank-You’s to your team Contest Chair
Write Thank-You’s to contest officials Chief Judge
Celebrate having a well planned, organized, and executed contest! Contest Chair
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 12

13. Speech Contest Planning
Attitudes and Affirmations
Have total confidence in yourself to pull this off.
Commit to and envision a successful contest.
Stay focused and organized.
Meet with team members
Re-confirm assignments and completions
Over-communicate and be certain.
Be unwilling to compromise. Be consistent and
firm.
 Be flexible with one week left to go.
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 13

14. Speech Contest Planning
Final Thoughts
Start early!
Create and follow checklists.
Use and become familiar with the documents
on the District website (http://tmd55.org/wp/contests/).
Network with other clubs to find judges.
Promote the contest to your club at every club
meeting prior to the contest.
Give your team weekly updates on how the
contest planning is going. Let them help you.
If all else fails, contact me. I’ll be glad to be one
of your mentors. jerrytex@swbell.net
January 5, 2013 Jerry Barrett 14

15. Speech Contest Planning
This presentation and the handouts will be available
from the District 55 website (tmd55.org) in the future
Toastmasters International
Jerry Barrett District 55 January 5, 2013