Choosing Your Toastmasters Pathway

 Log into Toastmasters.org

Select the tab “Pathways”

Select “Choose a Path” (If not already logged in, Toastmasters.org will now prompt you to log in)

Select your language that you want your path in

Select “Digital” or “Printed” 

Choose “View Path Options" (Or Take Assessment)

Select Your Path

Youth Leadership Program

 Did you know Toastmasters has a Youth Leadership Program? This program is specifically designed for those under 18 years old to help build their confidence and speaking abilities. 

Over the course of eight weeks, program members will work on prepared and impromptu speaking, evaluating their peers and how to resolve problems. 

How it works:

All program members receive a program manual to follow for eight weeks. Each session works on a different skills and the members will evaluate their progress as they go. The format is the same as an adult Toastmasters meeting, with an agenda, prepared and impromptu speaking and presiding officers. 

Sessions include:

Session One : Introduction to Chairmanship

Session Two : Introduction to Public Speaking

Session Three : Impromptu Speaking

Session Four : Organizing Your Speech

Session Five : Listening

Session Six : Gestures in Speaking

Session Seven : Voice and Vocabulary

Session Eight : Show Your Skills

Benefits:

In addition to working on confidence in speaking and leading skills, a Youth Leadership Program works on teamwork, problem solving and giving and receiving constructive feedback. Each member will learn how to run meetings, speak within time limits, and facilitate discussions. 

Skills Gained

• Public speaking skills
• Impromptu speaking skills
• Evaluation skills
• Mentorship
• Leadership skills
• Practical workforce skills
• Networking

Having Trouble Finding Evaluations?

Typical Zoom Meeting Schedule

Start- 8:00 AM
Our president will begin the meeting, and ask if there were any outside speeches. From there we go over any business we need to take care of, and the president will turn the meeting over to the Toastmaster of the day.

The Toastmaster will introduce the rolls of the day: grammarian, Table Topics Master, timer, general evaluator, and speech evaluator. They will then announce the day's speaker, with a short introduction.

The speaker will present their speech, and will be evaluated by a speech evaluator. If the speaker is giving a speech for their Path, the evaluation will be specific to their Pathway. For example, if their project is "Researching and Presenting", the evaluation will comment on the type of research done and whether it was presented in a format that everyone could access.

The timer will give the length of the speech before the meeting is turned over to the Table Topics Master. Table topics is when random members will be called on to speak on a topic such as "Please make a commercial about shoes" or "Tell us story about when you have been on vacation, and a problem arose".

To end the meeting, each roll will review what they were looking for that day. Grammarian will report on umms and interesting words. Table topics will present the award to the best impromptu one minute speech. Timer will state how long everyone spoke for, especially the speaker and speech evaluators. Lastly, the general evaluator will say how everyone who wasn't evaluated did, such as how timely the Toastmaster was and how transitions between rolls were.

The president will then take over to give the schedule for next week, and conclude the meeting.
End- 8:50 AM

Pathways Virtual Academy

Yaquina Toastmasters is back!

In response to coronavirus restrictions, the local group is now meeting online.

In the process, the Newport club has reclaimed a sense of community from the safety of their own homes.

“I’m delighted to see familiar faces pop up on my screen each week,” says, Larry Lehnerz, club president. “Before joining Toastmasters, I thought I’d hear a lot of dry business speeches. But, in our club, it’s mostly storytelling. People talk about what matters in their lives. That’s what I’ve missed with social distancing.”

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing public speaking and leadership expertise. Two members working to enhance career and business skills have recently achieved significant recognitions for their hard work.

Lauralee Norris earned a coveted Advanced Communicator Gold recognition. Norris, a Newport High graduate, college student and young professional, is one of the youngest Toastmasters ever to have achieved this lofty goal.

Christa Colway, of NOAA Fisheries, recently achieved the Advanced Leadership and Advanced Communicator Bronze awards. These awards recognize her leadership, voice and vision in shaping local and regional clubs.

“Lauralee and Christa are the superstars of our club. We are immensely proud of them,” says Lehnerz.

Lehnerz, who is retired, adds that the meetings are not just for those on a career path. They are also a great place for retirees to share their stories. “It’s a way to look back at the important events of our lives or to laugh at the fun memories. It’s also an opportunity to share the wisdom we’ve accrued over the years.”

Members speak on subjects as varied as hobbies, memories, pets, volunteer work, career, social justice, you name it. Subject matter is limited only by interest and imagination.

Newcomers fit right into the group because meetings focus more on practice and support rather than professional performance.

Each meeting includes prepared speeches and shorter, unrehearsed “Table Topics” speeches. The purpose of various speaking opportunities is to develop ease in front of an audience.

“While practicing speaking skills is central to the program, the community building aspect is what keeps me coming back,” says Lehnerz.

He adds that this is the perfect time to join. “There’s no preparation, no driving, not even a need to dress up. Just zoom in to join the fun.”

Yaquina Toastmasters meet every Tuesday at 8 a.m. Please contact Yaquina Toastmasters at ybtoastmasters@gmail.com. A member will provide instructions for logging in. 

Thank you to our Outgoing Officers

(Left to Right) Lee Ritzman, Dave Coffman, Larry Lehnerz

Thank you to our Presidents Dave Coffman and Larry Lehnerz for serving as President of Yaquina Toastmasters this year!

Thank you to Immediate Past President and Vice President Christa Colway for your service at Yaquina Toastmasters this year!

Brian presenting Christa with an Award

Thank you Brian Norris for serving as this year's Vice President of Membership for Yaquina Toastmasters!

Thank you Kathleen Ritzman for serving as this year's Vice President of Public Relations for Yaquina Toastmasters!

Thank you Brian Haggerty for serving as this year's Secretary for Yaquina Toastmasters!

Left to Right Diane and Laurie Weitkamp

Thank you Laurie Weitkamp for serving as this year's Treasurer for Yaquina Toastmasters!

Lee Ritzman and Laurie Weitkamp

Thank you Lee Ritzman for serving as this year's Sergeant at Arms for Yaquina Toastmasters!