Contests

30,000 Members!

That’s how many members participate in speech contests all around the world in Toastmasters.

Participating in Speech Contests provides you with an opportunity to grow as a communicator by challenging you to step up every aspect of your skills. It gives you an opportunity to hone your speaking skills to a greater degree and receive recognition in front of new audiences beyond your club. It’s also a chance to introduce new people to Toastmasters, hold a special event for your club, and develop organizational skills along the way.

District 101 offers two different speech contests for our members during 2019-20. Club contests should be conducted at the club level in February. The Club winners advance to the Area contests, Area winners to the Division contests, and Division winners compete at the District 101 contests during the Annual Conference. The winner of the International Speech contest at the District level will have their recorded speech judged at the Quarterfinals. Those winners will advance to give their speech live for the Semifinals at the Toastmasters International Convention in August.

Challenge yourself and others in your club and participate in the speech and evaluation contests. You’ll be glad you did!

2020 Contests

Tall Tales

Contestants present a three-to-five minute speech on a topic that is highly-exaggerated and improbable in theme or plot.

International Speech

Contestants present a five-to-seven minute speech on any subject they choose. The International Speech contest has three levels of competition beyond the District Contest: the Quarterfinals (video record of the District speech), the Semifinals and the World Championship of Public Speaking®, the latter of which occur at the Toastmasters International Convention.

Contest Planning

Planning your speech contest involves preparation of your contest kit. Find the contest kit (handouts), rule book, FAQ and editable script on our Contest Resources page.

District 101 Contest Finals

The District 101 Evaluation and International Speech Contest Finals was held on May 18, 2019 at the District 101 Annual Conference.

Recent winners:

International:

2019 Janet Hebert, Almaden Valley Orators Club

Evaluations:

2019 Elaine Lung, Silicon Valley Storytellers

Past winners

Area and Division Contest Schedule

Other Possible Contests

Evaluation

Contestants observe a five-to-seven minute “test speech” and then present a two-to-three minute evaluation of that test speech.

Humorous

Contestants present a humorous speech that must be thematic in nature (opening, body, and closing), not a monologue (series of one-liners).

Table Topics

Contestants give a one-to-two minute impromptu speech based on a topic given to them when the contest chair introduces them. All contestants receive the same topic.