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Speech Contest

Description​

There are two types of speech contests: International speech contest and Korean speech contest.

  • International speech contest flow:
    • Club (HDTM speech contest) → Area → Division → District → International
  • Korean speech contest:
    • Finishes at the district level

Requirements​

We need the following roles to run speech contest.

Contest Chair​

  • Role:
    • Lead the speech contest like a toastmaster
    • Select the chief judge
    • Send the contest rule book to the contestants
    • Determine the agenda
    • Notify the contestants of the time and place of the contest and pre-contest briefing before the contest
    • Randomize the contestants' speech order before the contest
    • Promote the contest
    • Make the prize and certification
  • Contest chair should announce the speech contest rules briefly 3 times:
    • Rules:
      • 2 ~ 6 weeks before the contest
      • 30 ~ 10 minutes before the contest
      • During the contest
    • What to announce:
      • Condition of participation
      • Timing rules
      • About protest
      • The date of the contest
      • Send speaker bio, speaker certification
      • Send contest rule book
      • Other rules
Example of the Contest Rules Briefing
  1. To be eligible to compete in the International Speech Contest, contestants must be a paid member of a club in the area, division, and district in which they are competing. In addition, contestants must have completed six speech projects in the Competent Communication manual or in Levels 1 and 2 of any path in the Toastmasters Pathways learning experience. If a contestant does not meet both criteria, they must be disqualified.
  2. Each contestant must be physically present to compete. Recorded audio, video, or other remote technology is not allowed.
  3. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, an alternate person is permitted to attend the briefing in place of the primary contestant. If the primary contestant is not present at the contest on time, they are disqualified.
  4. The International Speeches must be from five to seven minutes. A contestant will be disqualified if the speech is less than four minutes 30 seconds or more than seven minutes 30 seconds.
  • A green signal will be displayed at five minutes and remain displayed for one minute.
  • A yellow signal will be displayed at six minutes and remain displayed for one minute.
  • A red signal will be displayed at seven minutes and will remain on until the conclusion of the speech.
  • In all speech contests, no signal can be given for the overtime period. However, in the event of technical failure of the signal or timing equipment, a speaker is allowed 30 seconds extra overtime before being disqualified. Prior to announcing results, the contest chair must announce if time disqualifications occurred, but not name the contestant(s) involved.
  1. Contestants who plan to use props (including any sort of electronic devices) must notify the contest chair prior to the contest. All props must be set up during the minute of silence prior to the contestant’s speech, including the microphone.
  2. Protests are limited to eligibility and originality and must only be lodged by voting judges and contestants. Any protest must be submitted to the chief judge and/or contest chair prior to the announcement of the winner and alternate(s). The chief judge, contest chair, voting judges, and contestants must not consider protests from audience members. The contest chair can disqualify a contestant on the basis of eligibility.
  3. A third-place, a second-place, and a first-place winner will be announced (if there are more than 3 contestants). The first-place winner is allowed to compete in the Area Speech Contest.
  4. Please submit the 1183-Speaker Certification Eligibility Originality & 1189 Contestant Bio Info. I’ll send you these via email.
Example of the Contest Chair Script

Hello, Toastmasters. My name is name, the HDTM contest chair. I’ll lead the Club Speech Contest today. Briefly, first the International Speech Contest, and Korean Speech Contest. There are O Korean Contestants and O International Speech Contestants.

Now, I’ll introduce the Speech Contest Rules briefly.

  1. Please make sure your cell phone is on silent. It helps prevent unexpected situations.
  2. Only a single-camera setup is permitted. So, except for the designated person, no one is allowed to do it.
  3. Recording, such as by adding text, graphics, images, or anything that doesn’t meet the requirements above, is not allowed in the Area Contest.
  4. About protests, any judge and contestant can make a protest about eligibility and originality. Any protest must be submitted to the chief judge and/or contest chair prior to the announcement of the winner.
  5. Judges. Our chief judge Chelsea leads the role takers. Thank you so much. There are voting judges, but they must keep their identities secret forever.
  6. Timing Rules. It will be managed by our timers name & name. They will show the timer’s card. A contestant must make a speech from 5 to 7 minutes. They will be disqualified if their speech is shorter than 4:30 and longer than 7:30. Do not make signals for the overtime period. It is not allowed. If a time disqualification occurs, the contest chair (me) must announce it prior to announcing results, but not name the contestant(s) involved. Before the speech, please check where they are.
  7. Counters, name1 & name2. They will collect all the voting sheets. After the Contest, I’ll give time to get the voting sheets. Thank all role takers.
  8. Before the contest, we decided the speech orders randomly. I’ll announce the International Speech Order is ~. the Korean Speech order is ~. Before starting the Speech Contest, Chief Judge, can we start? From now on, we will do the International Speech Contest. To be eligible, contestants must 1) be paid members 2) have completed six speech projects in the Competent Communication manual or in Levels 1 and 2 of any path. We already checked these. Our first speaker name, Title, Title, name. Thank you, name. Please give a one-minute silence for judging. Timer, if the minute is over, let us know it. Our second speaker name, Title, Title, name (DO NOT USE next, last, and so on).

Chief Judge​

  • Determine the ROLE TAKERS:
    • 5 or 6 voting judges, 1 tiebreaking judge, 2 timers, 2 counters, 2 sergeants at arms
  • DO NOT NOTIFY Voting judges & Tiebreaking Judges:
    • Voting judges can know each other
    • Announce the voting judges to counters for collecting the voting sheets
  • Send the contest rule book to the role takers
  • Notify the role takers of each rule and the place of the contest before the contest
  • Prepare and collect the role takers' sheets:
    • Notification of contest winner result form
    • Judge's certification of eligibility and code of ethics
    • Counter's tally sheet
    • Speech contest time record sheet and instructions for timers

Voting Judges(6 required)​

  • Keep secret forever: The identity of the voting judges must remain confidential indefinitely.
  • Receive "Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics": Each voting judge must receive and adhere to this certification during the judging process.
  • Voting judges can know each other but must keep it secret: While voting judges may be aware of each other's identities, they must not disclose this information.
  • Must be fair: Voting judges are required to be impartial and fair in their evaluations.

A Tiebreaking Judge​

  • Keep secret forever:
    • Only you and the chief judge should know the identity of the tiebreaking judge.
  • Does not attend the judges' briefing: The tiebreaking judge should not be present at the judges' briefing.
  • Receive "Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics": The tiebreaking judge must receive and adhere to this certification during the judging process.

Counters(2 required)​

  • Collect "Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics": During the contest, counters are responsible for collecting these certifications from the judges.
  • Receive "Counter's Tally Sheet": Counters must receive and use this tally sheet to record the results.
  • Count "Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics": Counters must accurately count and verify the certifications collected.

Timers(2 required)​

  • One is provided with a stopwatch, and the other with a signaling device that displays green, yellow, and red colors.
  • Receive "Speech Contest Time Record Sheet and Instructions for Timers".
  • Timing rules for International Speeches:
    • Speeches must be from five to seven minutes.
    • A contestant will be disqualified if the speech is less than four minutes 30 seconds or more than seven minutes 30 seconds.
    • Signal timings:
      • A green signal will be displayed at five minutes and remain displayed for one minute.
      • A yellow signal will be displayed at six minutes and remain displayed for one minute.
      • A red signal will be displayed at seven minutes and will remain on until the conclusion of the speech.
  • No signal can be given for the overtime period in all speech contests.

Reference​

HDTM Officer Roles