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 FUTURE ORATORS— Back row, from left to right, Keith McCarter, B.S., J.D. President of Rialto Toastmaster Club 4064, Marae Hill (Murphy County Community Day School), Suni Walker (Wilmer A. Carter High), Julie Zamora ( Eisenhower High), John Valvaneda (Wilmer A. Carter High), Sheila “Umbaji” Futch Toastmaster and Representative to Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter. Front row, left to right, Jessica O’Handaley (Rialto High), Stephani Attar (Rialto High), Cryst Camp (Eisenhower High), and Ariel Chavira (Bob Murphy County Community Day School).
RIALTO, CA— High School students from the city of Rialto were given an opportunity to display their talents in public speaking when the Rialto Toastmasters Club 4064 held their first annual High School Speech Contest on February 28, 2009, at Bob Murphy County Community Day School. Each participating student gave a presentation following the theme “Youth of Today…Our Future Tomorrow.”
The competition, geared toward nurturing youth in the development of poise, articulation, and clarity of oral presentation and effectiveness in communication skills and public speaking abilities was held at Bob Murphy County Community Day School. Judges Robert Gilbert, Nell Gory, Nora Torrence and Julie Griffin were challenged as all of the students gave strong presentations. The winners were Jesssica O’Handaley and Stephani Attar of Rialto High School and John Valvaneda of Wilmer Amina Carter High School.
According to Toastmaster Keith McCarter, lead organizer of the competition, “It was the first city wide high school speech contest of its type in the Inland Empire. We plan to make this an annual tradition and involve students from Rialto, Fontana, San Bernardino and Colton, and conduct district wide contests within each city this fall, with a winners’ competition in the spring.”
“The top two winners from each city will then compete to have their high school showcase the Speech Champion Trophy for a full year until the next annual competitioni,” McCarter added. There is no cost to students to participate.
McCarter praised Principal George Bowser of the Bob Murphy County Day School for his leadership in holding high expectations for his school’s students and facilitating their participation in the competition. Toastmaster Club members Vernon Braggs, Sheila “Umbaji” Futch, Artist Gilbert, Chuck Andrezjczyk, and Lorenzo Mills also helped to organize the event. McCarter also credited Mr. Braggs as “our most honorable toastmaster member whose inspiration and guidance in our Toastmasters Club has shaped the lives and careers of many of our current day politicians, showing them the value of club participation as a conduit success. We hope to inspire our community youth in the same manner.”
The Rialto Toastmasters Club 4064 will also host “Speech Craft” for adults at the Sturgis Theatre in San Bernardino on July 18 (third Saturday), from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will receive eight (8) half hour sections to improve their public speaking abilities within their professional career or just improve the effectiveness of their communications skills. The $20 cost includes all materials and books for each session, snacks and refreshments. To find out more about the club, go on line to . To purchase “Speech Craft” tickets Speech Craft contact the Rialto Toastmasters or either Westside Story Newspaper. (By Keith S. McCarter, B.S. J.D.)
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