Wish you were a better speaker?

Do you ever wish you were a better speaker? Toastmasters can help you become one. Pictured above from left to right are Cassandra Drinkard and Andrea Regan. Both are members of Lincoln-Way Toastmasters (LW TM). They joined Toastmasters to become better communicators and accomplished this beyond their initial expectations.

Toastmasters is a non-profit organization with over 270,000 members and over 14,000 clubs in 148 countries. Toastmasters has surpassed the test of time; it is over 100 years old. LW TM is a local chapter of Toastmasters that meets in Frankfort, IL. LW TM has been around for over 20 years and has helped hundreds overcome their fear of public speaking.

This past spring, Cassandra and Andrea entered Toastmasters’ annual speech competitions. Members are not required to enter these contests; in fact, most do not. However, those who decide to enter do so to push themselves to become even more effective communicators.

Cassandra entered the International Speech Contest, where one gives a 5 to 7-minute motivational speech on any subject matter. The speech is often about one’s life experience and the lesson(s) that one learned from it. Hearing the speaker’s experience tends to motivate the audience.

Andrea entered the Speech Evaluation Contest. In this competition, the contestants listen to a speaker, then each contestant evaluates the speaker. In evaluating the speaker, the speaker hears what they did well and where he/she can improve their speech. The contestant evaluators must master listening, observing, and tactful coaching skills. The evaluator only has 3 minutes to do all of the above.

In both contests, the speech competitors go through several rounds of competition. One competes against club members, and the club winner then advances to compete against other club winners in the same area. The speaker who wins in the area contests then competes against other area winners. Cassandra and Andrea kept advancing through these rounds until they both advanced to the District 54 Finals, which was held May 10, 2025. District 54 includes Toastmasters clubs in the northern half of Illinois, excluding Chicago and its immediate suburbs.

In the International Speech Contest, Cassandra finished in 3rd Place, and in the Speech Evaluation Contest, Andrea finished in 2nd Place. Both did quite well, finishing among the top speakers in our district. Cassandra and Andrea did not allow the fear of failure to stop their quest to be better speakers. Actually, every contestant who entered these competitions became a better speaker just by entering and pushing themselves.

Cassandra is a manager of Category Management for a consumer goods company. She is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority. AKA has existed for over 100 years, encouraging and enabling African American women to lead successful lives.

She said that her Toastmaster club members encouraged her to enter the contest. Although initially feeling some fear, she decided to “just do it.” She soon realized that the contest was bigger than she was. She quickly learned that she needed to practice, study communication styles, seek feedback from both Toastmasters members and non-members, and adjust along the way. She is grateful to everyone who encouraged her.

Andrea is an Operations Manager for an inventory management company. She is also a runner and engages in other physically fit pursuits with a charitable heart. She coordinates the 160-mile relay run from Chicago to Peoria from August 1st to 2nd, 2025. This event supports St Jude Children's Hospital. If you want more information about this charitable event, please reply to the email address at the end of this article.

Andrea entered the Speech Evaluation Contest to challenge herself, embrace healthy competition, and focus on personal growth. She saw it as a way to learn how to handle pressure and grow her confidence. She mentioned that she received a lot of support from club members and, as a result, has become a more confident speaker, better listener, and more effective leader.

Both attest that you should check out a Toastmasters meeting if you wish to improve your speaking and other interactive skills. LW TM is ready to help you. Your network of friends will expand, and you will develop as a speaker and a leader. Toastmasters is open to all individuals 18 years or older. You can attend our meetings without any obligation. Because we are a non-profit, club fees are very nominal.

We meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM at Frankfort Village Hall, 432 W Nebraska Street, Frankfort, IL (no meeting on 7-3-2025 due to the 4th of July). To attend a meeting or get more information about Toastmasters or the St. Jude’s Charitable Relay Run, please email Thad Gray at mail4thad@yahoo.com.

Cassandra and Andrea are looking forward to seeing you at a future meeting.