Local woman advances in the world’s largest speech contest

Kenzie Casciano, of St. Louis Park, MN, outshined more than 100 local contestants to win the district-level competition of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest. Casciano advances to the region quarterfinal round of the contest, vying for one of 14 spots in the semifinals, to be held at the Toastmasters International Convention Thursday, Aug. 22 in Denver, Colo. From there, six contestants will advance to the World Championship of Public Speaking,® which takes place at the convention Saturday, Aug. 24.

Casciano, a member of PowerTalk Toastmasters in Minnetonka, MN, surpassed fierce competition to win over the judges with her speech, “It Latches On.” The speech humorously explored the power of thoughts, both positive and negative. When it comes to connecting with an audience, she said, “Be vulnerable and weak. Be courageous and triumphant. Don’t tell the audience about your journey, but bring them on the journey with you.”

Casciano will compete with up to 113 other winners from districts around the world who advance to the 2019 region quarterfinal round after winning their club, area, division and district speech competitions. Their five- to seven-minute speeches were judged on content, organization, gestures and style.

“Toastmasters has given me a platform to hone in on my speaking and leadership skills, and apply them to all areas of my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the feedback and support from my Toastmaster family, and I can’t imagine my life without this organization,” says Casciano. “I am thrilled to advance to the region quarterfinals and look forward to what the future holds.”

Casciano is a Project Manager at Prime Advertising & Design in Maple Grove, MN. She joined Toastmasters to enhance her public speaking ability, and soon after learned that Toastmasters offers so much more.

The Toastmasters International Speech Contest began in 1938 and is the world’s largest speech contest, involving 30,000 participants from 143 countries. It culminates with the popular World Championship of Public Speaking held annually at the organization’s International Convention.

About District 106

District 106 is one of 116 districts, which comprises more than 148 corporate and community clubs in Region 4. To learn more about District 106, please visit: https://d106tm.org/

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 357,000 in more than 16,600 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter