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Junior Toastmasters Club Cultivates TI's Young Orators.........posted Dec 6, 2007

By Allie Freedman

After nearly two months of mastering skills in public speaking, the third Junior Toastmasters class took center stage at Congregation Tikvat Israel on Nov. 19 to show off its newfound expertise. Dressed for success and bursting with confidence, the 17 polished students presented speeches ranging from sibling rivalry to classical music to a packed sanctuary in Rockville, Md., filled with beaming parents and grandparents.

"In just seven short weeks, the students learned how to face their public speaking fears and command an entire room's attention by their confidence and strong presence," states Jeff Smith, Junior Toastmasters coordinator and a Tikvat Israel congregant.

Smith and his team of adult Toastmasters help the pre-teens become better public speakers in preparation for their upcoming Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Sponsored by Tikvat Israel's adult Toastmasters club "Hopeful Talkers," the unique program trains 12-year olds in the intricacies of public speaking. Members of the adult chapter, which achieved Toastmasters' "Distinguished" status last year, provide constructive feedback to the Bar and Bat Mitzvah candidates in an effort to help them perfect their technique and boost their self-confidence.

"My wife and I are both big proponents of Toastmasters," says Keith Brooks, parent of Junior Toastmasters student Gabrielle Brooks. "It is good practice for her Bat Mitzvah since she seems so much more confident now getting in front of an audience."

Gabrielle agrees that she has made great strides due to the program. "I feel more comfortable talking to groups of people. The trick is to only look at one person at a time and to practice a lot," says a more confident Brooks.

In order to help the students confidently stand in front of a large crowd and discuss a given topic, the Junior Toastmasters instructors teach the students a variety of skills that help them speak with much more strength and effectiveness. The class focuses on four main techniques: organization, vocal variety, gestures and eye contact. These acquired skills enable the young talkers to draw audiences into their speeches.

"The first day of class, I must say, I was awful at speaking," says Junior Toastmasters student Rachel Solomon. "But after I learned many of the techniques such as voice variation and hand gestures, I now know how to engage the audience with my speeches."

During the recent graduation ceremony, Solomon demonstrated one of the various exercises practiced each week in class called "Table Topics." Basically, Smith gave her a topic, and she had to present a one-minute speech about it on the spot without any prior preparation. This method shows students that even on the spot, they can make a decent speech using the techniques they learned in the class.

Parents and students alike are unanimous in their praise of the program and its many benefits. As a result, The "Hopeful Talkers" club will open up the Junior Toastmasters course to teenagers and adults in the community at large in February. Parent Jonathon Solomon believes his daughter's public speaking ability has improved so much that he would love to see other students in the community have the same opportunity to become strong speakers.

"I would recommend this class to anyone in the (Washington) community because the students have gained so much in terms of public speaking that it would be a shame not to offer this class to a wider range of students," says Solomon, who works as a school psychologist.

According to Smith, teaching young people to excel in public speaking is one of the greatest gifts a person can offer. "Everything you do in life involves interacting with people," says Smith. "Helping students learn how to become better communicators leads to better interactions with people as a whole. Everyone has the ability to be a great public speaker, and it is very rewarding to help students bring it out."

Allie Freedman is a junior at Sherwood High School, where she is the features editor of the student newspaper, The Warrior.