After the Spring 2017 convention, Su Brooks sat down with the Winner of District 83’s International Speech and Evaluation contests, Stacey Greene, to ask her a few questions.
Where do you work and what is your occupation?
I work at Prudential Financial as a Project Manager in the Global Business Technology Systems Organization.
What made you decide to become a Toastmaster?
I loved the opportunity to work on projecting my naturally soft-spoken voice as well as the instantaneous feedback that Toastmasters provides. The feedback has allowed me to develop a fondness for healthy and constructive feedback and to know the difference between that and destructive feedback.
How has your club supported you along
your journey?
Gateway 2 Toastmasters has been extremely supportive from the moment I joined the club in 2015. This year, I was solely considering entering the speech contest. Exactly one week before the evaluation contest took place, our president asked me to participate (even though that meant I would be presenting along with her as a contestant). I very much enjoy providing evaluations as much as I enjoy receiving those that challenge me. I therefore agreed to participate and am very happy I did.
Can you tell us why you chose to compete in the speech and evaluation contests?
After I delivered another evaluation at our club, our club’s president asked me to participate. She didn’t stop at a simple, “Hey Stacey, I think you should join in on the evaluation contest.” She basically prepared a two-minute speech in which she outlined, strongly all the reasons why she believed I would do well and grow through participating. She really was not going to take “no” for an answer. I am happy she did because it provided me another opportunity to reach out to even more individuals with my style of evaluations than I had initially planned. Regarding the International Speech Contest, I have longed considered competing but didn’t make the time needed to prepare. After attending my first international convention last year in DC, I challenged myself to compete the following year. Now, here I am blessed with the opportunity to move on to the semi-finals.
Tell us what is important for you in order to connect with the audience.
It is important for me to be true to myself and to show authenticity. Many of us (myself included) are often afraid to show who we truly are for fear of being rejected or not liked. I therefore consistently remind myself that a connection will be made with the audience once I can show that I am just like each and everyone of them. It is always my goal to get each individual audience member to feel as though I were solely speaking to her/him.
What’s next?
I am currently preparing for the Semi-finals of the International Speech Contest and with faith, the World Championship of Public Speaking. Later this month, I will be spending time in the land of my birth (Nevis/St. Kitts) where I will have the opportunity to visit several places to share with others. On a more personal note, I am progressively working towards nurturing relationships within my social circle and family.
Congratulations Stacey! We know you’ll make District 83 proud at the International Contest in Vancouver in August.