WAXHAW, NC – From June 7 through August 9, the fourth annual Youth Leadership Program will meet at Five Stones Church in Waxhaw. This program will allow children ages 8 to 18 to learn directly from seasoned Toastmaster veterans about effective speeches, active listening, and leadership. Kids will be grouped together by age and will need to bring a notepad and pen with them. There is a $25 cost per child payable as a donation to Five Stones Church.
“The program covers a variety of speechcraft subjects: introductions, conclusions, vocal variety, and simple rhetorical devices like imagery,” shares Aaron Brown, Vice President of Education with the Toastmasters of Waxhaw. “The leadership content we cover is confidence, focus (dealing with distractions), and impromptu speaking. We teach these subjects two ways; either they are the theme of a meeting, like having a strong conclusion, or they’re learned through the exercises we engage in for breakout groups, impromptu speaking is typically taught with ‘tabletopics’ or a short prompt or question that the student answers off the cuff.”
Brown continues, “The club fortunately has multiple members who are willing to participate and help the children with the curriculum along with volunteering parents. Usually two Toastmasters are in each class along with a few parents who sit in. In Toastmasters of Waxhaw, we have 20 current members, with our most experienced members leading each of the sessions with a less experienced member helping them. Fortunately, this event holds an excellent opportunity to practice the skills that we teach in our club.”
This year will feature a few guest speakers including a Certified Forensic Investigator to talk about active listening, and one of our own Waxhaw Police Department, Officer Kevin Gasser, will be presenting. Besides speaking in front of a classroom-type setting, children will also know what it is to speak on an auditorium stage to a large audience. They will be able to receive immediate feedback as well as learn how to accept feedback and share feedback with others.
The Youth Leadership Program is still accepting applications. “We have a total of 50 slots available and are (as of 5/25/22) 50% full,” says Brown. “To sign up please email hpaaronbrown@gmail.com or tegrimm5@gmail.com with ‘Toastmasters YLP Sign Up’ in the subject. Please note, the meetings will take place on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-6:45 pm starting on June 7th through August 9th, and there will be two weeks off: July 5th and 26th. On the last day, we will host a ceremony where a few students will give a conclusory speech.”
If you are interested in joining the Toastmasters, meetings take place in downtown Waxhaw at The Meeting Place on Fridays at 8:00 am.  All are welcome to attend, though you must be 18+ to be an official member of the Waxhaw organization.
Jr Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program – hpaaronbrown@gmail.com or tegrimm5@gmail.com for details
