Contest Chair Script

• Acknowledge the audience
• Welcome to the: _________ Toastmasters Club Humorous and Evaluation Speech Contest.
• Today's 2 winners of each Contest will represent ___________ TMC  in the Division _ Area __ Humorous and Evaluation  Speech Contest to be held on ________at the ___________ .  If the first and/or 2^nd  place winner is unable to attend, the 3rd place winner (or alternate) will speak in their place.
• We shall begin 1^st Session – Humorus Speech Contest, after the break we shall continue with the 2^nd Session – Evaluation Speech Contest.

Let’s begin the 1^st Session – Humorous Speech Contest.

The purpose of the Humorous Speech Contest

-         To provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragement to all.

-         To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their Toastmasters training

-         To recognize the value of humor in speaking

All Toastmasters who are members in good standing in a Club in good standing are eligible to compete.

Protests will be limited to Judges and contestants. Any protest will be lodged with the chief judge and/or contest chairperson prior to the announcement of the winner and alternate (s). All decisions of the judges are final.

• Speaker's order for the 1^st Session – Humorus Speech Contest:( write on the board and show them the speaking order)

 #1 _____________________________________

#2 _____________________________________

 #3 _____________________________________ 

#4 _____________________________________ 

#5 _____________________________________ 

·         The speakers have prepared and worked hard to be here today. They deserve our respect and consideration. In the spirit of this:

o        Please do not take any photos during the contest - not even during the moment of silence. 

o        Please keep the aisles clear (no obstructions)

o        No one will be allowed to leave or enter during the speeches

·         Timing and judging will begin with the contestant's first definite verbal or nonverbal communication with the audience.

·        I will announce the contestant's name, title of speech, title of speech and the contestant's name.

·         All speeches shall be from five to seven minutes. Contestants who speak less than four minutes and 30 seconds, or more than seven minutes and 30 seconds will be disqualified.

·         Timing will begin with the contestant’s first definite verbal or non-verbal communication with the audience.

o        The green light will be turned on at five minutes and remain on for one minute.

o        The amber light will be turned on at six minutes and remain on for one minute.

o        The red light will be turned on at seven minutes and remain on until the speech is concluded. No audible device, such as a buzzer, shall be used for the overtime period.

·         The timing lights are visible to the contestants.

·         There will be one minute of silence after each speaker during which the judges will mark their ballots and contestants will setup or remove their props. Please honor this one minute of silence in respect and consideration to the speech contestants.

·         Are the timers ready? Chief Judge? We are ready then. Let the contest begin.

SPEAKERS SHEET

 SPEAKER #1 _____________________________________________________(name)

 _____________________________________________________ (title)

 REPEAT: Title

  Name

 (Shake hands with the Contestant.  Make sure you wait until the applause dies down, then read slowly and clearly the title of the speech by beginning with, “The title of the speech is, “……”.  Pause.  Read the title of the speech again.  Pause.  Read slowly and clearly again the name of the contestant.   Shake the contestant’s hand again.  Do not lead the applause this time. Go back to your seat quickly.  Do not linger around on the stage)  

To help the judges mark their ballots, please observe one minute of silence

SPEAKER #2 _____________________________________________________(name)

_____________________________________________________ (title)

REPEAT: Title

Name

please observe one minute of silence

SPEAKER #3 _____________________________________________________(name)

_____________________________________________________ (title)

REPEAT: Title

Name

SPEAKER #4 _____________________________________________________(name)

_____________________________________________________ (title)

REPEAT: Title

Name

SPEAKER #5 _____________________________________________________(name)

 _____________________________________________________ (title)

REPEAT: Title

Name

After each speaker, ask the backup timer to give you a minute. Remind the audience to be quiet during the one minute of silence.

(After all contestants have completed their speeches, and after the last one-minute silence period is up) Would the tally counters collect the ballots from the judges, and the report from the timers.  Would the chief judge and tally counters go to the area outside the room to count the ballots?

Let’s take a 15 minutes break, and please come back at ____________.

 After Break

• Acknowledge the audience
• Welcome back to our second session- the Evaluation Speech Contest

The purpose of the Evaluation Speech Contest

-         To encourage development of evaluation skills and to recorgnise the best as encouragement to all

-         To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient evaluators who have benefited from their Toastmasters training.

The Rules are the same at the Humorous Contest, I will not repeat again.

·         A test speaker will deliver a 5-7 minute speech for evaluation.  Then the SAA will escort the evaluation contestants to leave the room, and the contestants will have a 5-minute period to prepare for the evaluation.  At the end of the 5-minute period, the SAA will take away all preparation material from the contestants, arrange the material in the speaking order,   The SAA will ask the first contestant to come into the room, and his/her material will be returned as I  introduce  the contestant.

·         I will announce the name of the contestant, after which we will all welcome the contestant by a warm round of applause.  I’ll shake hands with the contestant.  Then I will announce the name of the contestant again. Please hold your applause and avoid walking around until the end of the contestant’s presentation

·          There will be a one-minute silence after each evaluation, for the judges to mark their ballots.  You may go to the restroom during this period, if it is absolutely necessary.

• Speaker's order:

 #1 _____________________________________

#2 _____________________________________

 #3 _____________________________________ 

#4 _____________________________________ 

·         All Evaluation speeches shall be from two to three minutes. Contestants who speak less than 1 minute 30 second or more than 3 minutes and 30 seconds will be disqualified.

·         Timing will begin with the contestant’s first definie verbal or non-verbal communication with the audience.

o        The green light will be turned on at 2 minutes and remain on for 30 seconds.

o        The amber light will be turned on at 2 and half minutes and remain on for 30 seconds.

o        The red light will be turned on at 3 minutes and remain on until the speech is concluded. No audible device, such as a buzzer, shall be used for the overtime period.

·         The timing lights are visible to the contestants.

·         There will be one minute of silence after each speaker during which the judges will mark their ballots. Please honor this one minute of silence in respect and consideration to the speech contestants.

·         Once again, please make sure you’ve switched your mobile phones and pagers to silent mode.

Evaluation Contest 

And now, the moment all of you have been waiting for.

Are the judges ready?

Are the timers ready?

Are the contestants ready?

Is the audience ready?

Is the test speaker ready?

 We are ready then. 

Let the Contest begin. The test speaker is _____________ (Do not mention CTM etc, but lead the applause) The title of the speech is ________.  Again, the title of the speech is _.  Please welcome _______ (name of the test speaker)

(after the test speaker has delivered the speech)  (note: do not comment on the test speech when the contestants are in the room)  Timer, may I have the timing report for the test speaker please?  The contestants have 5 minutes to prepare for their evaluation.  At the end of the 5^th minute, the SAA will take away the materials from all contestants, and ask the first contestant to come into the room. SAA, would you usher all contestants to the waiting area outside the room please? (after all contestants have left the room) Timer, please start the counting of the 5-minute period now.  Please give me a signal when the 5-minute period is up. 

(To fill up the 5-minute period, , e.g. interviewing the test speaker, asking the audience to evaluate the test speech, start a chain story based on the test speech, tell some jokes or stories, invite comments on the test speech, etc.)

(When the first contestant comes into the room, be sure to have this contestant’s  material ready to be returned to him/her)  

Contestant Number One, Name (read it aloud slowly and clearly, and do NOT mention titles such as CTM, ATM etc).    (Lead the applause, shake hands with the contestant, and return the material to the contestant. Make sure you wait until the applause dies down, then announce slowly and clearly the name of the contestant again.  Go back to your seat quickly.  Do not applause. Do not linger around on the stage.) 

(After the first contestant has completed his/her speech)

To help the judges mark their ballots, please observe one minute of silence.   For those of you who need to move around, this is the time to do so. SAA please bring the next contestant, Name, into the room please. 

(Note the time using your watch so that you’ll know when the one-minute period is up.  Alternatively, the timer can help to time this period)(During this one minute of silence, ask the next contestant to sit at the designated chair when the one-minute silence period is up, SAA pass the notes back to the contestant) Contestant no.2, Name. Repeat Name. (see above) 

(After all contestants have completed their speeches, and after the last one-minute silence period is up) Would the tally counters collect the ballots from the judges, and the report from the timers.  Would the chief judge and tally counters go to the area outside the room to count the ballots?

Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for some commercial messages.

(Make announcement of upcoming events for the club, area, division, district) 

Presentation of Certificates, Tokens, Awards (may interview the Contestants and give away the Certificates of Participation to the contestants)

Now is the certificate presentation time.   Let’s invite ________________ to present the Certificates of Participation to the contestants. Please welcome 

We’d like to thank _____________________________for presenting the certificates

To be presented next are the Certificates of Appreciation for the appointment holders.  Let’s invite _____________________ to present the certificates . Please welcome ___________________   

 We’d like to thank ______ for presenting the certificates. (Lead the applause)

(Make sure all the judges have come back into the room) Next to be presented are the Certificates of Appreciation for the Judges.  May we invite _________ to present the certificates. Please welcome ________.  

  We’d like to thank ______________________ for presenting the certificates. (Lead the applause)

(If there are some certificates not presented due to the previous absence of the recipients – e.g. chief judge and ballot counters, this is a good time to present those certificates)

Chief Judge, are the contest results ready?  And now, ladies and gentlemen, the defining moment we have been waiting for: the presentation of awards for the Contests.   Let’s invite ______________ to come to the stage to present the awards.  (mention some introduction) Please welcome ____________

Chief Judge, may I have the contest results please? (Get result slips from the Chief Judge, and note if there is any disqualification)

Shall we announce the results for the Humorous Speech Contest first?  There have been  (number) contestants disqualified because of (reason).  Is there any protest before the results are announced?  As you know, the results, once announced, will be final.  (Pause)

(Check if the SAA has the trophies ready) 

As there are ___ contestants, there will be ___ prizes.  The results for the Humorous Speech Contest are:

The 2^nd runner-up:  Name with title (Area and club name optional) (lead the applause)

The 1^st runner-up: Name with title (Area and club name optional) (lead the applause)

The champion: Name with title (Area and club name optional) (lead the applause) 

The champion will represent the club in the Area Humorous Speech Contest.  If the champion can’t attend, the next highest placed available contestant will be the alternate.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the results for the Evaluation Contest.

(Take a look at the result slip, to see if there is any disqualification) 

There have been  (number) contestants disqualified because (reason).  Is there any protest before the results are announced?  As you know, the results, once announced, will be final.  (Pause) 

As there are ___ contestants, there will be __ prizes. The results for the Eval Contest:

The 2^nd runner-up: Name with title (Area and club name optional) (lead the applause)

The 1^st runner-up: Name with title (Area and club name optional) (lead the applause)

The champion:  Name with title (Area and club name optional) (lead the applause) 

The champion will represent the club in the Area Evaluation Contest.  If the champion can’t attend, the next highest placed available contestant will be the alternate.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, let’s hear it from our President for the closing address.  Please welcome _________.    (end)