Youth Participate in International Toastmasters Leadership Program

Courtesy Photo TOASTMASTERS - back (L-R) Coordinator Dana Wise and Caleb Wise; front Presley Sanderson, Olivia Wise, Maria Murry, and Alexandra Murry (not pictured Christian Walker and Seguin Womack both homeschoolers)

Members of the first Henderson County Toast-masters met for their final meeting of the school year Tuesday, January 16, at the Henderson Extension Office in Athens.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people develop communication and leadership skills.

Area students participated in Toastmasters' Youth Leadership Program and completed an informal course in the arts of communication and leadership.

The first Henderson County Toastmasters was organized by Mrs. Dana Wise of Mabank and convened for its first meeting in October. Students met twice a month and learned to organize and prepare effective speeches, evaluate speeches, apply good listening skills, practice impromptu speeches, and learned how to participate in group discussion.

Students gained leadership skills by serving as club officers and by conducting meetings according to parliamentary procedure. Students were given plenty of opportunities to practice speeches in a friendly, positive atmosphere.

Students presented speeches of their choice on a range of topics including: how to throw an eventful party, the cognitive benefits of chess, the cause and treatment of leukemia, cause and effect of the Great Depression, and the qualities of a responsible babysitter.

At their final meeting Toastmasters participated in an extremely thoughtful panel discussion debating and addressing the issues surrounding illegal immigration.

Current officers are Presley Sanderson, President, a seventh grade homeschooler from Brownsboro; Maria Murry, Vice- President, a ninth grade homeschooler from Athens; Olivia Wise, Secretary, a ninth grade homeschooler from Mabank; and Caleb Wise, Sergeant at Arms, a seventh grade homeschooler from Mabank.