In the opening remarks, VP of Education Abdulrahman Albazie acknowledged the challenges faced by some individuals, likening the situation to a race where some participants have a significant head start while others remain at the starting line, confronted by seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
In a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, the group observed a minute of silence.
The meeting was then handed over to the Toastmaster of the Day, Savannah Murphy. Savannah introduced the Word of the Day (WOD), which was “antithesis.” They explained that it refers to a direct contrast or opposition between two ideas, concepts, or statements, signifying any situation where two opposing elements are compared to highlight their differences.
Toastmaster Anu Parvathaneni introduced the first speaker, Toastmaster Dave Burr. Dave delivered a level 4 speech titled “Managing Projects Successfully,” taking us through the process that a director uses in taking a play, from script to stage. Sharing that the stakeholders are many, from the playwright to the actors to lighting and sound techs, all brought together for a piece of art, and success is measured by both critical and audience appreciation for the work.
Anu evaluated Toastmaster Dave’s speech, commending his exceptional delivery. Anu provided constructive feedback, identifying areas where the speech could be strengthened.
Toastmaster Norris Bass introduced the second speaker, Toastmaster Kerstin Haase, who delivered an engaging speech. In her speech, Kerstin explored significant moments in the evolution of activism and highlighted the power of influential speakers throughout history. She captivated the audience with compelling stories that illustrated how effective communication can inspire change.
Norris evaluated Kerstin’s speech, praising her excellent eye contact and gestures that enhanced the delivery of her message. He highlighted that her presentation was impactful, resonating with the audience on a personal level.
Toastmaster Stiles Burr led an engaging table topics session, inviting participants to tackle thought-provoking “antithesis” questions. This lively exercise aimed to cultivate quick thinking, sharpen articulation, and enhance confident, on-the-spot communication skills, encouraging them to explore contrasting ideas in real time.
Toastmaster Tina Joe served as a General Evaluator, delivering comprehensive feedback on the meeting and praising the outstanding performances of the participants. Toastmaster Matthew Choate provided the Timer report, ensuring that each segment stayed within the allotted time—well done, Matthew! Toastmaster Abdulrahman Albazie, serving as the Grammarian, offered insightful linguistic feedback and shared memorable quotes that resonated with the group.
Toastmaster Savannah smoothly handed over the meeting to VP of Education Abdulrahman to wrap up and officially adjourn the meeting.
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The next Sunrise Toastmasters meeting will be at 7 a.m. on April 11, EST. If you would like to join our meeting as a guest, contact us for the meeting link.
The roles for the next meeting are as follows:
Toastmaster: Stiles
Speaker 1: Tina Joe
Speaker 2: Norris
Table Topics: Kendra
General Evaluator: Dave
Evaluator 1: Abdulrahman
Evaluator 2: Savannah
Timer: (Open)
Grammarian: Matthew
