District 7 Toastmasters Announces Winners of International Speech and Speech Evaluation Contests

PORTLAND, Ore., June 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikhil Badwaik, Beaverton, Oregon, is one step closer to the World Champion of Public Speaking title. Badwaik took first place in the Toastmasters District 7 International Speech Contest on May 16, 2020. It earned him the chance to compete in the Region Quarterfinals held in June with winners from 119 districts around the world.

Badwaik's speech. I Promise, kept the audience engaged with twists and turns using humor and pathos to deliver his message and impress the judges. 

"Being a young nomad, I lived with the stubborn attitude that I'll always have tomorrow to work on my most important and valuable idea. I filled my days, months, and years with least important things. After reading Todd Henry's book, Die Empty, I came to realize that we all have a limited number of days on earth. The only day we have is today to work on our most important idea. Make it count," said Badwaik when asked about his speech.

James Wantz wins District 7 Toastmasters 2020 Speech Evaluation contest

James Wantz, Tigard, Oregon, trounces seven competitors to win the title of District 7 Speech Evaluation Champion. Wantz offered the model speaker actionable, timely tips on speech structure and technology tweaks that resonated with the judges. 

Wantz is a frequent winner of District contests. Over the years, he has won both Speech Evaluation and Table Topics contests. When asked why he continues to compete, he stated "Competition is how I network and improve myself. I want to learn from the best and competitions are full of talented speakers and excellent evaluators. I can't think of a better way to improve."

This year's Toastmasters contests began in February with contestants from 143 nations and over 16,800 clubs. The contests started at the club level, and winners continued competing through the Area, Division, and District levels. The Speech Evaluation contest ended at District. The International Speech contest continues to Region Quarterfinals. The top two contestants from each Region compete in the semifinals. Each semifinal round includes one contestant from each Region. The two first-placed contestants from each semifinal will compete in the World Championship of Public Speaking® for a chance to be named the 2020 World Champion.

About District 7 Toastmasters

District 7 represents 130 Toastmasters clubs in Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Northern California. For more information, please visit www.d7toastmasters.org. 

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, the organization's membership exceeds 358,000 in more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @District7Toast on Twitter.

Media Contact: 
 Kathleen Tully
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SOURCE District 7 Toastmasters