ALKHOBAR, 8 July 2007 — The second Youth Leadership Program by CIGI Toastmasters was an overwhelming success as 34 young talented students regaled the audience with their prepared or impromptu speeches.
The striking commonality of these young talents was their confidence during the eight strenuous sessions. And their speeches too caught their eye for their factual presentation or in some cases a touch of humor.
The experience of this program did provide a vision of the future because it gave all a perspective of the fresh and more aggressive mindset of the youth.
In his inaugural address, Dhahran Academy’s David Butler stressed the role of effective communication. He also emphasized that today effective communication is part of the school curricula in the US.
Continuing from where Butler left, TM Faisal Zahrani stressed the importance of good personality development in a child. “We realize the importance of effective communication and the role played by the Toastmasters in inculcating this every child,” Faisal said.
The concept of effective communication is widening and today important issues like listening, thinking, organizing, assimilating are all under the purview of communication.
Good listening is as important as organizing and assimilating for it becomes a base on which communication rests.
“We held workshops on aspects like listening, voice modulation, body language, speech craft and so on. It really makes a difference when something is actually enacted or performed in front of a group. It becomes a great visual aid for the future,” said TM Koya Anachirayil, the program coordinator.
“Smartness in physical appearance is necessary but smartness in communication is like the icing on the cake. It gives all great satisfaction when the erstwhile tentative child adopts a posture of confidence and conveys the same to the others. This is the thrill of witnessing the fruits of ones efforts,” said Shaila Koya, the president of CIGI Toastmasters as she watched the prizewinners with a proud smile.
Sharon won the first prize in the prepared speech contest whilst Nada Khan and Malvika Mohan bagged the second and the third prizes. In the humorous speech contest, Fatima Zeba mesmerized the audience and had them in peals of laughter, winning the first prize very easily. Sonam Dhage and Saman Misbah placed second and third, respectively in this category. And in the Table Topics, Mohammad Yousaf’s spontaneity won him the first prize followed by Parvathy and Faliha.
