ONE OF OUR OWN REPRESENTS AT TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

District 29's winners for the International Contest: Terry Schutt, Andy Highfill and Denise Sockwell.

District 29  is proud to announce our support of one of our own, Andy Highfill, in the upcoming Semifinal Toastmaster International Speech Contest, on Thursday Aug. 16, 7:30 -9 pm during the 2012 Toastmasters International Convention .  There will be nine semi-finalist rounds of competitions in total, with the winner of each semi-finalist competing in the World Competition on Saturday August 18th. Details of the breakdown of the International Speech Contest, and the Toastmaster 2012 Convention itself, can be found on District 29 's homepage.

We are proud of all of our finalists, congratulations to all! The results of District 29's winners for the International Speech Contest Winners are: 1st place) Andy Highfill; 2nd place) Denise Sockwell and 3rd place) Terry Schutt.  Evaluation Contest Winners were: 1st place) Jeff Gordon and 2nd place) Shelly Roman.  Andy will be representing us in Orlando, Florida.  Please make sure to enthusiastically support his efforts as he does so, and congratulate all of our own finalists when you see them.

Toastmasters inspires growth and confidence as we move through the various steps. Andy was quoted to have said that he has been surprised at how far he has made it through the contests, against all of the veteran DTMs.  However, Andy Highfill poignantly represents the point that you do not have to be a veteran toastmaster in order to succeed.  Andy has masterfully met each contest head on, despite the fact that he does not yet have his CC or CL.  He has incorporated what he has learned in the past two years, within his Toastmaster International experience, in order to maximize his potential.  His journey began with the Dialoguers Club.  However, he transferred to Toast of Tysons back in February of  2011, when he became a Program Manager at Mitre Corporation.

Andy's sources of inspiration, which he weaves into the majority of his speeches, are his wife and daughters.  Lilly (4 yrs old) and Mia (3 yrs old) and his wife Sonya mean everything to him.  He strives to spend every moment possible with them.   

When asked what his favorite experience that he has taken from Toastmasters, he quickly responded, "The people.  I have made great friends, which I will have for the rest of my life."  To hear Andy Highfill's speeches on a more intimate group level, Toast of Tysons is an open club.  All are welcome to be a guest, or join.  They meet the first and third Wednesday of every month, at noon.  The address is 7515 Colshire Drive, McLean, VA 22102.  The club web site is: tysons.freetoasthost.org.

Andy expressed his appreciation for District 29's support and would appreciate any further support or words of encouragement from other District 29 members.  Of course, please come and support him at the SemiFinal Toastmaster International Speech Contest #7, on Thursday Aug. 16, 7:30 -9 pm.  Come support Andy, and support our District, with the same respectful encouragement and empowerment that we ourselves have received on our own personal journey through Toastmasters.

 Press Release Written by: Katherine Ransom