Toastmasters International WCPS Semifinal 3- Review- Shayak Chandra
Speech Title: Mr. WOG
Thoughtful question: How do you react when you have a foreign in your life?
Message: Oyster teaches an environment of acceptance that creates the pearl.
Appreciate the value of an environment of acceptance
Remarkable: Hand gestures as he reveals two props towards the end- Oyster and Pearl and puts the pearl over the oyster.
Salient Features: Command on stage. Revealing the props at the right time and in a beautiful way to reinforce the message. Very sharp and neat dressing.
Rating: 8/ 10
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Contestant 2: Asj Banaszek
Speech Title: I raise my hand
Starts the speech sitting on a chair, raising a hand for a question at an IT townhall. And then recalls nervous anticipation of raising his hand in childhood on some occasions.
The turning point: Zero tolerance policy for violence was institutionalized in is school. He raised his hand but wasn't allowed to ask questions and was told that You are not allowed to start a fight but you are allowed to finish a fight. Great Characterization.
Thoughtful question put across: Did you ever ask a question? A question that you knew if you asked it there could be trouble but you have to ask it.
The storyline was not very engaging. If the content is the king, here it was a Bishop.
Message: Keep raising hands for the continuous fight for fairness. Don't be afraid to raise your hand.
She made sure she was clearly heard and visible even if she sat on a chair although it was away and that shows her preparedness.
Salient Features: Purposeful usage of the stage, Good stage choreography
Rating: 6.1/ 10
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Contestant 3: Fursey Gotuaco
Speech Title: The Dark
The first intriguing thing that you would notice here is the Dark background which goes well with the speech title. Dark Background...
Plot: Starts with a story where there was a nameless village and there was a fire. Villagers emerged from the dark to seek comfort and wisdom from the fire. The twist has an old man on the other side of the fire who takes it as a responsibility to inspire others with the fire.
Comparison of his own life where his wife left him and he tried to become that old man.
Risky Humor used😂: What do you do when you are not happy at your work and not happy at your home? You go to Toastmasters!
Talks about mentorship and how he guided his mentees in Toastmasters.
Message: Reach out people who are in dark and say it to them you shine brightest in the dark.
My personal opinion that the message was too philosophical to implement in practical life.
Missing bits and links of logic at places but I leave it up to you to decide when you watch it.
Salient Features: Amazing Storytelling capability with brilliant vocal quality just apt for storytelling, Use of technology by having a dark background and aligning it with speech title
Rating: 7/ 10
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Contestant 4: Mas Mahathir Bin Mohamad
Speech Title: The Machi
A very different kind of a speech with such a simple message
ROFL humor: Imagine a Chinese boy in America with last name Trump.😂😂
The revelation of the problem statement in his speech: Biggest trouble was fitting in. Do you sometimes find it hard to fit in?
Rejection from his friends circle for his mixed-race background. He tries to change by changing his name and looks. Wanted to become a cool guy but ends up failing in exams. His dad made him realize his uniqueness
Message: What truly matters is embracing your uniqueness!
Salient Features: Sharp dressing, Great sense of humor, Amazing poise and a simple story to drive a powerful message
Rating: 7.8/ 10
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Contestant 5: Sherwood Jones
Speech Title: Ignore the suit
Amazzzinnggg is an understatement.💗
Furious at a Senior discount of 75 cents--- Addressed a part of the audience as unwilling recipients of Senior Discount.
When it comes to age we have two options: 1 Denial 2 Acceptance. Introduces a third option: Ignore the Suit
The gravity of emotions: Example: Slowly decaying organized collection of flesh and blood.
Examples of Einstein and Hawkings
Message: If your spark shines brightly enough people will not care what it is wearing. Ignore the suit. The weakness of the body outside ahs nothing to do with the strength of the spark inside. Age is an illusion
The tricky part: Introduces the metaphor of Contestant No:1 (Not sure whether it was knowingly done or unknowingly) Ignore shell of the oyster when the pearl is inside. Takes off his coat and compares it with the skin or our physique with the most beautiful way possible
Salient Features: Master of Facial Expressions, Grand Storyteller, Brilliant use of prop and a perfect message to remember him for a long time.
Rating: 8.9/ 10
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Contestant 6: Kwong Yue Yang
Speech Title: Taxi
You will seldom come across such a beautiful, simple yet elegant story and such an impactful message.
Introduction and the following story gives a cinematic experience just like a movie director wants us to see a part of the present, then takes us to the past and then drops us to the present again. Beautiful💗
A story of how a beautiful girl gave him a lift as a kind gesture, asks him to pass it on as a favor to someone else and he does that towards the end. Not disclosing the story. it's very sweet, simple yet powerful
Message: Kindness is simple. Kindness can be shared. Kindness doesn't need a reason.
It will help you restore faith in kindness and humanity
Salient Features: Great plot creation, Hilarious expressions, and what an elegant way to pass across the message to the audience.
I sincerely tried to keep away all my biases away knowing that he gave a brilliant speech to bag the 2nd Runnerup WCPS 2019
Rating: 8/ 10
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Contestant 7: Carrie Verrocchio
Speech Title: The power of choice
A story of the youngest sister of a family and her two brothers one who die due to terminal cancer
She could have used the power of pause to make a greater impact. Did not allow the audience to ponder upon the questions that she asked.
Climax: She meets her dead brother in her dreams who refuses to identify her and then says that he is there just to tell her that life is short and so we should choose wisely.
My personal opinion: The speech title could have been something different. You may realize it once she discloses the message. Please let me know in the comments what do you think on this,
Also, a researched fact, sourced from Cornell University, about the choices, arrives at an improper place in the speech
Salient Features: Confident, Introducing an innovative concept of keeping a character in her dream, and then having a conversation with him.
Rating: 5.3/ 10
And here comes my Top 2 for this set:
1. Contestant 5- Sherwood Jones (I so wish that he gets to the next level 💗)
2. EXTREMELY TOUGH to choose between Contestant 1- Peter Karagianakis and Contestant 6- Kwong Yue Yang but I would go for Contestant 1 (The value and the uniqueness of the message helped me to choose 1 over 6)
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