Philadelphia resident is semifinalist in the world’s largest speech contest

Aaron Beverly, of Philadelphia, PA, outshined more than 7 local contestants to win the district-level competition of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest. Beverly advances to the semifinal rounds of the contest, vying for one of 10 spots in the World Championship of Public Speaking® to be held at the Toastmasters International Convention Friday, August 25 in Vancouver, Canada.

Beverly, a member of Panorama Toastmasters (https://www.panoramatoastmasters.org/), in Philadelphia, PA, surpassed fierce competition to win over the judges with his speech, “Consequences.” The speech touched on the themes of encouragement, support and love. When it comes to connecting with an audience, he said, “The key for me is to have a relatable story that can connect with multiple people, but it doesn't stop there. You have to want to share a message that means something to you personally and that goes beyond a contest.”
Beverly will compete with 101 other winners from districts around the world who advanced to the 2017 semifinal round after a six-month process of elimination through club, area, division and district speech competitions. Their five- to seven-minute speeches were judged on content, organization, gestures and style.
“Toastmasters speech contests are the best way to improve your skills and confidence in a short amount of time. The key here though, is that you have to have a goal in mind. This year I wanted to improve upon my performance and ability from last year. That keeps me striving to be better, tell better stories, have better delivery, etc.”says Beverly. “I am looking forward to competing on a much larger stage in Vancouver!” Beverly is Project Manager for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in Newark, DE. He joined Toastmasters to become a better speaker and leader at work and in the community.
The Toastmasters International Speech Contest began in 1938 and is the world’s largest speech contest, involving 30,000 participants from 142 countries. It culminates with the popular World Championship of Public Speaking held annually at the organization’s International Convention.
To interview Beverly, learn more about the contest or Toastmasters club membership, contact (local district contact info). Follow @Toastmasters International on Twitter to track Beverly’s progress.
About District 38
District 38 is one of 102 districts, which comprises more than 168 corporate and community clubs in Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. To learn more about District 38, please visit: www.tmdistrict38.org.
About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., the organization's membership exceeds 345,000 in more than 15,900 clubs in 142 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 @Toastmasters on Twitter.
# # #