[Unitedwespeak] Upcoming club competition - qualify for the Western Region Speaking Competition in Las Vegas, NV

[Sipp, Bob]

To my fellow United We Speak members:

The 2003 Western Region Speaking Competition will be held Friday, September 26, 2003, in Las Vegas, NV.  Full details are provided below.

We will be having a club competition sometime in the first two weeks of August.  The winner of our club competition will attend the regional competition, at the expense of Team Bank of America.

I am trying to get a feel for the number of people who are interested in competing, and where they are located (315?  1455?).  It will help the other officers and I figure out the best place and time for our club competition.

If you are interested in competing in the club competition, please let me know as soon as possible.

Bob Sipp
President
United We Speak

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Theme:		"Living the Spirit"

Host Network:	Summerlin Sounders Speaking Network
			Silver State Team

Location:		Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
			Las Vegas, Nevada

Keynote Speaker:	Liam McGee
			President, California Consumer Bank

Judging criteria:
Content (50%)
	Speech Development is the way the speaker puts ideas together 
	so the audience can understand them.  The speech is structured 
	around a purpose, and this structure must include an opening, 
	body and conclusion.  A good speech immediately engages the 
	audience's attention and then moves forward toward a 
	significant conclusion.  This development of the speech 
	structure is supported by relevant examples and illustrations,
	facts and figures, delivered with such smoothness that they 
	blend into the framework of the speech to present the audience 
	with a unified whole.

	Effectiveness is measured in part by the audience's reception 
	of the speech, but a lart part is your subjective judgement 
	of how the speech came across.  You should ask yourself such 
	questions as "Was I able to determine the speaker's purpose?" 
	"Did the speech relate directly to that purpose?" "Was the 
	audience's interest held by the speaker?" "Was this speech 
	subject appropriate for this particular audience?"

	Speech Value justifies the act of speaking.  The speaker has 
	a responsibility to say something meaningful and original to 
	the audience.  The listeners should feel the speaker has made
	a contribution to their thinking.  The ideas should be 
	important ones, although this does not preclude a humorous 
	presentation of them.

Devlivery (30%)
	Physical presentation of a speech carries part of the 
	responsibility for effective communication.  The speaker's 
	appearance should reinforce the speech, whether profound, 
	sad, humorous, instructional.  Body language should support 
	points through gestures, expressions and body poositioning.

	Voice is the sound that carries the message.  It should be 
	flexible, movng from one pitch level to another for emphasis,
	and should have a  variety of rate and volume.  A good voice
	can be clearly heard and the words easily understood.

	Manner is the indirect revelation of the speaker's real self
	as the speech is delivered.  The speaker should speak with 
	enthusiasm and assurance, showing intereset in the audience 
	and confidence in their reactions.

Language (20%)
	Appropriateness of language refers to the choice of words 
	that relate to the speech purpose and to the particular 
	audience hearing the speech.  Language should promote 
	clear understanding of thoughts and should fit the 
	occation precisely.

	Correctness of language ensures that attention will be 
	directed toward what the speaker says, not how it is 
	said.  Proper use of grammar and correct pronunciation
	will show that the speaker is the master of the words 
	being used.

Please note that any bank employee can attend the competition,
but you must register in advance and the Team Bank of America
will only cover your travel expenses if you are the Everybody
Speaks representative.

Bob Sipp