SPEECH CONTESTS

Speech contests are a Toastmasters tradition. Each year thousands of Toastmasters compete in the Humorous, Evaluation, Table Topics, Tall Tales, and International speech contests.

Competition begins with club contests, and winners continue competing through the area, division, and district levels. The International competition has two additional levels — semifinal and the World Championship of Public Speaking®.

This year, District 13 will be participating in the following contests:

International Contest

  • Contestants present a five-to-seven-minute speech on any subject they choose. All districts must conduct this contest.

Evaluation

  • Contestants observe a five-to-seven-minute test speech and then present a two-to-three-minute evaluation of the test speech.

Guidelines for Contestant Eligibility in the District Contests

Click here for District 13 Summary Document for Contests by Level

Formula to determine the number of contestants moving forward. Lower Level ==> Upper Level Contest

  • If the Upper level has four or fewer of the Lower Level Entities, then two (2)
    each from the Lower level attend the Upper Level Contest.
  • If the Upper level has five (5) or more, then one (1) each from the Lower Level
    attend the Upper Level Contest.

An example to illustrate the guidelines

The Area 12 Contest will host two (2) contestants from each club because Area
12 has four (4) clubs.The Division B Contest will host one (1) contestant from
each area because Division B has five areas. The District 13 Contest will
host two (2) contestants from each division because District 13 has four
divisions.

CONTEST MATERIALS

IMPORTANT DATES

CLUB CONTESTS HELD:
November 1 – January 31

AREA CONTESTS:
February 1 – March 8

  • Area 1:

    February 29
    10 am
    Carrick Carnegie Free Library of Pittsburgh
    1811 Brownsville Road
    Pittsburgh, PA 15210

  • Area 2 & 3:
    February 15
    10 am
    Western Allegheny Community Library, 181 Bateman Road
    Oakdale, PA 15071

  • Area 4:

    February 29
    10 am – 2 pm
    Upper St Clair Library
    (bottom floor multipurpose room)
    1820 McLaughlin Run Road
    Upper St. Clair, PA 15241

  • Area 5:

    February 20
    7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
    West Virginia University
    Evansdale Library, Room 228
    1212 Evansdale Drive
    Morgantown, WV 26505

  • Area 12:

    February 15
    10:00 am
    Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church
    517 Sangree Road
    Pittsburgh PA 15237

  • Area 13:

    February 27
    6:30 pm – 8 pm
    Cranberry Township Municipal Center
    Grange Hall
    2525 Rochester Road
    Cranberry Township, PA 16066

  • Area 15:
    February 12
    7 pm- 9 pm

    HOSS’s Steak House
    W. 26th Street
    Erie, PA 16506

  • Area 21:

    February 29
    Time: 1pm – 4 pm
    University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
    450 Schoolhouse Rd
    Johnstown, PA 15904

  • Area 22:

    February 22
    9:30 am – 12 pm
    Patton Township Building
    100 Patton Plaza
    State College, PA 16803

  • Areas 23 & 24:

    March 7
    9 am – 1 pm
    Riverview Community Action Corporation
    501 2nd Street
    Oakmont, PA 15139

  • Area 34:

    February 7
    6 pm – 8 pm
    University of Pittsburgh
    Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 3
    3350 Terrace St
    Pittsburgh, PA 15261

  • Area 35:

    February 12
    6pm – 8 pm
    BNY Mellon
    500 Grant Street
    Pittsburgh PA 15218

DIVISION CONTESTS:

Division A
Sunday, March 22 – 2:00 pm-5:00 pm
Western Allegheny Community Library
181 Bateman Road
Oakdale, PA 15071
The contests will be held in what is referred to as the garage of the library. No special parking necessary.

Division B
Saturday, March 21 – 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Hope Lutheran Church
8070 Rowan Road
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
Registration and Contestant Briefing is at 9:30 am.

Division C
Saturday, March 28 – 1:00 pm-4:00 pm
John P. Murtha Center For Public Service and National Competitiveness
University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown Campus
Kunks Drive – Johnstown PA, 15904

Division D
Saturday, March 21 – 2:00 pm-6:00 pm
BNY Mellon
500 Grant Street
3rd Floor Conference Center
Pittsburgh, PA

All participants must bring photo ID to get into the building. Please RSVP to the division & area directors so that we have names for security. Allow 15 extra minutes for parking; there is street parking.

CLUB CONTEST DATES

Clubs are encouraged to put contest information on the front page of their club websites to give extra visibility to the contests. Be sure to send winner information to the Area Director.