by D50 After Dark Podcast
D50 After Dark is your gateway to the untold narratives within the Toastmasters community. Hosted by Mickey Bennett, DTM, this podcast brings together Toastmasters' finest to discuss the nuances of public speaking, share their journeys, and explore the diverse aspects of communication and leadership. Don't miss this chance to learn, grow, and engage. Mark your calendars for a thrilling podcast experience. Inquiries or suggestions? Contact us at [email protected]. Let's empower District 50 Toastmasters together!
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
8/2/2023
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April 9, 2025
<p><strong>Starting a Gavel Club: Bringing Toastmasters to Young People</strong></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Highlights</strong></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>0:14</strong> Mickey introduces D50 After Dark, focusing on starting a Gavel Club for young people interested in Toastmasters.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>2:32</strong> Jen explains that starting a Gavel Club has fewer requirements than starting a Toastmaster Club.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>3:45</strong> Clubs pay a $125 registration fee plus $125 annual fee. </p><p><br /></p><p><strong>7:00</strong> Pathways is not accessible to Gavel Club members; they use digital versions of older Toastmaster manuals.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>9:42</strong> Hitesh notes that Gavel Clubs face similar challenges to regular Toastmasters Clubs.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>10:53</strong> Nikki identifies finding free meeting space as a major challenge for youth leadership programs.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>14:12</strong> Jen recommends starting with the youth leadership program as a short introduction before connecting with a Gavel Club for continued development.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>This D50 After Dark episode, hosted by Mickey Bennett, features guests Jen Hoch and Nikki Jones, with input from Hitesh Bhalala, about starting and running Gavel Clubs for youth. The conversation is warm and informative tone with plenty of back-and-forth exchanges.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jen, who has 15 years of experience with Gavel Clubs, explains they're easier to establish than adult Toastmasters Clubs. Requirements include having members under 18, endorsement from a host location (often a local Toastmasters club) and following Toastmasters International procedures. It is recommended to have at least seven members to start. The club pays a one-time $125 registration fee plus an annual $125 fee for affiliation.</p><p><br /></p><p>Gavel Club members use digital versions of the Competent Communicator, Competent Leader, and advanced manuals. Jen appreciates these resources, noting that the ten speeches in the Competent Communicator manual progressively build skills from icebreakers to more complex presentations. The Competent Leadership manual helps members understand meeting roles and the corresponding leadership skills.</p><p><br /></p><p>Hitesh mentions that Gavel Clubs face similar challenges to regular Toastmasters Clubs, particularly managing summer breaks when students may be unavailable. Nikki adds that finding suitable free meeting spaces is a significant hurdle for youth leadership programs, though they have successfully partnered with libraries and community centers. Jen's club meets in a city community center with discounted rental fees due to their nonprofit status.</p><p><br /></p><p>Both Jen and Nikki enthusiastically confirm the programs are "100%" worth the effort, with Nikki highlighting parents' amazement at the dramatic changes they see in just four weeks. Jen shares success stories of students who started in second grade and continued until joining high school debate teams.</p><p><br /></p><p>For those interested, the hosts recommend reaching out via email to <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, where Nikki personally responds and connects interested parties with nearby clubs. Jen suggests starting with the youth leadership program as an introduction before moving to a Gavel Club and recommends having young people visit Toastmaster meetings or contests to see the process firsthand.</p><p><br /></p><p>The episode ends with Mickey promoting the next installment, which will feature stories about the experiences of kids in these programs.</p>
April 1, 2025
<p><strong>Youth Leadership Summit: A Celebration of Success</strong></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Highlights</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>(0:43) “And in today's episode...we’re going to be talking about the Youth Leadership Summit.”</p><p><br /></p><p>(1:17) Youth Leadership Summit is a celebration of successes, workshops, and a speech competition.</p><p><br /></p><p>(3:04) Educational workshops, like public speaking for social media</p><p><br /></p><p>(4:10) When registering for Summit, they can choose if they want to participate in the International speech contest.</p><p><br /></p><p>(6:45) This is for anybody, so the first invitations went out to past participants and gavel clubs. </p><p><br /></p><p>(8:02) The fee is $20, which includes workshops, lunch and access to mentors.</p><p><br /></p><p>(11:27 Kids are like sponges, picking up ideas and techniques from competitors.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>The transcript captures a lively discussion about the upcoming Youth Leadership Summit on the D50 After Dark podcast, hosted by Mickey Bennett. He’s joined by Nikki Jones, the program coordinator, and Jen Hoch, who has attended previous summits, with a video message from Hitesh Bhalala, District 50 Youth Leadership Chair.</p><p><br /></p><p>The summit is described as a “celebration of successes” that will take place on Saturday, April 26th at the Scottish Rite in Frisco, running from 9:30 AM after registration. For just $20, participants receive a full day of workshops, lunch, and mentorship. The event features educational sessions like “public speaking for social media,” “Hook, Line, and Sinker” to grasp audience attention, and practical skills like interview preparation with HR managers from various companies. Parents are encouraged to stay and will have their own dedicated sessions.</p><p><br /></p><p>A highlight of the summit is the Inspirational Speech Contest, where participants can deliver a 3- to 5-minute speech on any topic, with prizes for the top performers. As Jen excitedly explains, “They love getting a medallion or a trophy or recognition as being one of the better or best speakers for the contest.” The competitive environment also provides valuable learning opportunities as participants watch each other and “pick up things that they like and will take them back and incorporate them in their next speech.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Registration opened first for past youth leadership program participants and gavel club members, but it will be available to the public as well. The team expects spots to fill quickly, as their previous event “filled up in less than a minute.” The summit is open to anyone aged 10-18, not just those who have participated in previous programs.</p><p><br /></p><p>The conversation is punctuated with enthusiasm, with Nikki sharing her excitement about keynote speaker Denise Castille: “I totally fangirled because I think she’s such a dynamic speaker. She’s amazing.” Mickey connects by sharing his own childhood memory of a Nintendo World Championship, suggesting the summit will create similarly lasting memories for participants.</p><p><br /></p><p>District 50 Toastmasters’ webpage about youth programs is https://d50tm.org/pq/youth-leadership/</p><p><br /></p>
March 25, 2025
<p><strong>Building Tomorrow's Leaders: D50’s Youth Leadership and Gavel Clubs</strong></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>0:00 - Highlights</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>(0:34) In this timely episode, Mickey interviews District 50 leaders in the youth programs.</p><p><br /></p><p>(1:21) Mickey introduces Hitesh Balala as the youth leadership chair.</p><p><br /></p><p>(3:05) Hitesh explains gavel clubs are like Toastmasters clubs but for youth, ages 10-18.</p><p><br /></p><p>(6:40) Jen shares her experience starting youth programs in 1993.</p><p><br /></p><p>(9:06) Nikki describes the youth leadership program as a four-week mentoring course.</p><p><br /></p><p>(12:56) Nikki explains that the youth leadership program serves as a gateway to Gavel clubs.</p><p><br /></p><p>(15:01) Nikki highlights the main benefits: increased confidence and positive self-talk skills.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>This conversation captures the vitality of youth leadership programs and gavel clubs in District 50 Toastmasters. Host Mickey Bennett interviews Jen Hoch and Nikki Jones in studio, along with pre-recorded insights from Youth Leadership Chair Hitesh Balala. The discussion reveals how these programs help children ages 10-18 develop crucial communication and leadership skills through structured, engaging sessions.</p><p>Jen shares her 15-year journey running a thriving gavel club in Plano with about 17 members who meet twice monthly. Nikki details the transformative four-week youth leadership program that teaches everything from speech construction to stage presence. What comes through strongly is the remarkable transformation these volunteers witness—from shy kids speaking in “little voices” on day one to confident speakers using the full stage with proper gestures by the end of the program.</p><p>The conversation highlights how the programs build confidence for school presentations and debates while teaching valuable life skills like positive self-talk. As Hitesh notes, since 2015 he’s helped start several gavel clubs and witnessed “tremendous transformation in students’ public speaking as well as leadership skills.” The collective enthusiasm of host Mickey and his guests shows with frequent affirming phrases and shared stories, as they discuss impacting hundreds of young people in the community.</p><p>District 50 Toastmasters’ webpage about youth programs is https://d50tm.org/pq/youth-leadership/</p><p><br /></p>
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