Page 27 - November 2017 Voices

Getting Better and Better

EARLY OREGON TOASTMASTERS - PART 7 by Areebah Zaidi

Public speaking used to be one of my while answering.
by Harvey Schowe, DTM - District 7 Historian least favorite things to do, my hands got sweaty I know I haven’t yet completed the journey

and shaky and I felt like I was about to drown in and probably won’t for a long time, but I can say
my own anxiety. I felt like fainting any time I have without a doubt I am starting to enjoy the time I
to get on the stage—it was the last thing I’d want spend at Future Stars. As much as I hate to admit
to do. After being a member of Future Stars, for a it to my parents, Toastmasters has really helped
little over a year now, I can sincerely say that this me step out of the small bubble, my comfort
club has helped me get over the fear of speaking zone and now waking up on those Saturday
and opened up my hidden potential. Since that mornings doesn’t seem so bad. I know that a
first disastrous day at Future Stars, I have gained lot of people don’t get the chance to be apart of
skills to help me with delivering, communicating something like this so I am very thankful for the
and understanding things in ways I had not opportunity to attend and learn in an environ-
been able to do so before. It wouldn’t have been ment that is safe, welcoming and comfortable.
too bad if the only thing I had to do was write My journey began with me realizing my own
speeches, for me that was the easy part. The fears of public speaking and now facing those
obstacle was the fears has not only helped and inspired me along
actual speaking. the way but others as well.
When I would get Areebah Zaidi is 15 and a sophomore in high
up on that stage, school. Her life consists of school, art, friends and
my mind would family. She aims to learn new things and master
go completely the skills she has not yet succeeded in, one of them
blank and the being public speaking.
writing on my Future Stars Gavel Club, is a youth communication
note cards would and leadership club administered by Toastmasters
look like scribbles. International, helping the young people of today
It was as if my become the great leaders of tomorrow! The club is
mind had been open to all middle school and high school aged kids. It
wiped clean and gives them the opportunity to become better listeners,
I had forgotten thinkers, speakers and leaders.
how to speak or even read. From being put into The club meets weekly during the school year
roles I didn’t want to do and being called to the every Saturday from 10:30am-12:00pm at 4115 SW
stage as a table topics speaker, soon turned into 160th Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97007 in the first
voluntarily stepping into roles. Yes, I still don’t room in the portal. To learn more about Future Stars
like table topics but now I use that to reflect back or to visit the club, pleas contact Coach Humaira at
onto and continue my growth and learning. futurestarspdx@gmail.com. Visitors are encouraged to
My struggles with speaking were broken visit the club and see for themselves why Future Stars
down and piece by piece, with every meeting I should be part of their educational journey.
attended and I was surprised how I learned to
overcome them. I realized this on the day of
our final meeting, like every other member I If you want to conquer
was called onto the stage to answer a table topics fear, don’t sit home and
question. When I stepped onto that stage and
looked at all of my fellow members and their think about it. Go out and
families, I realized that I wasn’t nervous. I stood
on that stage and answered the question “What get busy—Dale Carnegie
has Toastmasters helped you with?”, I was able to
add humour on the spot as well as feel confident

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