Page 8 - May 2019 Voices

COVER STORY

those groups gave her the community and at the club. However, the contest judging
security she needed to thrive. Her junior year, forms allow up to 30 percent of the score
the Honors colony studied at the University for recommendations. I also understand that
of Vienna for a semester. observations and recommendations are very

During the first semester of her senior different. You can observe someone speaking
year in 1966, she student taught in Tacoma. too quickly, but unless you can recommend
Personnel levies for Ft. Lewis and McCord Air that the speaker slow, vary the pace, and
Force base were growing as the US readied pause for effect, there would be no points.”

for the Vietnam war. There were not enough She’s found over the years that participating
teachers. Alexis was hired with an emergency in contests, at any level, is a whole new
certificate from the state to finish the school learning experience. “As long as I have been
year in Steilacoom as a second grade teacher. a Toastmaster, and as long as I expect to

She was invited to teach at the local grade continue, I will always be learning. And as
school in Camas when she completed her they say in the Hokey Pokey, that’s what it’s
degree. She taught second grade in the same all about.”
room where she had been a second grader.

She retired after 30 years of teaching
in the Camas schools in 1998.
After retirement, Alexis and
husband Dave decided to try

something new together every
year for as long as they could.
Toastmasters was one of those new
activities. Dave actually joined

several months before Alexis did.
She says he invited me to come listen
to him speak and that was all it took.
She joined in June of 2000. Clark

County Toastmasters is her home
club and now it is our only club.
In preparing for the contests at
all levels, Alexis says she realizes

that evaluations for regular club
meetings and contest evaluations
are very different. “I would never
offer a speaker more than one, or

possibly two, recommendations

8 ONE COMMUNITY