Local Teens Complete Leadership and Public Speaking Training This Wednesday

Fifteen Forsyth County students will be surrounded by their mentors and cheering family and friends as they complete the eight-week Youth Leadership Program in public speaking hosted by Toastmasters International at the Post Road Library on Wednesday, February 28 at 6:30 p.m.

“This is the third year that our organization has volunteered to host the program,” says Distinguished Toastmaster Francis Chidambaram of the Navigators Toastmasters Club in Cumming, who led this year’s program.

Students in the Youth Leadership Workshop
practice speaking from prepared
 notes at the Post Road Library.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization that helps people develop communication and leadership skills. The Youth Leadership Program provides a supportive and positive experience for students in middle and high school to overcome the nervousness they feel when asked to speak before an audience.

“Each student comes in with a different level of comfort and confidence in speaking publicly. But they all supported one another with constructive feedback and everyone improved their speaking skills,” explains Chidambaram.

Throughout the Youth Leadership Program, students learn to organize their ideas logically and practice presenting those ideas convincingly. They also learn to listen carefully to ideas presented by others. The results of the Program and the students’ practice will be evident at the Graduation ceremony.

For more information on library programs, including a Toastmasters Speechcraft program for adults beginning at the Hampton Park Library on March 8, please visit www.forsythpl.org.