Celebrations were the order of the day when contestants of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG graduated on August 18 with certificates after three weeks of Toastmasters course.
The course involved six sessions over 12 hours of training in preparation for Pageant Week, which goes from August 25 to August 31 (Crowning Night).
Six volunteer Toastmasters from various companies in Port Moresby committed their time to assist the six contestants in the evenings.
The speechcraft course with the theme "Find your Voice" was designed to assist the contestants in the five main areas of:
- How to respond to impromptu questions
- How to organise a speech,
- Get to the point - what is your message
- Vocal variety - speed, pace, tone and body gestures - this included the use of speaking area or stage use, and
- Time management and effective listening
Monica Toisenegila of Komuniti Toastmasters Club of Port Moresby and the current Vice President for Education, who coordinated the Toastmasters lessons, said: “These are leadership skills that are most needed. I felt that the girls embraced the learnings, especially the evaluation given each night.
“When a point of improvement was highlighted, the girls would acknowledge it and return the next meeting clearly displaying the recommended change. I feel that the contestants all had a teachable spirit and were eager to absorb, learn and improve.
“They became more aware of hearing their own voice and avoided pause fillers such as ‘aaah’, ‘um’, ‘er’...so that their conversations flowed. Bottom line of this is self-confidence!”
Chairperson of MPIP PNG Committee, Molly O’Rourke, congratulated the 2019 Miss PNG contestants on graduating from the speech craft program.
“MPIP PNG is a pageant with a purpose; not only do we seek to empower women through education but we also take a holistic approach. As part of the pageant, our contestants participate in a Toastmasters PNG Speech craft program which teaches the art of public speaking and develops self-confidence.
“I would like to sincerely thank Toastmasters PNG for this valuable partnership which we have had since 2015. I also want to thank all the Toastmasters who took time out to train and evaluate the contestants right to their final speech delivery at graduation on Sunday, 18 August.
“As volunteers, I know what it is like to be sacrificing your own time but the cause we are all supporting is worth being passionate about.”
The provincial contestants Miss Frangipani ENB, Ellen Morgan, and Miss Jack's Madang Lavianna Leong graduated in absence as they had travelled out to their provinces.