Top Toastmaster award for TT teacher

The award is the greatest honour that can be earned by a member of Toastmasters International and is given only to those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and communication skills to help others in their self-development efforts. Chuckaree got the award after completing both the leadership and communication tracks, including the Advanced Toastmaster Gold award and the award for Advanced Leader.

In October 1924, a group of men assembled by Dr Ralph C Smedley met in the basement of the Santa Ana, California YMCA to form a group “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and to promote sociability and good fellowship among the members.” The group took the name “Toastmasters.”

After a branch was established in Victoria, British Columbia, the group became known as Toastmasters International.

Recalling her first encounter with Toastmasters, Chuckaree told Sunday Newsday, “I was going to school in Canada and I decided to visit a friend who was a paraplegic because of an accident he was involved in. When I went there, he was so confident and full of life that I found it a bit strange. He then told me about Toastmasters International and how it helped him to be so positive.

“I pursued the programme because I was tired of being shy, I wanted to be able to voice my thoughts.”

Chuckaree has been a member of Talk TsuToastmasters since January 1996. She is also the Area Governor for Toastmasters Clubs throughout Trinidad. These accomplishments give her a greater appreciation of the value of being a good communicator and effective leader.

“The feeling you get when you give back is great,” she said.

“With this programme you learn so much, it is designed for you to go at your own pace in a mutually supportive environment. Communication is the one thing that everybody needs.”

Over the years more than two million men and women worldwide have benefited from the communication and leadership programmes offered by Toastmasters International. The organisation is regarded as the undisputed world leader in training for public speaking.