Page 36 - Keralite Magazine _2020

KERALITE  APRIL 20 20 35
conduct ourselves, speak impromptu, organize with the Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program. platform to become better communicators and I wish to conclude with a leadership quote from one
speeches, and use hand gestures, voice, and vocab As the weeks progressed and I attended the classes, leaders. I did have some previous experience with of the greatest coaches, Vince Lombardi - “Leaders
in our speeches. Every week, I could see I started to learn many things like formatting public speaking as I took a class in 8th grade. It had aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just
improvement in myself and my peers, and I was speeches, and managing nervousness and stage helped me with school projects and speeches, but like anything else, through hard work.”
becoming more comfortable talking in front of an fright. I did all this while having fun. Public speaking there was still room for improvement. Once we
audience. Toastmasters gave me a sense of how is an important skill that will help us in the future. I started YLF, I realized that not only did the program
a governing body is run, by showing us the am so grateful that I could get all this help and help me get a better understanding of public
responsibilities of a president, vice president, support from the adults and my friends. I am speaking but it also helped me value criticism, and
secretary, and sergeant at arms. I believe this was a looking forward to doing some activities related to become a good listener. Lessons on gestures, voice,
good starting point for us to take up other helping the community. I personally think the best and vocabulary have improved my speeches and
leadership roles and run an organization like YLF. way to help is by fundraising. We could start a overall communication skills. Rahul Prabhakar
GoFundMe campaign, have garage sales, or even
I feel the Toastmaster enrichment program was the have a bake sale. I would like to raise money for As a way of giving back, I would like to help
first stepping stone into programs like the YLF. charities especially those that help the hungry, the students who are new to the program, develop their
Throughout this journey of Toastmasters, I’ve been homeless, and the veterans. speaking and leadership skills. Like Mr. and Mrs.
able to come out of a shell when it comes to public Durling, Mrs. Teza and Mrs. Orlando, I would like to
speaking. I hope to retain all of what I learned here I would also like to do my part in making the give inspirational and motivational speeches,
and take it with me to the workforce. As for the YLF, community a better place to live in. It could be as especially at future YLF sessions. I would like to
I hope we create an organization that encourages small as picking up trash from the streets, give pointers and interesting table topics when new
us to take up leadership roles and learn what it is volunteering at local soup kitchens, or donating to students speak. Not only would this help them, but
like to run an organization. The future of the YLF is homeless shelters. There are many more this would also help me become a better mentor.
yet to be written, but hopefully, we will be able to opportunities to come as the KCYLF continues. I I am pleased that YLF is planning to participate in
write one fantastic story! can't wait to help the community while making charity programs. As a family, we are very much
memories. Hope to see you there!
involved in charity. I created a soon-to-become
non-profit organization called Valor In US, which
stands for Veterans and Law Enforcement O cers
Resource In the United States. At school, we do
Focus Hope deliveries and Adopt-a-Family donations
which provides gifts, funds, and essential items to
Neha Reuben
Nick underprivileged families in Detroit, during the
holiday season. Charity is very crucial in today’s
society and starting at a young age is the best
possible option. Kerala Club does a very good job
Eight months ago, in May of 2019, our coordinator, with charity as well. I vividly remember how our
Arun Das, came to my friends and me during the KC parents organized the charity drive during the 2018
picnic. He began talking about an organization A group of us kids were having fun at the Kerala The Youth Leadership Forum, also known as YLF, is Kerala floods and helped raise over $90,000 to help
called Toastmasters and the Youth Leadership Club picnic last year when Arun Uncle came and a program that is designed for 8th grade students the victims. Oscar Wilde once said, “The smallest
Program or YLP. He emphasized how he wanted to started talking to us. He told us that he was and high schoolers to help them prepare for college act of kindness is worth more than the grandest
and future jobs. I was introduced to this idea during
enroll us in Toastmasters and start our own YLP in planning to start a Kerala Club Youth Leadership the 2019 Kerala Club Picnic by Arun Uncle, and at intention.”
the Kerala Club, and thought we were the perfect Forum along with a few other committee members, first, I thought it was just another youth committee. Overall, YLF has helped me increase my self-
kids for the job. We were confused and skeptical and that they would like all of us to join. We looked I agreed to join as I would be working with my confidence, overcome stage fright. The best part
about the idea; some of us didn’t even want to do it, at one another and shrugged our shoulders. I thought Kerala Club friends. I hardly got to see them and I for me is that I’m doing it with my friends. The most
but shhh..., don’t tell Arun Uncle. But surely, by Oct it would be boring but said yes because all of my thought that learning something useful for my important lesson that I’ve learned through this
of 2019, the first Toastmasters class had begun, and friends said yes. future, with my friends, would be interesting. wonderful program is that feedback is a gift and
for the next eight weeks, we would learn how to Not long after, the first phase of our journey started Additionally, the program was providing us a getting it from your friends makes it more special.