Page 42 - 2016-10

Learning to Say “No!”

by Jawad Ali, Member of Future Stars

Five years. That is how long I have been If I had known how to say no, it would have saved
a member of Future Stars, a diverse youth me a lot of stress.
Toastmasters gavel club dedicated to improving
as leaders and speakers. I believe that communicating clearly and
saying no to things you can not do is important.
When I first started, I was skeptical of the Toastmasters helped me sharpen that skill.
results that I was promised by my parents.
Looking back at my 6th-grade self, I could not Five years is a long time. As I continue to
see myself becoming the person I am today spend more and more time at Toastmasters and
without these past years as a member. I have get involved in many different things, I am using
learned many things from speeches, feedback, many different skills that I have learned through
and experience, but what helped me the most Toastmasters. The most important thing that I
was learning to say “no.” have learned was to say no. Saying no is a skill.

It took me five years to learn that it was okay Josh Billings, a famous nineteenth century
to say no. When I was younger, I did not know writer once said, “Half of the troubles of this life
how to say it. If there was anything that I was can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not
asked to do, I accepted it without a question. saying no soon enough.”
Not being able to say no made life extremely
stressful and hectic. Future Stars Gavel Club, is a youth communication
and leadership club administered by Toastmasters
Recently I learned how to say no when my International, helping the young people of today
peers wanted me to run for class president. I become the great leaders of tomorrow! The club is
immediately felt like I was being pressured into open to all middle school and high school aged kids. It
running, and there was no way to stop it. Even gives them the opportunity to become better listeners,
though I had a heavy workload, and I was playing thinkers, speakers and leaders.
sports and volunteering, I said alright and signed
up to run. The club meets weekly during the school year every
Saturday from 10:30am-12:00pm at 4115 SW 160th
When I came home and told my parents Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97007 in the first room
about my situation, they told me to go back and in the portal. To learn more about Future Stars or
tell the teacher in charge that I would not be to visit the club, pleas contact us at
running. The next day I told the teacher, but he futurestarstoastmasters@gmail.com or contact Coach
said it was too late to change my mind. Eric at 503.516.6271. Visitors are encouraged to
visit the club and see for themselves why Future Stars
Fast forward a couple months. The time to should be part of their educational journey.
vote came. Sadly (thankfully), I lost the election.

Donation Made to District 7 Prison Foundation

by Leanna Lindquist, DTM

Last August I received an email from the HR Director at Compassion & Choices, Care and
Choice at the End of Life. She asked for a Toastmaster to conduct a Public Speaking 101 workshop
at a leadership retreat. The people at the retreat do a considerable amount of public speaking to
individuals at all levels; legislators, doctors and individuals in retirement communities, to name a
few. I immediately thought of Eric Winger.

Eric prepared diligently and delivered a two-hour workshop that garnered rave reviews. Compassion
& Choices responded with a $1000 donation to the District 7 Prison Foundation. The fund helps pay
Toastmaster dues for some of the inmates in our 6 prison clubs.

Thank you Eric, for graciously sharing your expertise and making a difference in the lives of those
trying to turn theirs around.

42 Volume 3 Issue 4 - OCTOBER 2016