Southern Dutchess Toastmasters

Congratulations to our latest Pace Award winners! 🏆

The Pace Award is our club’s friendly way of recognizing members who step up and get involved. Members earn points by taking on meeting roles, delivering speeches, and supporting the success of each meeting.

From Toastmaster and Timer to Table Topics and Evaluator, every role helps our meetings run smoothly while giving members valuable opportunities to build communication and leadership skills.

At Southern Dutchess Toastmasters, growth happens when we participate—and these members are setting the pace! 👏

Could AI build a real application? My Toastmasters experiment says yes—with a few important lessons along the way.

Vibe Coding Meets Toastmasters: How AI Helped Build a Real-World App Lessons learned from building and launching a working application without writing most of the code myself.

Great presenters aren’t born—they’re built through practice and technique. Stanford lecturer Matt Abrahams shares practical methods for reducing anxiety, increasing audience engagement, and delivering presentations people remember.

https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/matt-abrahams-tips-techniques-more-confident-compelling-presentations

Matt Abrahams: Tips and Techniques for More Confident and Compelling Presentations A Stanford lecturer explains key ways you can better plan, practice, and present your next talk.

Join us for Southern Dutchess Toastmasters on Monday, June 15 at 7:00 PM at Immanuel Reformed Church, 253 Myers Corners Road, Wappingers Falls, NY. Our Toastmaster for the evening, Wanda, will guide us through the theme “Introspection – The Art of Looking Inward,” an exploration of self-reflection, personal growth, and the insights we gain when we take time to look within. The evening will feature prepared speeches by Janice, Kevin, and Miriam, along with opportunities for impromptu speaking, constructive feedback, and supportive fellowship. Whether you’re looking to improve your communication skills, build confidence, or simply enjoy an engaging evening of learning and inspiration, guests are always welcome.

As AI reshapes the workplace, one skill keeps rising in value: storytelling. Scott Galloway argues that communication and relationship-building are among the most durable career advantages—a message that sounds very familiar to Toastmasters members.

Scott Galloway says your kids need these skills to AI-proof their future careers Parents should tell their kids to prioritize storytelling skills in the AI era, Scott Galloway told Steven Bartlett on "The Diary of a CEO."

Gemini just crossed an important line: AI is no longer only generating text—it’s generating finished files. During a real-world Toastmasters test, one unexpected trick (“prompt compression”) turned into the biggest productivity lesson of all. Read more on how AI workflows are evolving.

Gemini’s Native File Generation Changes More Than Just Productivity AI is moving from chatbot to creator. Gemini’s new file tools may change how speeches, slides, and ideas come together.

☀️ Pack your bags and join us for a special Summer Vacation–themed Southern Dutchess Toastmasters meeting! Whether your favorite memories involve beach trips, road adventures, family vacations, or simply great conversations, this evening promises fun, inspiration, and connection. Guests are always welcome—come discover how Toastmasters can help build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and introduce you to a supportive community. Join us Monday, June 1 at 7:00 PM at Immanuel Church, 253 Myers Corners Road, Wappingers Falls and bring your vacation stories with you! ✈️🏖️🌴

AI didn’t just help write a newsletter—it helped solve design problems, Gmail image failures, and mobile formatting headaches. If your club emails still feel stuck in the past, this process might change how you build them.

From Jumbled Mess to Professional Press How I Used AI to Build a Professional Toastmasters Newsletter

As AI makes content creation easier, authentic communication may become even more valuable. This article argues that public speaking could become one of the most important leadership skills of the AI era.

Why Public Speaking Is The New Thought Leadership In AI Era AI has made content easy but standing out harder. Here is why public speaking is now the most powerful way to build thought leadership.