TESOL toastmasters: progress beyond comfort zone
Club celebrates 2nd anniversary
KUWAIT CITY, June 6: On Saturday, June 4, TESOL Toastmasters Club celebrated its second anniversary. TESOL Toastmasters Club is a special interest group of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in Kuwait. TESOL Toastmasters Club is also affiliated with Toastmasters International. Toastmasters International has been educating members worldwide in communications and leadership skills since 1924.
TESOL Toastmasters members are all members of TESOL-Kuwait. The majority of TESOL Toastmasters members are teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL). There are more than 40 Toastmasters clubs in Kuwait, of which approximately half are English speaking while the balance are Arabic speaking.
TESOL Toastmasters members were honored by the attendance of special guest, US Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer, Dr Zennia Paganini. Guest speakers included TESOL — Kuwait President, Dr Elham Mohammed, Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) Don Prades, DTM Abdullah AlMahdi, DTM Wafaa Slman, DTM Bobbie Hoxit and Toastmasters Area 62 director Anub Dhand who also represented Dr Maklouf Mohammed, Toastmasters Division I Director.
The outstanding growth of TESOL Toastmasters Club, in only two years, was recognized by the special guest speakers. The leaders who chartered the club and who were present in the 2nd anniversary were Muna Albuloushi, Fatima Abdullah, Dr Ilene Al Zaid, Wafaa Salman, Don Prades, Bobbie Hoxit and Dana Winner. The incoming Executive Committee is Fatima Abdullah (President), Shaimaa Torky (VP Education), Heba Mahmoud (VP Membership), Bashayer AlAlawy (VP Public Relations), Lulwa Alameeri (Secretary), Hamad Fathy (Treasurer), Muhammed Saleh (Sgt-At-Arms). Muna Albuloushi, Immediate Past President, will mentor the new Executive Committee.
The theme of the meeting was “Progress takes place outside of your comfort zone”. The Toastmaster of the Day was Fatima Abdullah who will also be the club president for the coming year.
The meeting was convened by the current president Muna Albuloushi. Ms Albuloushi and Ms Abdullah both received the Toastmasters International Triple Crown award for the completion of three Toastmasters education program milestones within the 2015-2016 year. The TESOL Toastmasters Club was also awarded the Beat the Clock award for adding a high percentage of new members during the first quarter of 2016.
TESOL Toastmasters Club normally meets on the 2nd and 4th Saturday at Australian College Kuwait. More information www.tesolkuwait.org/toastmasters.html