KENT, Ohio – Rayshone Phillips of Boardman was named the winner of the Toastmasters Area 23 International Speech Contest.
The competition was held March 5 at the Kent Free Library and featured speakers from across the region.
Phillips, who serves as the president of Toastmasters Executive Club 408 in Youngstown, earned the top spot with a delivery that blended storytelling with impactful insights.
The International Speech Contest is recognized as the most prestigious competition within Toastmasters, requiring participants to deliver an original five- to seven-minute speech designed to inspire a diverse audience, a news release states.
With the win, Phillips advances to the Division Contest, a milestone on the path toward the World Championship of Public Speaking, which will take place Aug. 19-22 in Vancouver, British Columbia, during the Toastmasters International Convention.
“I feel grateful because I wasn’t expecting to win,” Phillips said. “Everybody was so good, and I really enjoyed all the speeches. But I am so grateful to have this opportunity. I think that taking this is big. It is big for me; it is big for our club.”
Phillips also secured second place in the Table Topics contest, which requires speakers to give an impromptu response to an unknown question without prior preparation.
Phillips, a member of Toastmasters since 2022, is a certified scalp care specialist and has owned and operated The Head Spa Studio for two decades.
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1924. It teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs, helping individuals from all backgrounds become more confident communicators.