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Speaker for hire
Nise's Notes
By Denise Schoppe
The Marlin Democrat
January 26, 2005
I recently had the opportunity to speak to two different groups about two different topics. Both topics being professional in nature, and both close to my heart.
The first was a group of Boy Scouts who came into the Democrat offices for a tour and discussion on how news is gathered. Anyone who's been in the Democrat office knows there's not a lot to tour, so it was all on me.
Talking on my feet, I recounted how we gather what news does go into the paper, how its placed in the pages, and printing procedures. I soon turned into a recruitment video, touting the journalism field.
How that happened, I don't know.
However, at the end of the visit, I found myself back in love with my career field. Not that I'd ever stopped loving it, but I was energized in ways I'd not been energized since entering the J-School at Texas A&M. Somewhere along the way, it had gone from something I was excited about to something I just do.
The visit by the Boy Scouts not only earned them their Communications badge, but it earned me a new love for news.
My second speech was completely the opposite in a lot of ways. I spoke to a business organization at my old high school about the IRS and income taxes.
Every year, my dad is invited to speak to the organization on this topic, but this year he was too busy to take on the task. I volunteered to go in his place.
I went early one morning and had to find my way around. Same high school. New building. I was lost. However, I found my way (with the help of an old teacher... who didn't recognize me) to the designated classroom and found myself facing a room of high school students.
I remember high school. Been there. Done that. Have a quilt of t-shirts from that time. I knew going in that 90% of what I said would go in one ear and back out the other. Nonetheless, I was determined to do the best I could and have fun.
I cracked a few jokes that earned me a couple smiles, and once again I found myself having fun. I ended up energized about -- of all things -- the IRS. Maybe that was because I was basically calling them a big bully, but nonetheless I attacked the speech with fervor. Only once did the old familiar nervousness come on as it hit me that I was center stage.
I ended my speech by taking questions, and then spent about 10 minutes after the meeting dismissed talking to the teachers -- both of which had been there when I was there, and both women I greatly respect.
As I left the school, fighting my way through students running to their classes, I thought about the two speeches I'd recently given. I was filled with newfound confidence.
I grudgingly have to thank my speech teacher in college for that fact. She'd been not only a stickler for punctuality, but she would tear every speech to shreads.
Look at the entire audience. Stand up straight. Project your voice. Do NOT use uhm or uh. Don't fidget. Have a point. Get TO that point. Speech after speech after speech she'd tear you apart.
I hated her.
At the beginning of the semester, I would shake like a leaf when my turn came to speak. I'd rather get a root canal than talk in front of a room with all eyes upon me. However, by the end of that semester, I was able to do a solid and confident speech. My ability to think on my feet had been perfected, and my fear of speaking before a group was minute.
Today, years later, I'm putting those skills to work for me. I've already tentatively set up a few more speeches on various topics, and I'm excited about it! I can't promise to be the best speaker in the world, and I certainly can't promise to know everything there is to know about the topic on which I speak. However, I can promise to go in with confidence, and I'm sure I'll leave with it as well.
Nise's Notes
By Denise Schoppe
The Marlin Democrat
January 26, 2005
I recently had the opportunity to speak to two different groups about two different topics. Both topics being professional in nature, and both close to my heart.
The first was a group of Boy Scouts who came into the Democrat offices for a tour and discussion on how news is gathered. Anyone who's been in the Democrat office knows there's not a lot to tour, so it was all on me.
Talking on my feet, I recounted how we gather what news does go into the paper, how its placed in the pages, and printing procedures. I soon turned into a recruitment video, touting the journalism field.
How that happened, I don't know.
However, at the end of the visit, I found myself back in love with my career field. Not that I'd ever stopped loving it, but I was energized in ways I'd not been energized since entering the J-School at Texas A&M. Somewhere along the way, it had gone from something I was excited about to something I just do.
The visit by the Boy Scouts not only earned them their Communications badge, but it earned me a new love for news.
My second speech was completely the opposite in a lot of ways. I spoke to a business organization at my old high school about the IRS and income taxes.
Every year, my dad is invited to speak to the organization on this topic, but this year he was too busy to take on the task. I volunteered to go in his place.
I went early one morning and had to find my way around. Same high school. New building. I was lost. However, I found my way (with the help of an old teacher... who didn't recognize me) to the designated classroom and found myself facing a room of high school students.
I remember high school. Been there. Done that. Have a quilt of t-shirts from that time. I knew going in that 90% of what I said would go in one ear and back out the other. Nonetheless, I was determined to do the best I could and have fun.
I cracked a few jokes that earned me a couple smiles, and once again I found myself having fun. I ended up energized about -- of all things -- the IRS. Maybe that was because I was basically calling them a big bully, but nonetheless I attacked the speech with fervor. Only once did the old familiar nervousness come on as it hit me that I was center stage.
I ended my speech by taking questions, and then spent about 10 minutes after the meeting dismissed talking to the teachers -- both of which had been there when I was there, and both women I greatly respect.
As I left the school, fighting my way through students running to their classes, I thought about the two speeches I'd recently given. I was filled with newfound confidence.
I grudgingly have to thank my speech teacher in college for that fact. She'd been not only a stickler for punctuality, but she would tear every speech to shreads.
Look at the entire audience. Stand up straight. Project your voice. Do NOT use uhm or uh. Don't fidget. Have a point. Get TO that point. Speech after speech after speech she'd tear you apart.
I hated her.
At the beginning of the semester, I would shake like a leaf when my turn came to speak. I'd rather get a root canal than talk in front of a room with all eyes upon me. However, by the end of that semester, I was able to do a solid and confident speech. My ability to think on my feet had been perfected, and my fear of speaking before a group was minute.
Today, years later, I'm putting those skills to work for me. I've already tentatively set up a few more speeches on various topics, and I'm excited about it! I can't promise to be the best speaker in the world, and I certainly can't promise to know everything there is to know about the topic on which I speak. However, I can promise to go in with confidence, and I'm sure I'll leave with it as well.
