Platinum Toastmasters

🌟 Member Spotlight 🌟
This week we’re highlighting one of our incredible members - Nikki Nikolenko!

Nikki is an Engineering Manager, and her manager recommended that she join Toastmasters about 3 years ago to improve her public speaking skills and become more confident presenting ideas. She thought during her first meeting that the speeches were on par with TED Talks and remembers thinking, "If I can do every 20% of that, I'll be happy!"

Nikki did better than that. She earned 1st Place in the Area 5 and 2nd Place in the Division 3 International Speech Contests!

What is your favorite thing about Platinum TM?
The welcoming environment and how genuinely invested everyone was in helping each other improve.

What brings you back and keeps you committed to Platinum Toastmasters?
Getting to hear other people’s stories through their speeches.

Do you have any advice for anyone who’s still deciding if they want to join?
Just go for it and see what happens — there is only one way to find out.

Tell us something interesting about yourself.
When I was a kid, I did ballet and even performed in regular shows at the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theatre.

This week Pavan "Bunny" Behera shared in his Icebreaker speech what it’s like to not be the person who lights up the room—but the one quietly observing, replaying conversations later.

During a self-reflection exercise—What superpower would you choose?—his answer was invisibility.
But his inner voice pushed back: you have to be visible first.

That moment led to a bigger realization:

We all have that voice. We all overthink. We all see the good in others—but forget to see it in ourselves.

His takeaway? It’s okay to be messy. It’s okay to fail. Just show up as you are.

That’s what Toastmasters is about—a place to practice, grow, and find your voice in a supportive room.
If you’ve ever felt like “the quiet one,” this is where that starts to change.

Congratulations to this week's winners
Best Speaker: Pavan "Bunny" Behera
Best Evaluator: Kim White Eavenson
Best Table Topic: Sara Ainsworth

"What is progress? When you set a goal, it causes you to move outside your comfort zone. When you move towards that goal, eventually you're going to show up and there's going to be progress."

Today, we saw that in action! Sarthak Agarwal delivered his Ice Breaker speech and shared his lifelong struggle with social anxiety—from avoiding childhood birthday parties to dreading presentations in college.

For years, staying quiet felt safe… but it also meant missed opportunities and unheard ideas. Eventually, he made a bold decision: step outside his comfort zone and join Toastmasters.

And today, he stood up and spoke! That is progress.

If fear has ever held you back, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay there. Come visit us and take your first step forward.

Big shoutout and best of luck to Platinum Toastmasters’ very own Area 5 Champion, Nikki Nikolenko! 🎤✨

She’s been making her way through the International Speech Competition—one of Toastmasters’ most prestigious events, where top speakers advance through multiple levels on their path to the world stage.

She'll be heading into the Division A Contest this Saturday, March 28th. And let’s be real—she’s not just showing up… she’s raising the bar. 💪

She has stepped up her game and is ready to take another win, and we couldn’t be more proud to cheer her on every step of the way.

Let’s go, Nikki—you’ve got this! 👏🔥

Our chapter loves welcoming guests and new members, and Ice Breaker speeches are the best—there’s nothing better than seeing people step up and share their stories.

This week, Taunesha Bassett truly wowed us with her Ice Breaker, "From Fat to Phat - The World is Mine."

She was told early on that she was too big to make it in acting. Even after landing a role in an Oliver Stone film, she couldn’t ignore how different she felt standing next to everyone else. So she let the dream go.

Life took over—college, family, responsibilities - but that doubt stayed with her.

Then in her 40s, something shifted. She took back her life and realized she’s always been PHAT: Pretty Hot And Tempting. "The world is mine!"

Her journey is a powerful reminder. . . .it’s never too late to rewrite your story, let go of doubt, step into your confidence so you can own your moment. 💫

We were excited to welcome several guests this week who joined us to experience the energy, encouragement, and growth that happens at our meetings. Just stopping by a guest is the first step toward building your confidence, finding your voice, and one day taking home the ribbons like this week’s winners.

Here’s what they had to say:
⭐ “Amazing.”
⭐ “I look up to all of you.”
⭐ “I appreciate how everyone is so friendly and welcoming.”
⭐ “I’m looking forward to coming back.”

And congratulations to this week’s winners:
🏆 Best Speaker: Kimberly Eavenson
⚡ Best Table Topics: Bill Sundstrom
👏 Best Evaluator: Sara Ainsworth

Come visit us and see what it’s all about — your moment to shine could be next!

At Platinum Toastmasters, we’re about more than speeches and timers.

Yes, we sharpen leadership skills. Yes, we grow confident communicators. But we also build real friendships.

Our members meet up for happy hours, hit the trails for hikes, and recently rolled up our sleeves to volunteer at St. Mary's Food Bank to give back to our community.

Professional growth is powerful. Doing it alongside supportive, fun, service-minded people? Even better.

If you’re looking for a place to grow, connect, and make an impact — come visit us. You might be surprised what you’ll find.

Change doesn’t wait—it challenges you to step up.

This week’s Toastmasters theme was “Change,” inspired by our Toastmaster, Paul Bartal, who started a new job this week.

New beginnings take courage, and that’s exactly why we’re here: to build confidence, sharpen communication, and support each other as we grow.

Every member in our chapter joined to make a positive shift from making connections through networking and improving their communication style so they can become stronger speakers and better leaders.

Change isn’t accidental. It’s intentional.

🏆 This Week’s Recognition
• Best Speaker: Bill Sundstrom
• Best Table Topics: Nikki Nikolenko
• Best Evaluator: Yesica Vazquez

If you’ve been thinking about improving your communication or pushing yourself to the next level, join us as a guest every Tuesday at 5:15pm. Go to https://8343.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.html for details.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day this Saturday, our Toastmasters theme was “A Lesson on Love.” 💕

We heard a powerful message on the art of letting go—reminding us to prioritize progress over baggage and ask, “Am I carrying a lesson or a load?” We also enjoyed funny and heartfelt stories about growing up in the desert, complete with unexpected creature encounters. Love showed up in many forms—through reflection, laughter, and meaningful connection.

Meeting Highlights:
• 🏆 Best Speaker: Sara Ainsworth
• 🎤 Best Table Topics: Franzi Rothe
• ⭐ Best Evaluator: Chad Benham

Looking for a positive, engaging place to grow your public speaking and leadership skills? We’d love for you to check out our chapter. We offer a supportive space where everyone can learn, practice, and succeed—together. Come visit us and experience the energy for yourself. Your voice matters, and your story deserves to be heard. 💬✨

Congratulations to Platinum TM's Area 5 Contest Winners!

Nikki Nikolenko
1st Place International Speech Contest

Bill Sundstrom
2nd Place Tall Tales Contest