Getting My DTM.

For over a decade now, I have been a proud member of Ventura Toastmasters, known colloquially as Club 24. I first joined back in the day to improve my public speaking skills, and since then I have come so far that I can regularly speak in front of a group with no notes or even nervousness. Toastmasters has given me everything, and, in turn, I have given back to the organization by serving as a Club Secretary for Ventura Toastmasters for multiple terms and as the Director for all clubs in Area B1 for the 2024-2025 Toastmasters year. Last fall, I even helped plan the 90th Anniversary Gala for Club 24.

My final and ultimate ascension within Toastmasters simply must involve me acquiring my DTM. “DTM” stands for Distinguished Toastmaster. It is the highest credential any Toastmaster can have, and for the vast majority of people, it can take years to acquire. I firmly believe that, as of now, I am positioned to obtain my DTM by the end of this Toastmasters year.

There are several requirements for earning this precious degree. Firstly you need to complete two “Paths.” A “Path” is an online curriculum that consists of various assignments designed to make one into a better public speaker. If a member speaks once a month, it can take roughly a year to finish one “path.” Fortunately, just a few months ago, I finished my second “Path.”

Additionally, my Area Director gig counts towards getting this credential. So does my Secretaryship for Club 24. A further requirement was met when I agreed to sponsor the brand new Pathfinders in A.I. club. On top of all of this, I have decided to help out a local club called Ventura Chamber Toastmasters by serving as their Club Coach.

Also crucial to getting one’s DTM is completing a special capstone project. For this, my kind and knowledgeable mentor Jim Kearney and I have worked out a plan. As we decided, I have been working on an assignment that involves boosting membership levels of clubs in our District. I personally think that this is an ingenious idea that, once fully implemented, will dramatically improve the vitality of clubs in my vicinity.

Getting my DTM will definitely take time and effort, and, as of now, I am very fixated on accomplishing this goal. To help you understand how driven I am, I wish to compare my Toastmasters journey to the quest that two of my favorite YouTubers, Oskar and Dan, were at one point on. They are full-time travelers, and for years their primary goal in life was to visit 100 countries. My DTM is my hundredth country, and just as Dan and Oskar surely visited New Zealand, nation 100, I know that, within months, this coveted DTM will be mine.