What is "Distinguished"?
If you are a visitor, a new member, or maybe even someone who has been in Toastmasters for awhile but not yet familiar with all of the vocabulary, you might wonder what it means when you hear the term "Distinguished". As the term implies, it is a great honor to be awarded with, at every level from the member, "Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)", to the Club, Area, Division, and even District. Read on for more information on each one.
The Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)
The DTM is the highest award level a member can achieve. By following both the Communication and Leadership tracks in the Educational Program, the DTM is awarded upon successful completion of both the Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG), and the Advanced Leader Silver (ALS), and submission of the Advanced Leader/Distinguished Toastmaster Awards Application to TI World Headquarters. Recipients receive a beautiful plaque, and they can also choose to have a letter sent to their employer. While the DTM is the highest recognition level, it doesn't mean the member has to stop there. Some members have earned multiple DTM's. Each Spring and Fall at our District Conventions/Conferences, DTM's are recognized with a medallion.
The Distinguished Club Program (DCP)
The DCP is a term you will likely hear often within your club, especially if you are a member of the leadership team. The DCP has a set of goals that the club works toward over the course of the year. Depending on how many of the goals are met, the club can be Distinguished (5 of 10 goals), Select Distinguished (7 of 10 goals) or President's Distinguished (9 of 10 goals.) District 6 also gives special recognition to those clubs who make 10 for 10, by awarding them with a ribbon for their Club banner. The following is a sample of a DCP report. For more information, see the Distinguished Club Program (DCP) and Club Success Plan.
| Achievement | Goal | Actual | Achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) CCs | 2 | 1 | ||
| (2) Additional CCs | 2 | 0 | ||
| (3) AC | 1 | 0 | ||
| (4) Additional AC | 1 | 0 | ||
| (5) CL, AL, or DTM | 1 | 0 | ||
| (6) Additional CL, AL, or DTM | 1 | 0 | ||
| (7) New Members | 4 | 4 | * | |
| (8) Additional New Members | 4 | 4 | * | |
| (9) Officers Trained (BOTH REQUIRED) | ||||
| June - August | 4 | 5 | * | |
| and December - February | 4 | 6 | * | |
| (10) Submitted on time (BOTH REQUIRED) | ||||
| October or April Membership Report | 1 | 1 | ||
| and Officer List | 1 | 0 | ||
| TOTAL GOALS ACHIEVED TO DATE: | 3 |
The Distinguished Area & Division
As with the Distinguished Club Program, Areas and Divisions also have a set of goals to meet. There are also the designations of Distinguished, Select Distinguished, and President's Distinguished. At the Area level, to become Distinguished, the Area must meet four of the following five goals:
- Goal #1 - 75 percent of club October membership dues renewals submitted on time
- Goal #2 - 75 percent of club April membership dues renewals submitted on time
- Goal #3 - Average of 1.75 CCs awarded per club by June 30
- Goal #5 - 60 percent of Area Clubs achieve Distinguished Club
Goal #4 - Average of 1 AC for every two clubs by June 30
To become Select Distinguished, an Area must meet all five goals listed under Distinguished Area, and all of the following three goals:
- Goal #6 - Submission of 80 percent of Area Report of Club Visit Forms, first round
- Goal #7 - Submission of 80 percent of Area Report of Club Visit Forms, second round
- Goal # 8 - 60 percent of Area Clubs at 20-plus membership by June 30
Finally, to become Presidents Distinguished, an Area must meet all eight goals required for Select Distinguished, and:
- Goal #9 - Net growth of one club
Divisions also have a set of criteria for each level of the Distinguished Division Program. To become Distinguished, a Division must achieve the following two goals:
- No net club loss
- 50 percent Distinguished Areas
To become Select Distinguished, a Division must achieve the following two goals:
- No net club loss
- 75 percent Distinguished Areas
For a Division to become President's Distinguished, the following two goals must be achieved:
- Net growth of one club
- 75 percent Distinguished Areas
For complete details and more information on each goal, visit the Toastmasters International website.
The Distinguished District
The Distinguished District Program recognizes those districts that meet Toastmasters International’s growth and educational goals. The program sets goals in the areas most critical to a district’s success. The program is also a management tool for districts, helping them to focus on increasing membership, forming new clubs and ensuring clubs are meeting the needs of their members. The program is designed so that becoming a Distinguished District is based on performance, not on district size.
There are four "Critical Success Factors" you will hear referenced as part of becoming a Distinguished District. These measure the number of clubs, number of memberships, number of Competent Communicator awards, and the number of Advanced Communicator Awards. In 2007-2008, District 6 was one of the 47 Distinguished Districts (out of 75 Districts worldwide.) Districts are awarded points and ranked in order. District 6 was ranked number 35 out of 75. The first six ranking Districts are President's Distinguished, followed by the next six as Select Distinguished. The remaining Districts that meet all of their goals and the program prerequisites are awarded the designation Distinguished District.