Participate in an Optimist Scholarship Contest

Every year, Optimist Clubs around the world participate in Optimist International sponsored scholarship programs for writing and speaking. All begin at the club level and have different criteria to progress through zones, regions, and district judging. The topics for 2008 and a PNW District Contact email address for each contest are as follows:

Essay Contest - "Today's Choices Shape My Future" Email

Oratorical Contest - "Why Me? Why Not?" Email

Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDH) - "Why Me? Why Not?" Email

Find out more, including entry requirements, at newoptimistclub.com.

Optimists recognize students

A time-honored tradition among Optimist Clubs is to recognize students for the great things they do, both small and large. In fact, we even set one week a year aside as Youth Appreciation Week.

Over the years, and from community to community, the type of honor varies. The Pasadena Optimist Club near Houston, Texas recognizes kids from the JOOI Club on a weekly basis.

The Plant City Optimist Club near Tampa, Florida chose to honor four students based on academic achievent, athletics and service to their community.

According to Angie Bridge with the Jerome Optimist Club in Jerome, Idaho, this year their club will honor at least sixty students on November 14. Their criteria, "They don’t necessarily have to be straight-A students, athletes or honor society members –we just want to honor the kids who deserve to be honored just because."

How does your club celebrate Youth Appreciation Week? Send us a picture! Let us know! We want to help you get the word out that kids and Optimists are appreciated!