My experiences have, for the most part, been as advertised: optimistic. Others, we'll just say, have been learning experiences, the type of learning one hopes to have out of their curriculum as they finish high school. Bullies have no place in adult life. Bullies have no place in anyone's life.
Seeking to be the best, and to bring out the best in others is an honorable pursuit. As the mission statement of Optimist International emphasizes, "Optimists bring out the best in youth, community, and ourselves."
With this in mind, it is my honor to share with you the top 6 posts of 2017 based on the number of views, shares, and comments*.
Oregon City students are recognized for kindness received the most attention and with good reason. It highlighted seventeen students at the Oregon City Optimist Club's annual Citizenship and Youth Appreciation Awards. Teachers, principals, and counselors spoke about the achievements of some pretty remarkable young people. It is a perfect example of what Optimist Club's do, and how they do it - Optimist Clubs bring out the best in youth.
Wild Bill rides for kids and the Oregon City Optimist Club was the second most viewed and shared post. It is an "out-of-the-box" example of fundraising. Using the Go Fund Me platform, former teacher and coach Bill Upton used his personal struggle with heart disease to raise funds for students served by the Optimist Club. Being part of an Optimist Club can truly touch all parts of our lives.
The third most viewed and shared post surprised me, but in a good way. It's a membership recruitment tool from Optimist International.
Teachers are encouraged to #JoinanOptimistClub introduced and explained the Recruit-a-Teacher incentive for April 1 to June 30, 2017, that asked teachers and school personnel to join an Optimist Club for only $30. This membership offer for teachers has been so popular, that it is in place for all of 2018.
The fourth most popular post is about my favorite Optimist International program, the Optimist International Oratorical Contest.
Students speak about "What the world gains from optimism" highlighted the students from Covenant School in Tacoma, Washington. Sponsored by the West Tacoma Optimist Club, Andrew Welch moved forward from this competition to take third place in the PNW District competition.
The fifth and sixth most viewed, shared, and commented upon posts were written based on my experience with the level of communication offered by the district leadership in 2017. Some were quick to call the reviews criticism; however, they were meant as suggestions for improvement and still today stand as my offer to help through the mission of this website.
What did and didn't happen at the Washington Super Zone meeting advises that the purpose of the second quarter district meeting is to inspire Optimist Clubs to grow in membership and service and to recognize the achievements of the previous year. It occurs to me that perhaps the regional or zone setting is too small to give the level of importance that a district meeting should have.
Communicate, communicate, communicate encourages better communication tactics for the PNW District and Optimist International, especially in relation to inspiring Optimist Clubs to become Honor Clubs.
I also must give a shout-out to the two top-trending stories in December. This month, I vowed to share a post every day and with this publication, I will complete my promise. The stories about the projects that our PNW Optimist Clubs perform are receiving great readership and with their optimism, will likely continue to gain interest, views, shares, and comments for months to come.
The Santa House is open in Centralia, Washington is a post celebrating the season, children and the Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club. It's an ageless project that serves the community, bringing hope and happiness to all.
Bulletin editor reaches out to former members is a great idea for recharging your Optimist Club. It's a personal appeal from Walt Callahan to former members and friends of the Boise Noon Optimist Club.
Signing off for 2017, I look forward to fantastic 2018 and I promise to continue to share optimism through my posts here, on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. I hope to see you at an Optimist Club activity soon. Again, thank you for your support and interest. Happy New Year!
We are always looking for new stories to share about your Optimist Club. Please send us a picture and a few words about it and we'll add it to our site.
*Due to spam and privacy controls, the comments are turned off on this website; however, comments are shared via Facebook, Twitter, and email, among other sources.