Scholarship Contests

Optimist Clubs in the Pacific Northwest District participate in the Optimist International scholarship contests. Participants have the opportunity to earn a $2,500 scholarship in each contest funded by the Optimist International Foundation.

Scholarship contest topics are generally released in late July for the coming school year. They are published here when available.

All contests begin at the club level. Students, please locate a club using the directory to the right of this page. Find out more about the contests from Optimist International.

The Optimist International Essay Contest takes place between September and February.  The official topic for 2018-2019 is "When All the World’s Problems are Solved, is Optimism Still Necessary?" Download the entry form. 

The Optimist International Oratorical Contest takes place between January and May. The official topic for 2018-19 is “Is There a Fine Line Between Optimism and Reality?” Download the entry form.

Optimist International partnered with St. Louis University to expand the Oratorical Contest in 2016. This year, in the third year of the partnership, we expect it to improve even more! District winners will compete on an international stage where they have the opportunity to win up to $22,500 in scholarship money.

The Optimist International Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH) takes place between January and May. The official topic for 2018-19 is “Is There a Fine Line Between Optimism and Reality?”  Download the entry form.