Last Sunday, I began to notice the #optimists hashtag on Twitter. Optimistically, I clicked hoping to find Optimist Clubs front and center and getting the attention they so well deserve. But what I found was the UCLA website honoring the class they are calling The Optimists.
The Optimists is a collection of remarkable celebrity stories that began with an education at UCLA. Included are filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, baseball player Jackie Robinson, actor James Dean and Vinton Cerf, who is recognized as one of the founding fathers of the internet, among others.
According to the campaign, optimists see how to overcome barriers and that's what sets them apart from others. They are dreamers that do more than dream, and achievers who don't want to famous, but do want to be great.
Does the spirit of the service clubs formed under the Optimist International brand share similar qualities with The Class of Optimists from UCLA?
I think so for in every project performed by an Optimist Club, there is a sense of greatness that passes from adults to children and continues to radiate outward into the community, making our neighborhoods safe and nurturing. When adults care enough to share their positive dreams, they embolden themselves and empower others to reach for more.
Yes, the spirit of optimism is all around us. Not every student will have the opportunity to attend UCLA, but every person has the opportunity to join an Optimist Club.
Go ahead. Be an Optimist. Visit an Optimist Club near you today and join with others to make your community a better place to live.
With your commitment, you can help students, like the individuals who are the UCLA Optimists once were, prepare to fulfill their dreams.
