Optimist Club of Perdido Bay submitted by Sally McKinney |
The spring is one of the best times to be an Optimist Club member for during this time of year we get to hear the thoughts and dreams of the young people in our communities through their participation in the Optimist International Scholarship programs. This year the Optimist International Essay Contest, the Optimist International Oratorical Contest and the Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have similar themes around our organization's founding principles of optimism.
Shown in the picture above are members of the Optimist Club of Perdido Bay, Alabama and the winners of the club Essay Contest. The students wrote about "How my positive outlook benefits my community."
Shown below are students from the Windsor Optimist Club of Colorado. Fourteen contestants spoke on the topic, "How my optimism helps me overcome obstacles." Deaf and hard of hearing students will present on the same topic.
Contestants in the Windsor Optimist Club Oratorical Contest photo by Tom Macy |
Scholarship programs are only one way that Optimist Clubs help children fulfill their full potential. Other programs that focus on youth sports, youth safety and community service, among others, allow students and adults to interact in ways that benefit both the kids and the adults and that interaction makes the communities with Optimist Clubs among some of the best places in the world to live.