Kids say the darndest things

Kids say the darndest things. Or maybe they say the most brilliant statements that can be made. I found this post on the Optimist Club of Greater Vienna's Facebook page today and just had to share. According to the post, a contestant in the Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH) said, "Confidence with optimism is better than just confidence."

It's rather difficult to argue with that kind of logic!

If you would like to experience optimism through the eyes of children and young adults, I invite you to join an Optimist Club. Each year, Optimist Clubs host Essay, Oratorical and CCDHH contests for students to compete and earn scholarship money. It's a bonus for members to hear their voices, ideas and dreams.

At the club level, winning amounts are determined by the individual club. From each club, a contestant moves forward to zone and district competition. At that level, each first place winner earns a $2,500 scholarship.

Coming in 2016, Optimist International has partnered with St. Louis University to host an expanded Optimist International Oratorical Contest. Each first place district winner will move forward to a regional competition where they may win $10,000. The first place winners of the eight regions will then move forward to compete for an additional $15,000.

Details of the new competition levels are still being completed and we are excited for the expansion; however, every level of competition in an Optimist International scholarship contest gives the participant poise, confidence and hope. We encourage every teacher to involve their classes in this opportunity, but students, don't wait. You can enter with or without formal classroom involvement. Find out more about the Optimist International Scholarship Contests.  New topics for the coming school year are generally announced in late July.

Another in the irregular series, "What Do Optimists Do?" Optimists give kids a voice--and it is worth listening to! At...
Posted by Optimist Club of Greater Vienna on Wednesday, June 17, 2015

If you would like to experience optimism through the eyes of children and young adults, I invite you to join an Optimist Club. Each year, Optimist Clubs host Essay, Oratorical and CCDHH contests for students to compete and earn scholarship money.

At the club level, winning amounts are determined by the individual club. From each club, a contestant moves forward to zone and district competition. At that level, each first place winner earns a $2,500 scholarship.

Coming in 2016, Optimist International has partnered with St. Louis University to host an expanded Optimist International Oratorical Contest. Each first place district winner will move forward to a regional competition where they may win $10,000. The first place winners of the eight regions will then move forward to compete for an additional $15,000.

Details of the new competition levels are still being completed and we are excited for the expansion; however, every level of competition in an Optimist International scholarship contest gives the participant poise, confidence and hope. We encourage every teacher to involve their classes in this opportunity, but students, don't wait. You can enter with or without formal classroom involvement. Find out more about the Optimist International Scholarship Contests.  New topics for the coming school year are generally announced in late July.

Earn a communications scholarship through Optimist International

Optimist International began a new administrative year today, October 1, 2014. Congratulations and thank you to all of the Optimist Club officers who have been chosen to lead in their communities around the world.

One of the first and most pressing items of business for all should be the promotion of the Optimist International Scholarship Programs. These great opportunities begin at the Optimist Club level and allow students and members to interact as the children improve their communication skills.

First up is the Optimist International Essay Contest. It takes place in the fall and early winter with the topic "Optimism Should be a Priority." Click here to see the complete Essay Contest rules and then contact your local Optimist Club to learn when your essay must be submitted.

In the spring comes the oratorical contests, the traditional Optimist International Oratorical Contest and the Communications Contest for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH) students. The topic for both is "How My Optimism Will Help Me Press on to the Greater Achievements of the Future."

Click here for the Optimist Oratorical Contest rules.
Click here for the CCDHH rules. 

Remember, you must check in with your local Optimist Club for their submission and contest dates.

All contests award a $2,500 scholarship at the district level. Funded by the Optimist International Foundation, more than $150,000 is given away each year in the form of college tuition for students who have competed in an Optimist International Scholarship Contest.

If you are an Optimist Club, you may download the template for the promotional flyer here.

It's an optimistic life

Cathie Smith LoCicero moved to Scottsdale, Arizona last year and immediately set to work to start up a new Optimist Club. Reaching out through social media channels that included Facebook and Meetup, in conjunction with her positive outgoing personality, the Old Town Scottsdale Optimist Club was born.

Not quite five months later, this club is honored to announce that two students from contests sponsored by the Old Town Scottsdale Optimist Club are winners of the district level event and $2,500 scholarships. Cathie announced on her Facebook page, "TWO winners at Arizona State Optimist District scholarship awards. Our Isaac M won for his fantastic Oratorical presentation on his troubled youth & comeback & Victoria S for her heartfelt Essay on how one person can make a difference!"

I am especially touched by this accomplishment because without this club, these students may not have had the chance to compete and excel. I've watched Cathie engage with her community; her enthusiasm is contagious. She shares optimism every day. Congratulations to all on your success.

It's scholarship season for Optimist Clubs

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.

Optimist Clubs to host annual essay contest

Optimist International Essay Contest

Back to school sales are on and families are planning their last camping trips for the summer all in time for the kiddos to hit the books at the end of this month. That means that Optimist Clubs should be planning to host the Annual Optimist International Essay Contest in their community.

This year the topic is "How My Positive Outlook Benefits My Community." Students under the age of 18 as of December 31, 2011 may compete for a $2,500 scholarship by writing 700 to 800 words on the assigned topic and submitting their entry to the local Optimist Club. Download the complete rules here.

The contest begins at the club level. First place entries from all clubs are forwarded to the District where the club operates to be judged for the $2,500 scholarship award. District winners are then forwarded to the international level where the top essay writer is recognized in The Optimist magazine.

Optimist International believes strongly in the development of communication skills. In addition to the essay contest, Optimist Clubs also host an Oratorical Contest and Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the spring of the school year. The topic for 2012 will be posted when information is made available at www.Optimist.org.

All Optimist Club activities begin at the club level. Click here to find an Optimist Club near you.

How to make writing interesting for students

I have been accused of being terse. I find that somewhat laughable these days as I write more of what comes to mind and publish it immediately; however, I used to agonize over finding just the right word and writing the most information into the smallest amount of space possible. I didn't aim to be brusque, merely concise.

Writing for a blog requires a different style. Words must be commonly understood, but not so simple to lose intellectual stimulation. Thoughts and ideas can develop and grow from one post to the next, and plans can emerge as the author is imagining the follow-up story. Blog posts can be fluid. However, they are still best, in my opinion, when brief.

So you guessed it. I have another suggestion today aimed at our popular Optimist International Essay Contest. I like the essay contest. I think asking students to write 500 to 600 words on a well-developed theme is a good model for a contest; but again, it does not take 4 to 6 months to write such a paper. Shorten the time allowed and set a deadline and we will get more contestants.

But my real suggestion today is not just to change something we already have, but rather to add something new like a blogging contest.  Start with these parameters: The Optimist International Blogging Contest will familiarize students with writing and technology tools that they will be using in the future and encourage ethical behavior on the internet.

We must begin to incorporate digital media into our everyday activities or we as adults and Optimist Club members will be left behind. At the same time, our students must learn to be safe and respectful in person and when they are hiding behind the computer screen.

Student's essay published online

The Gretna Optimist Club of Gretna, Nebraska had more than 150 entries in the 2010 Optimist Essay Contest.  All students wrote on the topic "The Internet: Today's Evolution or Tomorrow's Menace?"

Preliminary judging was provided by Gretna High School faculty members.  The top twenty percent advanced to the next level of judging, an independent panel of judges who determined the top three winners for the Optimist Club.  Coming in first was Dustin Herring, second Madison Healy, and third Aaron Dittmar.  Dustin's essay will move forward to the Nebraska District Optimist Competition.

What is unique about this particular story is the newspaper's response to the contest.  They devoted space to to publish the winning entry.  What a great way to recognize our students. 

Photo courtesy of the Gretna Optimist Club.  Left to right, Aaron Dittmar, Dustin Herring and Madison Healy. 

Easy to read, easy to promote

Optimist Club program chairpersons are probably aware of this problem.  Optimist International has created an application for the Optimist Oratorical Contest and Optimist Essay Contest that contains so much fine print that one might wonder is it worth it or will I agree to something that I really don't want to do. 

What's the solution?  Make a flyer that is easy to read.  The Optimist Club of Issaquah, Washington has great success with the Optimist Essay Contest.  I think it has a lot to do with their simple, straightforward marketing approach that begins with this flyer. 

The Issaquah Optimist Club has also secured a good relationship with their school district and the scholarship contests are published on the school district websites.

It does take a little work to promote activities in your community, but the increased participation will make it all worth it.

Are you looking for a scholarship?

Right here, right now, smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, Optimist Clubs are promoting one of their signature programs: The Optimist International Essay Contest. 

Each year, Optimist Clubs  ask children through 18 years of age on December 31 to write a 500-word or less essay on a topic chosen by Optimist International.  This year the topic is “The Internet: Today’s Evolution or Tomorrow’s Menace?”

Competition for all Optimist International Scholarship programs begins at the club level*.  Optimist Clubs can offer prizes for winning entries. The essay that comes in first place is then forwarded to the District Competition where it competes for a $2,500 scholarship.  Winning District entries move forward again to the international competition and the possibility of earning an additional $6,000 scholarship.  That's a pretty nice reward for 500 words!

• You can find out all about the Optimist International Essay Contest at this link.
• You can find an Optimist Club near you at this link. 
• You can download the application and rules at this link. 

*Not every club participates in the Optimist International Essay Contest. 

Cayman Optimist Club encourages participation in Essay and Oratorical Contests

Optimist Clubs sometimes struggle with how to best reach students with programs.  Even the oratorical and essay scholarship contests often fall behind other schoolwork that children have to do. 

The Optimist Club of Grand Cayman has a top-down approach to getting participants.  They recently held a joint meeting for all school administrators and sought their buy-in for Optimist Club programs.

The essay contest will be the first to get underway.  The topic for the essay contest is ‘The Internet, Today’s Evolution or Tomorrows Menace?” while for the oratorical contest students will debate on “Cyber Communication, Progress or Problem.”

The technology theme should feel contemporary to students and encourage them to think critically about the way they act when online. 

Past club president Dunbar McFarlane completed his presentation to the school adminstrators by quoting from the Optimist Creed and encouraging a positive attitude for all.