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.

Hire an optimist

If you live in the Whitewater, Wisconsin area, here is a deal that you don't want to miss! Hire an optimist and you'll help support the University of Whitewater Student Optimist Club's service learning trip to Burkina Faso. Your contribution is tax deductible, you'll get some chores done around your home or business and the community of Burkina Faso will benefit from the talent and passion of some fabulous young people.


The UW-W Student Optimist Club has a history of making mission-style trips. in 2012 they worked with an orphanage, multiple schools and many underprivileged youth in four regions of Ecuador. While the onsite work is rewarding for both the students and beneficiaries, much goes on behind the scenes as well as the students prepare to go. Not only do they fund raise for expenses, they raise money to purchase needed supplies, hold clothing drives and learn about the region they will be serving.

In Burkina Faso, the group of students will be:

• Building computer lab
• Creating sustainable gardens
• Building a Student Optimist Club
• Delivering soccer balls and interacting with children 
• Delivering medical supplies, equipment and knowledge 
• Delivering educational supplies and hygiene supplies

But before they leave, they must raise enough money to ship an ambulance to Dedougou. It will be the first emergency vehicle in the African community. 

Find out more about the trip and how you can contribute to the Student Optimist Club's success: 

Download a flyer

Visit the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club blog

Or make a donation to the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club Service Learning Trip to Burkina Faso by sending a check to:

Optimist International Foundation

c/o Kim Adams

800 W. Main St. UC 250

Whitewater, WI 53190

How to share your optimism: a fish story

My home Optimist Club in Jerome, Idaho hosts a special needs fishing derby every year. It is scheduled on a school day so that transportation can be provided by the school district. With it being a weekday and several hours away from where I work, I usually don't get to attend; but I am so appreciative of my friends, loyal Optimist Club members, and the community for stepping up to this important and empowering activity.

The pictures always show the pure joy, wonder, and accomplishment of the fishermen and women and I get a little giddy in their happiness.

Today, on Father's Day, Steve Skodak, Executive Director of the Optimist International Foundation shared his own fishing story via a newsletter to Optimist Club members and Optimist International Foundation donors. Father's Day seems like a perfect time to share a fishing story; don't you agree?

My heart was warmed even more to see his fishing story was about a special needs fishing derby with his home club in St. Charles, Missouri. Unlike me, he was able to attend and he snapped this great picture of his fishing buddy for the day, Alex.

Steve explained in his note that the local Optimist Club provided baited poles, angling lessons, buddies to fish with, and lunch. There were awards for the biggest fish, smallest fish, and most fish caught, among other things. Steve wrote, "Everyone went home with a medallion around their neck, a full tummy and memories of the 'big one' that got away."

But it's his next line that makes every Optimist Club member do what they do time and again. Steve reported, "Each of us went away with something more amazing than a trophy or medallion. Remembering Alex’s face as he reeled in a fish will make me grin for some time."

Steve, thanks for sharing your optimism and your story. It made me grin too and I hazard to guess that it will make others grin as well. 

Photo courtesy of Steve Skodak. 

Please contribute to the Optimist International Foundation during Idaho Gives

The PNW District - Optimist International is participating in Idaho Gives today, May 2, 2013. Idaho Gives is an online fundraising campaign and many nonprofit associations across Idaho are participating. They have posted their causes on the online tool Razoo and sent notices to supporters and others that they should contribute now...today...don't wait.

The Idaho NonProfit Center has also secured sponsors for this one-day event. In addition to receiving contributions for their missions, the registered nonprofits are also competing for prizes to be awarded to the nonprofits that raise the most money. At 9:00 a.m., sponsor St. Luke's said that more than $100,000 had already been raised. As of 10:30 a.m., the amount had risen to $174,000. That's pretty awesome.

Find out more and make a donation. The PNW District - Optimist International cause is the Communications Contest for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. The district has a long-term goal of raising $10,000 to endow this scholarship for students with special needs.

Donate to CCDHH Optimist International Scholarship at Razoo

Optimist Oratorical Contest season is underway

The Optimist Club of Bixby, Oklahoma is off to an early start with this year's Optimist International Oratorical Contest and they went to YouTube to let the student speakers tell us about it.




The Optimist International Oratorical Contest takes place between January and May and all Optimist Clubs use the same topic to launch the students on their way to a $2,500 scholarship. Funded by the Optimist International Foundation, approximately $150,000 is given away annually.

The official topic for 2012-2013 is "Why My Voice is Important." Download the Optimist International Oratorical Contest application. Find out more about the contest at Optimist.org. 

Reel Optimism coming to an Optimist Club near you

Optimist International is about to enter the "like" contest wars.

Announced today on YouTube, I'm giving Experience Optimism readers a preview of what others will learn during the Optimist International Convention later this week. The Optimist International Foundation and Optimist International are hosting a video contest for adult Optimist Clubs. Titled "Reel Optimism," the contest asks that your club produce a video that describes "What does optimism mean to you and your club?" 

The contest officially begins in October. Entries must be submitted online to YouTube between October 1, 2012 and March 1, 2013 and include the hashtag #ReelOptimism. Public voting will take place in May 2013 with winners announced during the 2013 Optimist International Convention. The first place entry will receive a $1,000 club grant, second place $500 and third place $250.

Read the Reel Optimism contest rules here. Watch the promo video for Reel Optimism on YouTube.

Celebrating 40 years of philanthropy

The Optimist International Foundation is the 501(c)3 charitable division of Optimist International. It operates with its own staff and board of directors with the tagline of "Helping Optimists Help Kids." This year, the Optimist International Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

The festivities began by launching a new website, up-to-date and user friendly, with pages for each district, and with what looks like the ability to feature stories about how the Optimist International Foundation serves Optimist Clubs.

Of course, the Foundation can only serve Optimist Clubs when they collaborate to serve the Foundation. It is sort of a chicken and egg relationship, but donations are needed to help the Foundation do more.

Commemorative pin 

So it should come as no surprise that one of the first stories is about how Optimist Club members and Optimist Clubs can help the Foundation celebrate their milestone anniversary. Individually, members do two things:

1. Purchase a limited edition 40th Anniversary Pin 
2. Make a dime-a-day and then some donation of $40 

Additionally, the Foundation hopes that Optimist Clubs and Districts will celebrate with a Fabulous at Forty party.  

Each District has been challenged to raise $4,000 with the parties and while the Foundation says that each host or hostess may decide the theme and ticket price of the party, it seems to me that it might be logical to charge at least $40 per ticket. 

Find out how to host your Optimist International Foundation Fabulous at Forty party here.

The Optimist International Foundation serves all Optimist Clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and other countries. In 1988, the Optimist International Foundation of Canada, now known as the Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation, was established to receive and distribute funds in Canada. 

Another way to be a friend of youth

The Optimist Club of Keego Harbor, Michigan invites members and non-members alike to contribute to their scholarship fund.  For a mere $100, they will make you known in the community as a Friend of Youth.  All donations are tax deductible through the Keego Harbor Optimist Club Friend of Youth Scholarship Fund set up with the Optimist International Foundation.

In 2008, the club reported that more than $36,000 in scholarship funding had been given to 45 students since the fund's inception in 2000. 

Getting members involved in club activities is always important; but it is equally important to find ways for community members to make a difference through your Optimist Club even when membership is not an option for them.  Optimist International encourages a program that makes a Friend of Youth a member in a local club.  I like the idea of using 100% of a local donors money to benefit an actual program and the Friend of Youth Scholarship program does just that.