Optimist International Oratorical Contest
Application Period: OPEN
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – The Optimist Club of Anchorage, Alaska is encouraging area students to speak their minds about the topic “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times” as part of the Optimist International Oratorical Contest for the 2024-2025 year.
The Optimist Club will judge the local students’ speeches based on content and presentation to determine the top winners. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners on the Club level will receive a medallion and the 1st and 2nd place winner speeches will be sent to the Zone level, and possibly the District level for the opportunity to win $2,500, $1,500, $1,000 college scholarships. The 1st place winner of the District level will go to the next level at the World Championships held at Saint Louis University. Students could possibly win up to $22,500 in scholarships!
“As they prepare for their future, many of our local students need experience expressing their thoughts and opinions to an audience”
The Oratorical Contest challenges them to do just that and also offers an opportunity for scholarships. In this way, our club hopes to bring out the best in each of them and help them achieve their goals for the future.
The deadline to hand in speeches is Janaury 31, 2025. Students wishing to participate in the oratorical contest can find out more about the contest by contacting the club Optimist Club of Anchorage, Alaska at scholarships@anchorageoptimists.org
The Optimist Club of Anchorage, Alaska has been participating in the Optimist Oratorical Contest since its creation and has been active in the community since it’s charter.
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with over 80,000 adult and youth members in almost 3,000 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico and throughout the world. The Optimist Oratorical Contest is one of the organization’s most popular programs, with more than 2,000 clubs participating annually. Carrying the Mission Statement, “By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities, and ourselves. Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than six million young people each year. To learn more about Optimist International, visit our Join Us Page.
DEADLINE: January 31, 2025
Eligibility: The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as of October 1st of the current Optimist International contest year (October 1 – September 30) and who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent, including CEGEP students in Québec, Canada. There is no minimum age.
How To Enter: Interested students must download the below application, fill it out completely, and send it into scholarships@anchorageoptimists.org.