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What's New
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Programs
Youth
Scholastic | Second
Grade Brigade | 9-11 Scholarships |
Tutoring/Mentoring | General
Information
Purpose
The Essay contest
is sponsored by Optimist International to give young people the opportunity
to write about their own opinions regarding the world in which they live.
The approach can encompass a young person's personal experience,
the experience of their country or a more historical perspective. In
additional to developing skills for written expression, participants also
have the opportunity win a college scholarship of up to $5,000! The essay
contest awards $44,000 annually in scholarships.
HOW
TO ENTER
Interested students submit essays on the preassigned topic
to the Arlington Optimist Club. The essays are judged at the club level,
district level, and at the international level. For further information,
contact: Essay@ArlingtonOptimist.org
ELIGIBILITY
The contest is open to students under age 19 as of December 31 of
the current school year.
TOPIC
"I'm Unique Because ... "
LENGTH
400-500 words (Title, footnotes and bibliography are not included
in the final word count.)
PRIZES
Entries to the
Arlington Optimist Club must be submitted by February 13, 2005.
Club entries are judged and
submitted to the District Essay Chair by February 28, 2005.
District entries are judged and submitted to the Optimist International
Programs Department no later than April 15, 2005.
International judging is held and announced in April.
Alicia
Jones, Brandon Moore, Alexandra Prokhorova The Arlington
winners of the 2004 Optimist Essay contest were: First Place: Brandon Moore
of Bishop O'Connell High School. Second Place: Alexandra
Prokhorova of Wakefield High School Third Place: Alicia
Jones of Bishop O'Connell HIgh Schoo. Download
Application Oratorical
Contest The Optimist Oratorical
Contest gives youngsters that chance to speak to the world. More than
$159,000 are awarded annually in scholarships to youth. The
second most popular of Optimist International's suggested annual activities,
the Oratorical Contest was first conducted in 1928.
The winners at the club level receive medallions and zone winners
receive a plaque. Districts have the opportunity to provide two $1,500
scholarships or a first place scholarship of $1,500, a second place scholarship
of $1,000, and a third place scholarship of $500.
Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
PURPOSE
This speech
contest is designed to inspire today's youth to motivate and inform others
through the art of public speaking. It provides young people with the
opportunity to compete for a college scholarship and express their views
on a pre-assigned topic.
HISTORY
OF THE CONTEST
Since its start in 1928, the Optimist International Oratorical Contest
has become the longest-running program sponsored by Optimist International.
Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year. The contest
is designed for teens to gain experience in public speaking and to provide
them with the opportunity to win a college scholarship. Two winners from
each district winner receive college scholarships and gain valuable experience!
Separate contests are held for boys and girls with the winner of each
moving on to the zone competition.
HOW
TO ENTER
Interested students prepare a speech on the preassigned topic
to be presented at their local Optimist Club's contest. The speeches are
judged at the club level, zone level and finally at the district level.
Many middle schools participate in the contest and students are encouraged
to inquire with their school administration or contact the Arlington Optimist
Club directly at: Oratorial@ArlingtonOptimist.org
ELIGIBILITY
Students under the age of 16 years as of December 31 of the 2005-2006
school year and who are educated in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean.
There is no minimum age. Boys and girls compete separately in the same
contest in the district in which the Arlington Optimist Club is located.
TOPIC
"My Future is Bright Because ... "
LENGTH
OF SPEECH
The speech must be at least 4 minutes but not over 5 minutes in
length.
PRIZES CONTEST DEADLINES District
contest date is set by the District Oratorical Chair, to ensure results
are submitted to the Programs Department no later than July 1, 2005.
Zone contest date is set by the District Oratorical Chair
with the lieutenant governors to occur prior to the district contest date.
Download
Application One of the programs which the Arlington Optimist Club is especially proud of is the Academic Scholarship program. Each year, the Arlington Optimist Club offers three $4,000 college scholarships to seniors who are attending one of the high schools in Arlington. The $4,000 scholarships pay $1,000 per year over a four year college period. Any senior who is graduating from an Arlington High School can apply by completing an application and sending it to the Optimist Scholarship Committee Chairman. Applications are made available at all the Arlington High School guidance offices around April 15th. Applications are due May 21st. Scholarships are awarded based on a number of criteria including academic excellence, financial need, involvement in school and community activities, and references. The Optimist Scholarship Committee interviews and evaluates each candidate immediately after the application deadline. The Optimist Club is proud of its scholarship program and the contribution it has made to the youth of Arlington. Many scholarship recipients have attested to the fact that the Optimist scholarship made a substantial impact on their decision to pursue a college education. A number of scholarship recipients have also returned to Arlington where they are making an important contribution to the community. Download 2006 Scholarship Instructions (PDF Format)
Mujiba Abdul-Latif, Christina Niner, Sarah Schuyler
Many recipients of scholarships stay in close contact with the Arlington Optimist Club and drop by the weekly meetings when they are in town. Three prior-year winners have addressed the Club recently sharing their college experiences with club members and thanking the Optimist Club for its financial and moral support.
"The Force is With Youth" Scholarship The youth of today face many challenges as they grow up. Due to many reasons, the environment in which today’s young people find themselves is far more challenging than any time in the past. Daily we read about violence in schools, drug and alcohol use by ever younger children, and a rash of teenage pregnancies. Add to this the additional challenge that some children encounter coming from single-parent or, practically speaking, no-parent homes, poverty, drug-infested neighborhoods, etc. It is not surprising that many of today’s children make bad choices at some point in their growing up. Arlington Optimist Club’s program "The Force Is With Youth" is designed specifically for the "at risk" youth. Some of these youngsters have had problems with drugs or alcohol; some have problems adjusting to the structure of traditional schools; still others are just late bloomers. To meet the needs of these young people, Arlington has three "alternative education" institutions. Optimists believe that every person and, especially, every child deserves a second or third chance. In many cases, these "at risk" kids have put their mistakes behind them and are late-bloomers but find themselves behind their contemporaries in the educational structure. "The Force Is With Youth" program annually offers two to five $2,500 scholarships for graduating seniors from the two"Alternative Education" schools of Arlington and other worthy applicants. Working with the teachers in these schools, the Optimist Club of Arlington identifies students who have "gotten their act together" and will be attending a community college. The Optimist Club applauds their efforts and seeks to help provide the financial basis for the future success of these young people. The funding for
"The Force Is With Youth" scholarships come from the Harrow
Scholarship Endowment Fund, named after long-term Arlington Optimist Leon
Harrow, and administered by the Arlington Optimist Club. The endowment
was established by Leon’s wife, Frances, in his name.
Books For Kids Program The initial donation of books were presented to Campbell Elementary School library and Hoffman-Boston Elementary school library. The club intends to continue to raise money for additional books for Arlington County elementary schools, particularly those in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The "Books for Kids" program is the latest in many programs aimed at helping children and keeping the Optimist spirit of "Friend of Youth." Back to Menu Optimist International is offering 9-11 scholarships to any young person who was affected through the death or disablement of a parent or legal guardian by the terroorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. The scholarships in the amount of $1,500 can be used at a college, university, or trade school. Priority will be given to those youth who have shown prior or current community service experience. The scholarship applicant must be at least 13 years of age and no older than 20 at the time of application, and he or she must not have already graduated from an accredited college, university, or post-secondary trade school. The program will continue until the fund is expended. Scholarship Information and Application Focused on 7th to 12th graders, the volunteers not only assist the students with "tonight’s homework," but also on the challenges of school and education in general. Many of the students come from homes where English is a second language and parents often work two or more jobs to make ends meet. In addition to providing the time and attention the student needs, the volunteers serve as role models and advisors in a one-on-one environment. The volunteers and the Arlington Optimist Club are rewarded each spring as one or more of these students from the public housing project graduate from high school and go on to an institution of higher learning. The club understands that today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders. |
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Working as part of the "Partners in Education"
program of the Arlington County Schools, the Arlington Optimist Club participates
in a tutoring/mentoring program of disadvantaged students in the school
system. Focusing on residents of a public housing project known as the
Arlington Housing Corporation (AHC), volunteers in this program assist
students once a week with their educational needs. While much of the time
is spent on working with the students on their schoolwork, the program
entails much more.