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Oratorical Contest
As Optimist International’s oldest program, this contest allows young students to gain experience in public speaking and to compete for scholarship awards. Entrants must be under the age of 16 prior to December 31 of the club year and must be educated in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean.
Each applicant is required to give a 4- to 5-minute speech on an assigned topic. Club winners progress to the Zone level and then to the District level.
Contest for 2007–2008
Topic: “Why Me? Why Not?”
For application information, contact Bruce Robinson (410-668-6849)
- Club competition: Mon., Mar. 17, 2008 at the club dinner meeting.
- Zone 9 competition: Wed., April 23, 2008 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jacksonville
- District competition: May 2–4, 2008 in Ocean City at the Carousel
Eight contestants from grades 7 and 8 at St. Joseph School competed in the club contest this year. They were: (girls) Rebecca Meyers (1st), Tina Esnaashari (2nd), Kyla Keefe, Carolyn Rutishauser and Vida Young; (boys) James Bacon (1st), Dennis Dimaio (2nd) and Jeremy Krach. The team of judges, recruited from outside the club, included Julie Brown, Bruce Harris, Marjorie Neuman and Matthew Rakentzes.
The top girl speaker and top boy speaker move on to compete at the Zone level. Zone winners then compete at the District level during a chaperoned, expense-paid weekend trip to Ocean City.
Prizes
- Club level: Medallion and advancement to the Zone competition
- Zone level: Plaque and advancement to the District competition (expenses paid to Ocean City)
- District level: Plaque and a $1,500 scholarship for the top boy and top girl speaker
Results of the 2006–2007 Contest
The Timonium girl and boy 1st place club winners—Maria Conner and James Bacon (both just 7th grade students from St. Joseph School)—went on to place first in the Zone 9 contest and to compete in the Maryland-South Delaware District contest. Maria won for the girls in Ocean City, for which she received the $1,500 scholarship.