Oratorical Contest a success!

The Eagle Optimist Club hosted their first Oratorical Scholarship Contest on Wednesday evening, March 23, at ArtsWest School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Optimist Club members, family, friends, and faculty gathered and watched nine talented young adults deliver their speeches on “"If I Were Leader of the Free World, the First Issue I Would Address Would be ... " the topic for the national program this year. This year the students were all from ArtsWest School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Eagle.

 Contest winners were Chas Baines, a Junior at ArtsWest, 1^st place; Courtney Stennett, a Senior at ArtsWest, 2^nd place; and Allison Smith, a Junior at ArtsWest, 3^rd place.

The local winners won medallions and cash prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd places. The top two winners now have the opportunity to compete against students from Idaho, Washington and Oregon at the Zone level. The winners at the Zone contest will advance to District and compete for two $2,500 college scholarships.

First conducted in 1928, this is the second most popular Optimist International Program. Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year. The Optimist Oratorical Contest gives youngsters the chance to speak to the world. More than $150,000 in college scholarships funded by the Optimist International Foundations is awarded annually from this program.

Optimist Clubs are dedicated to "Bringing Out the Best in Kids" and do their part through community service projects. Since each Club is autonomous and run by members in their community, Optimists have the unique flexibility to serve the youth of their area in any way they see fit. Optimist Clubs see a need in their community and react to it. Optimists strive to live up to their name and maintain an upbeat attitude, which they try to pass along to the children they serve.

ArtsWest is Idaho's only private arts school and is located in Eagle, Idaho. Artistic focuses include theater, visual arts, contemporary and classical instrumental, songwriting, dance, photography, jazz, voice and more. ArtsWest is a member of the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and 95% of overall graduates are awarded artistic or academic college scholarships.

Story by Mike Harris. 

Photos by Myrna Harris.

Get published!

The Eagle Optimist Club is looking for guest bloggers to write about activities in the club and how we can and do make a difference in the Eagle community.

Optimist Club members are encouraged to volunteer to be part of the communications team. Your responsibility: Make one post to the club blog at least once per month.

We are also looking for positive news and inspirational stories from our members and others in the community.

Please email Linda Jackson for details.