Essay Contest

"Bringing Out the Best in Youth, in our Communities, and in Ourselves."

WIN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WRITING!

PURPOSE
This contest is sponsored by Optimist International to give young people room to develop their own views around a central idea. In addition to the opportunity for written expression, participants have the chance to win a college scholarship!

WHO
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. U.S. students attending school on a military installation outside the United States are eligible to enter in their last U.S. home of record. The District Chair will receive all entries from students living on U.S. military installations and send them to a Club in the city the student last resided in. If no Club is available, the District Chair will hold an At-Large contest for these students. An At-Large student may not have competed in an Optimist International or District contest in the same year. Students residing in non-Districted areas where there are no Optimist Clubs are not eligible for competition.

HOW TO ENTER
Interested students should complete the “Application for Optimist International Essay Contest” and submit an essay on the assigned topic. The essays are judged at both Club and District levels. All Club submissions should be run through a plagiarism checker before being forwarded to the next level.

BONITA OPTIMIST CLUB WINNING ESSAY
The Bonita Optimist Club will submit the winning essay to the District Chair before February 28. District entries are judged and submitted to the Optimist International Programs Department no later than April 15. District winners will be notified by a letter from Optimist International between April 15 and June 1.

PRIZES
Club level – official medallion and a chance to win a first, second, or third place scholarship of $300, $200, or $100 respectively. District level – plaque and a $2,500 college scholarship for first place winners.