The Optimist Club of Arlington has an array of programs it supports, from the Essay and Oratorical competitions to many different youth sports organizations. Scroll down for more information on various sports and scholarships, as well as other award programs.
- Youth Sports
- Academic Scholarships
- Oratorical Contest
- Essay Contest
- Christmas Breakfast
- Respect for Law
- Boy Scouts
2023 Winners – $5,000 each
From left to right, Erica Burson, Optimist Scholarship Committee Chair; Michael Newman of Washington-Liberty High School who will be attending Virginia Tech), Warnakulasuriya Lowe of Yorktown High School (who will be attending Fordham University) and Mary Anay Gonzalez of Wakefield High School who will be attending Virginia Tech this fall). Not included in this photo are: Lina Aniss of Washington-Liberty High School who will be attending the University of Virginia this fall and Sora Spencer of Wakefield High School who will be attending Marymount University this fall. (Their photos are not available).
2022 Winners – $5,000 each
From left to right: Mark Whitenton, Scholarship Committee Chair; Mark McNulty (from Wakefield going to Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute); Mekyah Dunbar (from Wakefield –a winner last year — attending Old Dominion University); Laila El Machtani Idrissi (from Wakefield going to Virginia Tech); and Rick Escudero (from Yorktown going to UVA).
Not included in the photo are: Thomas Ackelson from Washington-Liberty High School going to the University of Virginia, and Mary Ann Montgomery from Bishop O’Connell High School going to Oberlin College. Their photos are below:
2023 Oratorical Contest Winners
From left to right: Cody Finnegan (first-place scholarship award); Anna Litwiller (second-place); Luisa Velasquez (third place); Shangwen Cheng (fourth place); Maggie Odar (fifth place); Leah McFarlane (Arlington Community High School coordinator) and Richard Knight, Optimist Oratorical Committee Chair.
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.
First conducted in 1928, this is the second most popular Optimist International Program. Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year. The winners at the Club level receive medallions and Zone winners receive a plaque. Districts have the opportunity to provide a first place scholarship of $2,500, a second place scholarship of $1,500, and a third place scholarship of $1,000.
Each year the Optimist Club of Arlington sponsors an Oratorical Contest for middle and high school students. The topic touches on optimism and is selected by Optimist International.
Contestants use the topic as they develop a theme for their five-minute speech. They are judged by members of the club and the winner, and often the first runner-up, move on to compete at the District level and the District winner goes on to the Regional level. Each year approximately 40-80 competitors give speeches.
2023-2024 School Year
Topic for the 2023-2024 school year is: “How to Change the World with Optimism”
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.
How To Enter: Interested students submit a speech on the pre-assigned topic to their local Optimist Club.
Students: The deadline to enter is determined by the sponsoring Optimist Club. All Club-level contests are typically held by late March.
2022 Oratorical Contest Winners
Amelie Cohrssen
Sean Memon
Ainsley Meck
Zach Dabrowski
Ananya Singh
Each year the Optimist Club of Arlington sponsors an Essay Contest for Arlington high school students.
A topic on optimism is selected by Optimist International and is administered worldwide. The Contestants use the topic to develop an 800-word composition. The top three essay contestants receive a monetary award from $1,000 to $1,500 and are presented awards at a Club luncheon. The club’s winner goes to a District-wide contest.
The Essay Contest is competitive with 20-70 entrants from Yorktown, Washington Liberty, Wakefield, HB Woodlawn and Bishop O’Connell high schools. However, the program is open to all Arlington high-school-age residents.
2023-2024 School Year
Topic for the 2023-2024 school year is: “Optimism: How It Connects Us”
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. Students must enter in the District in which they reside. U.S. students attending school on military installations outside the U.S. are eligible to enter in their last home of record.
How To Enter: Interested students must contact their local Optimist Club. They need to submit an essay on the pre-assigned topic.
The Essay Contest planning pages are intended for use by Optimist Clubs in organizing and conducting a contest in their Club. They contain no information on entering the contest and are of no use to students wishing to enter the contest. Students must contact their local Optimist Club.
When:
Students
- All Club-level contests are held by early February. Student submissions will not be accepted after the Club-level contests have closed.
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 to win a college scholarship!
Club winners advance to the District contest to compete for a $2,500 college scholarship. The District-level scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundations.
Inspire respect for the law among your local young people! This motivational program can be a community rally against local violence, a get-acquainted event between youth and local law enforcement officials, or a “what peace means to me” poster contest for young kids.
In July 1965, a discussion between Past Optimist International President Carl Bowen and former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover resulted in the birth of the Respect for Law program. This is the fourth most popular program with more than 1,500 Clubs participating each year. Over a quarter of a million law enforcement officers honored by thousands of Optimist Clubs around the world over 50 years.