Topic: “How My Passions Impact the World”

Who: Students under the age of 19 who have not yet graduated from high school or the equivalent and who are educated in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean.

How To Enter: Interested students submit a speech on the pre-assigned topic to their local Optimist Club. To find out the contact in your area, please e-mail the Programs Department at [email protected].

When:

Oratorical Contest Quick Links

Contest Application
Club Planning Guide
District Planning Guide
Kids Speak Out

Students
The deadline to enter is determined by the sponsoring Optimist Club. All Club-level contests are typically held by late March.

Clubs and Districts
The District deadline to submit winners to Optimist International is June 15, 2014. Optimist International does not set Club/Zone/Regional deadlines.

For an application with contest rules, click here.

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 two $2,500 scholarships or a first place scholarship of $2,500, a second place scholarship of $1,500, and a third place scholarship of $1,000.

Oratorical Contest Package – A Program Package for the contest is available by clicking here. Clubs can find useful materials to help them get started with the scholarship contest.

For additional information, please contact Trish McHale at [email protected].