HOW TO APPLY
Interested students should prepare a 4- to
5-minute speech on the assigned topic to
be presented at their local Optimist
Club’s contest. The speeches are judged at
the Club level, Zone level, Regional level (if
needed) and then at the District level.
Eligibility Criteria:
The contest is open to students under the
age of 19 as of October 1, 2019 (and is not
enrolled as a degree seeking student of a
post-secondary institution).
OPTIMIST CLUB COMPETITIONS
Optimist Club Contest and Scholarship
Contact your local Optimist Club regarding contest
dates and offered awards.
OPTIMIST DISTRICT
COMPETITIONS
Optimist Club Oratorical Contest Winners will
compete at the Optimist District Contest for a
chance to win up to a $2,500 scholarship.
Scholarship must be redeemed by the age of 25.
OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL
ORATORICAL REGIONAL
COMPETITIONS
One Optimist District Winner will compete at the
Optimist Regional Contest at Saint Louis University
in St. Louis, Missouri. The Regional Scholarship
award is $5,000. Scholarship must be redeemed
by the age of 25. The Regional Contest will be held
July 16-17, 2020, at Saint Louis University.
OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL
ORATORICAL WORLD
COMPETITIONS
Each Regional Winner will compete in the World
Championship Contest for a chance to win a first,
second, or third place scholarship of $15,000,
$10,000, or $5,000 respectively. The World
Championship Contest will be held July 16-17, 2020,
at Saint Louis University.
2019-2020 Optimist Oratorical Topic:
“Just iMagine a
World without
Boundaries”
"iMagine" represents the organization's theme for
2019-2020 and it is written as shown for branding
purposes. It does not replace the linguistic
interpretation, intent, or spelling of the word
"imagine or Imagine". As such, contestants are
free to use the correct spelling for any contest or
communications without penalty.
