Events Calendar

  • Optimist International Oratorical Contest

    Event Date: 1/1/2025

    Topic for the 2024-2025 School year is “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times"

    The Optimist Oratorical Contest gives youngsters the chance to speak to the world. More than $150,000 in college scholarships are awarded annually from this program.

    Deadline for entries is March 3, 2025.

     

  • Optimist International Essay Contest

    Event Date: 1/1/2025

    The Meridian Optimist Club will judge the local students’ essays, based on the theme of "How Optimism Has Paved My Road To Success" and will determine the top local winners.

    Deadline for essays to be turned into the Meridian Optimist Club is January 24, 2025.

  • 45th Annual Easter Egg Hunt

    Event Date: 4/19/2025

    48th Annual Easter Egg Hunt

    Saturday, April 19th, 2024 the Meridian Optimist Club will be holding its 48th Annual Easter Egg Hunt. It will be held at the Meridian Elementary School located at 1035 NW 1st Street, Map Meridian. Egg Off will be at 11:00 a.m. sharp so get there a little early for a great spot! We invite kids ages toddler/special through 10 years of age to participate.

Scholarship Programs

Optimist International Essay Contest

The Optimist International Essay Contest is divided into two levels of competition: Club and District. Contestants must compose an original essay with limited guidance from others. Webster's dictionary defines and essay as an analytic or interpretative literary composition. Works of fiction or poetry will not be accepted.

The contest is open to students under age 19 as of October 1, 2021, and who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent. Contestants are eligible for only one Club's contest during any given year. No student who has previously won and Optimist Essay contest scholarship will be eligible to compete at any level of the competition again. The Meridian Optimist Club awards the first three places with cash awards.

First place receives $200
second place receives $150 and
third place receives $100.

The Club level winning Essay will be submitted to the District Level Contest for the opportunity of winning a $2,500 scholarship.

The official 2022 topic is
“How Does an Optimistic Mindset Change My Tomorrow?”

Deadline for essays to be turned into the Meridian Optimist Club is January 31, 2022.  For more information you may contact Mike Harris 208-484-8529 or info@meridianoptimist.org

Click here to download Essay Contest Rules and Entry Form


Optimist International Oratorical Contest

The Optimist International Oratorical contest will begin at the Club level, proceed to the Zone/Regional level and end at the District level.  

The contest is open to students under the age of 19 as of October 1, 2021, and who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent, There is no minimum age. A contestant is eligible to enter/compete in only one Optimist Oratorical contest during a contest year. Each contestant shall prepare his or her own speech. The contestant may receive advice in the preparation of the speech and may make minor changes or improvements in the speech at any time. A student who has won a District Oratorical scholarship is not eligible to compete at any level of the competition again.

The Meridian Optimist Club awards the first three places with cash awards. First place receives $200, second place receives $150, and third place receives $100. .

District Level winners receive scholarships of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 for First, Second, and Third.

The official 2022 topic is
“Staying Optimistic in Challenging Times”

The Club level competition will be held in late February 2022. Please check our Events Calendar for the exact date and location For more information please contact  Bill Garcia (208) 870-7975 or info@meridianoptimist.org

Click here to download Oratorical Contest Rules and Entry Form