PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. – Cash awards are on the line with the Optimist Club’s upcoming annual Oratorical Contest, and winners may be eligible for scholarships as they advance to the district competition. The contest is open to Calvert County youth under age 19 as of October 1, 2024.
The Oratorical contest, sponsored by Optimist International, is designed for youth to gain experience in public speaking, perfect self-expression, gain self-assurance, improve communication skills, and provide them with the opportunity to compete for a college scholarship. This year’s topic for the four-to-five-minute speech is “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times.”
The in-person Oratorical Contest will be held on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in Meeting Room #2 of the Calvert Library in Prince Frederick. Cash prizes are available for the first, second, and third-place winners at the club level – $300/$200/$200 respectively. The first-place winner will advance to the Zone Contest in St. Mary’s County, a date to be determined. The winner of the Zone Contest will advance to the Maryland South Delaware District Oratorical Contest on April 26, 2025, in Ocean City, where contestants will compete for a $2,500 college scholarship.
Applications and contest rules are available on the Optimist Club of Calvert’s website, www.OptimistClubofCalvert.org and applications are due Saturday, March 8, 2025. For more information, contact Oratorical Contest Chair, Joe Endy (JoeEndy@gmail.com).