March 20* at 6:30 p.m. Verona Senior Center
* Note date has updated since Verona Parks brochure distribution due to scheduling conflict
Speak On Optimism to Win up to $200 cash and Qualify for up to $22,500 in Scholarships!
2023 Oratorical Contest Participants – left to right Caelyn Weaver, Benjamin Aizicovici Brown, Justine Diegel, Ella Farritor (1st place), Aariya Gopal (2nd place), Ava Bogen (3rd place)
Youth under age 19 will present a 4-5 minute speech on the topic “How to Change the World With Optimism” on March 20 at the Verona Senior Center at 6:30 p.m. First place winner receives a medal and $200, Second place winner receives a medal and $150 and third place winner receives a medal and $100. First and second place winners advance to additional levels of the competition to compete for scholarships.
Submit your application and written draft of your speech to veronaoptimists@gmail.com by March 13.
Rules are on the application and additional guidelines for participants are here.
Free Preparation Workshop
If you’d like assistance preparing your speech, join Verona Optimists from 3-4:30 p.m. on Sundays, February 25 & March 10 at the Senior Center. Email permission form to jfarritor@gmail.com by February 15 to register for the workshop.
What happens after the club contest?:
Zone 6 competition is April 13 at 9:00 AM at the Verona Senior Center The Verona contest 1st and 2nd place winners will compete against the winners from the other clubs in the zone currently anticipated to be Cross-Plains/Middleton and Sauk Trails clubs.
Zone 6 1st and 2nd place winners will compete in the District Scholarship Competition in May for a chance to win $2,500 for first prize, $1,500 for second, and $1,000 for third. The district 1st place winner then advances to compete at the Optimist International levels beginning with the Regional level for a chance to win up to an additional $20,000 in scholarships!
SUMMARY OF KEY DATES:
February 15 deadline to sign up for prep workshop email permission form to jfarritor@gmail.com
February 25 3-4:30 p.m. Prep workshop at Verona Senior Center
March 10 3-4:30 p.m. Prep workshop at Verona Senior Center
March 13 deadline to submit application and written draft of speech to veronaoptimists@gmail.como
March 20 @ 6:30 PM
Verona Optimist Oratorical Competition (Verona Senior Center)
April 13 @ 9:00 AM
Zone 6 Optimist Oratorical Competition (Verona Senior Center)
May 11 District Contest @ 8 am – 3 pm ($2,500, $1,500, $1,000 scholarships)
District 9 Southern Wisconsin Oratorical Competition (Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Northwest)
July 18 – 19 Regional (Great Plains Contest $5,000 scholarship) in St. Louis
July 18-19 World Championship Contest ($15,000, $10,000, $5,000) in St. Louis