Win a Scholarship in Public Speaking!

THE OLDEST AND BEST CONTEST OF OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL 

Topic:  “Discovering the Optimism within Me”

District Contest Chair: Richard Bracknell  

                                                     Email: Richard.Bracknell@carrolltoncityschools.net
                                                     Phone: 770 314 2425

Congratulations to our international winner! The Seventh Annual Optimist International World Championships took place at St. Louis University on July 21-22, 2022. Samiksha Gaherwar participated in the contest as the Oratorical winner from the GATEway District. Samiksha graduated from Lambert High School in Suwanee, Georgia and was the Valedictorian. She plans to attend Princeton University. She has been participating the the oratorical contest for 8 years.

The Oratorical Contest last year in the GATEway District was a near record winner with more clubs and contestants. It was an event that showed hope in our youth and dedication in our clubs. We look forward to yet a better contest this year.  Our goal is to have 40 Clubs participate this year. Start now preparing for your club to send two contestants (gender neutral) up the “Oratorical Ladder” with the opportunity to win $22,500 in scholarships.  Look to the District announcements for information and come to the District meetings to gather insight, suggestions, and hear of the joy of doing this for our kids!  

The deadlines for the contest are: 

Local Club contest winners received by the Lt. Governors:  March 3, 2023

Zone contest:  March 24, 2023

Area contest: April 8, 2023

District Contest:  April 22, 2023

Again, we look forward, WITH YOUR HELP, having another record breaking year in both participants and clubs.  

The contest is open to students under the age of 19 by October 1, 2022. Students must enter in the District in which they reside.

Your next step?   Online Info: Planning Guide, application, and contest rules can be accessed: click on this link to the OI website.

Download: the Application and Contest Rules form, click here.

Oratorical World Champion!

Congratulations Samiksha Gaherwar

The Seventh Annual Optimist International World Championships took place at St. Louis University on July 21-22, 2022. Samiksha Gaherwar participated in the contest as the Oratorical winner from the GATEway District. Samiksha graduated from Lambert High School and was the Valedictorian. She plans to attend Princeton University. She has been participating the the oratorical contest for 8 years.

The schedule of events began on Wednesday evening with a “Welcome” mixer for participants and guests. The regional contests began on Thursday morning. The Southeast Region contest was at 12:00 pm (CT) and the regional winners were announced the next morning. The winners of each region will receive a $5,000 scholarship. There were a total of 81 participants in the regional contests. Countries represented in the Oratorical contest were: USA, Canada, Jamaica, South Korea, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Nepal, and Haiti.

The World Championship contest began soon after the 9 regional winners were announced on Friday morning.

Samiksha was Speaker A for the contest.

After all 9 participants completed their speeches, everyone anxiously waited for the announcement of the winners. We were all elated when it was announced that Samiksha was the World Champion and would receive a $15,000 scholarship.

“Samiksha is a remarkable young woman and her family is wonderful. Samiksha’s perseverance—having participated in the Oratorical Contest for 8 years and finally winning it all—is a great lesson for others to follow. Like Samiksha, we should never give up working to make our dreams come true. As she heads to college in the fall, we wish her the very best in all her future endeavors”

Dave Bruns, Past International President and International Scholarship Chair

The GATEway District congratulates Samiksha and look forward to hearing great things from her in the future!

GATEway Optimists