The Personal Growth and Involvement Program is referred to as the PGI Program. The PGI program was developed to increase club member’s personal development and their involvement in their clubs.
The PGI Program will help our clubs to promote more interest and activities for our club members. There are ten (10) Levels that your member will accomplish. The club members can complete the Levels at their own pace. The PGI Program presents opportunities for members to receive personal benefits, proper recognition, better understanding of the Optimist philosophy, support the club’s President, and challenge every club member to become a leader.
The Personal and Professional Growth Committee will offer training on these programs throughout the year.
PGI Report Form (Excel) | Club Tracking Form (Excel) | Individual Tracking Form (Excel) |
PGI Report Form (pdf) | Club Tracking Form (pdf) | Individual Tracking Form (pdf) |
Here are the present 10 PGI Levels:
LEVEL I – BRONZE
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend six Club meetings and/or activities |
| ACTIVITY: | Participate in one Club service activity |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Learn the Five Purposes and about the founding of Optimist International |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Prepare and give a short presentation on “How Optimism Can Make A Better World” |
| COMMUNICATION: | Read the curriculum vitae/résumé of a new member at the induction ceremony |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL II – GREEN
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend three additional Club meetings and/or activities (cumulative total of 9) |
| ACTIVITY: | Be involved in organizing a Club Activity |
| GROWTH: | Sponsor a new Member |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Know Optimist International, District, Zone and your Club’s structures |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Make a short presentation at a club meeting on why a perspective member should join your Optimist club. |
| COMMUNICATION: | Promote Club meeting attendance for a period of at least one month |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL III – BURGUNDY
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend three additional Club meetings and/or activities (cumulative total of 12) |
| ACTIVITY: | Participate in one additional Club youth, community or Respect for Law activity. |
| GROWTH: | Sponsor a second new Member |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Do a short presentation on three things you can find on the optimist.org website. |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Complete an Optimist Skills Development Module of your choice |
| COMMUNICATION: | Name three ways that Optimist International communicates with it’s members. |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL IV – BLUE
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend a Club Meeting other than your own |
| ACTIVITY: | Participate in one additional Club youth activity |
| GROWTH: | Sponsor a third new Member |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Know the name of the President of Optimist International, the names of the District’s assigned International Vice President, the District Governor and the Zone Lieutenant Governor |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Make a brief presentation on “Highlighting the Best Times You’ve Shared With Children Since Becoming an Optimist Member” |
| COMMUNICATION: | Pay a visit or call a member appointed by the Club President who has been missed from Club meetings |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL V – BLACK
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend two additional Club meetings and/or activities, plus attend a District or Zone meeting |
| ACTIVITY: | Participate in one additional service project of the Club |
| GROWTH: | Sponsor a fourth new Member |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Recite (by memory) the Optimist Creed |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Complete a second Optimist Skills Development Module of your choice |
| COMMUNICATION: | Make a presentation to your club on the district or zone meeting that you attended. |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL VI – PURPLE
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend two additional Club meetings and/or activities |
| ACTIVITY: | Serve as Chair of a Club Project |
| GROWTH: | Sponsor a fifth new Member |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Make a five-minute presentation on a program promoted by your Club, District or Optimist International |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Educate a new Member on the purposes and benefits of an Optimist Club |
| COMMUNICATION: | Promote a Club activity within the surrounding community |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL VII – GOLD (With Certificate of Completion of Levels I through VII)
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend two additional Club meetings and/or activities (and attend your District’s Annual Convention |
| ACTIVITY: | Create, organize and present a new activity to your Club’s Board of Directors |
| GROWTH: | Participate in building a new Club |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Make a presentation to your Club or Zone about the District Convention you attended. |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Serve as Club officer or Club officer-elect |
| COMMUNICATION: | Create and submit an article about a Club project to Club or District bulletin, website, social media page |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Club Secretary/Treasurer or Club President |
LEVEL VIII – ORANGE
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend two consecutive District Conferences one of which can be the District Convention attended for Level VII |
| ACTIVITY: | Serve on the District level |
| GROWTH: | Participate in a new Club building follow-up orientation |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Make a presentation to your Zone or District about Optimist International |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Complete a third Optimist Skills Development Module |
| COMMUNICATION: | Present PGI program to a new Club |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Lieutenant Governor or Governor |
LEVEL IX – YELLOW
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend four additional District Conferences/Convention |
| ACTIVITY: | Coordinate a District Activity |
| GROWTH: | Recruit a sixth and seventh new Member |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Make a Club or Zone presentation about a District Activity |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Complete a fourth Optimist Skills Development Module |
| COMMUNICATION: | Mentor a Member in achieving Level IV of PGI |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Lieutenant Governor or Governor |
LEVEL X – SPECIAL LAPEL PIN BACKING PRESENTED AT A DISTRICT MEETING. (WHERE POSSIBLE) AND WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION. PGI LEVEL X RIBBON AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
| ATTENDANCE: | Attend two additional District Conventions or one International Convention |
| ACTIVITY: | Serve as a District Committee Chair or officer |
| GROWTH: | Earn the “Builder of Excellence” award |
| KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZATION: | Conduct the Optimist Skills Development Model. *Orientation to Optimism” for a new member at a Club, Zone, or District meeting |
| SELF DEVELOPMENT: | Attend three training seminars at the District Convention or three back-to-school Workshops at the International Convention |
| COMMUNICATION: | Assist a member in achieving level VII of P.G.I. |
| CERTIFICATION: | Activities to be certified by Governor |