Transcript Optimist International Essay Contest

Optimist International Essay
Contest
Why should my Club hold an Essay
contest?
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Gives young people a chance to write about
their opinions regarding the world they live in
Gives young people the opportunity to earn a
scholarship for further education
Introduces your Club to the community,
parents, schools, local youth and businesses
Be Part of the 3rd Most Popular
Optimist Program!
Where do I find information on
holding a contest?
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District Essay Chair
Essay Program Planning Guide
(http://www.Optimist.org)
Optimist International Staff
(1-800-500-8130 ext. 235 or 261 or
[email protected])
This looks too hard….
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This could be a lot of work!
How will we get students to participate?
I don’t know if we can find three judges…
There are a lot of rules…
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The secret is…it’s easier than you think!
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A New Resource
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The Club-Level Essay Contest Program
Package available
Includes tools to help your Club run a contest
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Job Responsibilities by Position
Sample Letters
And More!
Piece By Piece
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Please remember that the responsibility
breakdown and timeline are only suggested
and can be modified to fit your Club!
Job Responsibilities
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A list of all the necessary things that need to be
done to run a successful contest
You may think of additional things that need to
be done
Job Responsibilities By Position
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Project Chair – organizes contest details,
sends press releases, reviews judges’
evaluations, ranks essays, announces winners,
sends information to District Chair by
February 28th
Job Responsibilities By Position
(cont.)
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Contestant Coordinator – sets deadline for
students, asks Principal to make entry part of
curriculum, promote the contest to local youth,
notify participants of winners
Job Responsibilities By Position
(cont.)
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Judging Coordinator – secure 3 judges and a
back-up, provide judging sheets, make sure
judges understand procedures, send “thank
you” letters to judges after contest
Job Responsibilities By Position
(cont.)
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Club Board of Directors – decide whether
Club will offer a monetary award to winners
Project Timeline
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Responsibilities broken down by weeks leading
up to the judging, the day of the judging and
then the weeks immediately following the
judging
This is only a suggestion.
Press Release – Before Event
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Press Releases are fill in the blank – simply
type your Club’s information in the highlighted
areas
Send to local newspapers, radio stations and
television stations
Free publicity for your contest and your Club!
Just Fill In the Blanks!
Judging Sheets and Contest Forms
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Instructions to Judges
Judge’s Score Sheet
Instructions for Master Score Sheet for Club
Chairs
Master Score Sheet
Club Essay Chair List of What to Submit to the
District Chair
District Essay Contest Entry Form
District Entry Form
Sample Letters
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Fill in the Blanks
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Letter to Parents – thank them for letting their child
participate, inform them about your Club’s other
programs and what your Club does, invite them to a
Club meeting
Judges Letter – thank them for their work, inform
them about your Club’s other programs and what
your Club does, invite them to a Club meeting
Press Release – After the Event
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Fill In The Blank – type your Club’s information
in the highlighted areas
Announce Club Winner and send photos!
Remember
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The program package is not a substitute for
the Program Planning Guide. The guide
contains all the rules and forms needed to
conduct the contest.
All Clubs NEED to print the Club guide from
the Optimist website (http://www.Optimist.org)
before running the contest!
Questions????