Available Scholarships + Contests
Scholarships & Contests:
The Optimist Club of St. Paul, as part of Optimist International, sponsors three scholarship contests for students to earn money to pursue opportunities in higher education:
Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH)
Essay Contest
Oratorical Contest
How to Enter: Interested students must contact their local Optimist Club, the Optimist Club of St Paul (optimist.stpaul@gmail.com), with the completed application before designated due date.
Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH)
This contest offers an opportunity for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to present their thoughts in the community, gaining skills which can only come from signing or speaking to a large audience. Patterned after the Optimist Oratorical Contest, the Communication Contest For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers hearing impaired youth the chance to compete in speech or sign language. Topics vary by year, for the 2024-2025 school year the topic is: "How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times"
The Club Level winner receives a Medallion, and the District Level winner receives a Plaque and a $2,500 scholarship for use at a college, university, or trade school only.
Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH)
Application and rules for Optimist Club of St Paul Contest
Submission deadline – April 1st, 2025
Optimist International Essay Contest
The Essay Contest is sponsored to give young people the opportunity to write about their own opinions regarding the world in which they live. The approach can encompass a young person’s personal experience, the experience of their country or a more historical perspective. Topics vary by year, for the 2024-2025 school year the topic is: "How Optimism Has Paved My Road to Success.”
The students first compete at the Club level ($250 award) with winners advancing to the district level to compete for a $2,500 college scholarship.
Application and rules for Optimist Club of St Paul Contest
Submission deadline – February 13th, 2025
Optimist International Oratorical Contest
The contest 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. Each contestant shall prepare their own speech. The contestant may receive advice in the preparation of the speech and may make minor changes or improvements in the speech at any time. Topics vary by year, for the 2024-2025 school year the topic is: "How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times.”
The winners of the Club Level receive a Medallion, and winners of the Zone and District Levels receive a Plaque. Each winner of the District level contest will also receive a scholarship for use at a college, university, or trade school only. Three winners are awarded scholarships of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 respectively for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
Application and rules for Optimist Club of St Paul Contest
Submission deadline – March 8th, 2025
Other Scholarship Opportunities
Other Scholarships are available from these sources:
College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/scholarship-search
Fast Web: https://www.fastweb.com/
Sally Mae: https://www.salliemae.com/
Scholarship America: https://scholarshipamerica.org/what-we-do/students-parents/
See also The Friend of Youth Foundation Scholarships.
Questions? Email Optimist Club of St. Paul optimist.stpaul@gmail.com.