The Essay contest is sponsored by Optimist International 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. In additional to developing skills for written expression, participants also have the opportunity win a college scholarship!

The guidelines require that contestants be under age 19 as of December 31 of the 2010-2011 school year. The essay itself must be type-written, double-spaced and must contain at least 700 words but no more than 800 words (Title, footnotes and bibliography are not included in the final word count.)

Club winners advance to the District contest to compete for a $2,500 college scholarship. The District-level scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundations. District winners are entered into the International Essay Contest, where a panel of judges selects a first-place winner. The international winner will receive an engraved plaque and recognition in The Optimist magazine.