Topic:"Why Me? Why Not?"
When: OI does not set club/zone/regional deadlines District Deadline June 15, 2008
Who: Young people who have not attained the age of 16 years prior to or on January 1 of the current school year and are educated in the United States, Canada, or the Caribbean.
How To Enter: Contact your local Optimist Club.

Topic: "Why Me? Why Not?"
District Deadline: All District entry and entry fee's must be received by District Oratorical Contest Chairman no later then April 25, 2008.
Who: Lt. Governor
When:The District finals will be held at the same time as the third quarter District Conference (May 5, 2008) in Guthrie, Oklahoma

Optimist International, under whose guidelines and policy we operate, has established various "standard" projects for the clubs to perform. Accomplishing these projects can be part of qualifying for District, Regional or International recognition. One such project is our Oratorical Contest. Each of our clubs in the Zone, select a school, church or other organization to conduct a youth competition. Contestants between the age of eleven to sixteen must write and deliver a speech, with a specified title, five minutes in duration, in front of an audience and three judges. Optimist members cannot be judges, so qualified members of the community are selected for this task. There is a girl's category and a boy's category. The two winners at each club will compete at the Zone level. Those winners (one girl, one boy) will participate in an Area contest, between Zones, where those winners go on to the final, District level competition. The winners each receive a $1500 scholarship. Throughout these competitions, the participants and immediate family are "guests" of the Optimist Organization, with all travel expenses, meals and lodgings provided for.