FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 12, 2023
Contact: Amy Keller
Senior Director, International Programs
314-881-1318
Optimist International to Host Oratorical World Championships July 20-21 in St. Louis
Young speakers from around the world will compete for scholarships and recognition.
St. Louis, Missouri – Optimist International and Saint Louis University have partnered to host the 8th Annual Optimist International Oratorical World Championships July 20-21, 2023.
The contest, to be held on the campus of Saint Louis University, is open to students under the age of 19 who have not yet completed high school. The contestants will each deliver a four-to-five-minute speech on the topic "Discovering the Optimism within Me," and will be judged on content, presentation, poise and delivery.
The winners of the contest will receive scholarships funded by the Optimist International Foundation. The first-place winner will receive $15,000, the second-place winner will receive $10,000 and the third-place winner will receive $5,000. In addition, all contestants have already won a district scholarship of $2,500, and nine regional winners will each receive $5,000 scholarships.
“But these endeavors are more than just a scholarship program — they truly build confidence, communication skills and many other positive attributes in our youth,” said OIF Executive Director Craig Boring. “Together, we are all helping shape the future leaders of societies.”
The World Championships are the culmination of a series of local and regional contests that involve nearly 2,000 Optimist Clubs from around the world. While the championships are less than a decade old, the contest itself is now in its 95th year. Past participants have included Neil Patrick Harris, Julia Roberts and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Past Optimist International President Dave Bruns, who participated in the contest in 1973, said, “The contest gave me the confidence to prepare a speech and to stand up in front of a group of adults who were willing to listen to what I had to say.”
Optimist International invites local and national media to attend the World Oratorical Contest, which will take place at the Center for Global Citizenship at Saint Louis University, located at 3672 West Pine Mall.
Regional contests will be held Thursday, July 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the World Championship and awards ceremony will be held Friday, July 21, from 9 a.m. to noon.
For more information about the contest, please contact Senior International Programs Director Amy Keller at amy.keller@optimist.org, or call 314-881-1318.
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About Optimist International
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service organizations, with nearly 60,000 members and 2,500 clubs in the United States, Canada and throughout the world. Committed to creating a more optimistic future for children and communities, Optimist programs and service projects positively impact more than six million young people each year.
