Scholarship Opportunities

During each school year the Coquitlam Optimist Club provides three opportunities for students to win scholarships. A fourth opportunity may be available to students with a hearing loss of 40 decibels or more. 

Optimist International Essay Contest

The Optimist International Essay Contest is an opportunity to win a $2,500-scholarship and/or a smaller cash prize.  The Coquitlam Optimist Club awards cash prizes for the first, second and third place essays submitted to the club.  The first place winner will advance to the Pacific Northwest District contest with the opportunity to win the $2,500 college scholarship. The Pacific Northwest District includes Optimist Clubs in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Alaska.

The Essay Contest is open to students under the age of 19 as of October 1, 2023 who have not completed secondary school or its equivalent.  There is no minimum age. Contestants must submit essays of 700-800 words in length on a pre-assigned topic.  The topic for 2023-2024 is “Optimism: How It Connects Us.”

To enter, students must first fill out an application form.  The application form along with detailed contest rules is available for download here.  For information on how to submit essays, e-mail the Coquitlam Optimist Club at coquitlamoptimists@gmail.com.  The 2024 essay deadline is February 1, 2024.  If you intend to submit an essay, please fill out and submit the application form to give us an idea of how many essays to expect. 

Optimist International Oratorical Contest

The Optimist International Oratorical Contest is an event designed to empower youth to become effective communicators and confident global citizens.   There is the potential for a student to win up to $22,500 in scholarships!

The Coquitlam Optimist Club awards small cash prizes to the first, second and third place winners in the club’s contest.  First and second place winners will advance to a zone and/or regional contest.  First and second place winners of the regional contest will compete in the Pacific Northwest District Contest, where $2500, $1500 and $1000 prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners, respectively.  The winner of the Pacific Northwest District Contest will advance to the Pacific Coast Region Contest (encompassing California, Arizona, and Nevada) for a scholarship valued at $5,000.   The winner of each Region (eight winners total) will compete at a World Championship for $15,000, $10,000, and $5,000 scholarships.

The Oratorical Contest is open to students under the age of 19 as of October 1, 2023 who have not completed secondary school or its equivalent.  There is no minimum age. Contestants must give a 4-5 minute long speech on a pre-assigned topic.  The 2024 topic is “How to Change the World with Optimism.” 

Download the Optimist International Oratorical Contest application and rules here.  The Coquitlam Optimist Club's contest will be held on March 13, 2024 at 7:00 PM.  

Robert Simms Memorial Scholarship

Each year the Coquitlam Optimist Club awards several $500-scholarships to graduates of secondary schools in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.  The scholarships, named in memory of a long-time teacher and counselor in School District 43, are awarded primarily based on the students’ service to their communities.

Application forms are available here or from guidance counselors at District 43 secondary schools.  Each school sets its own deadline for applications and forwards them to the Optimist Club by early or mid-May.   For further information e-mail the Coquitlam Optimist Club at coquitlamoptimists@gmail.com.