Optimist Club Offers Scholarships for Student Essays

The Coquitlam Optimist Club is offering $450 in prizes and an opportunity to win a $2500 scholarship in Optimist International’s 2011 Essay Contest.

The Essay Contest is open to students under 19 years of age as of December 31, 2010. Contestants must submit essays of 700-800 words in length on the topic “How My Education is the Key to a Successful Future.”

The Coquitlam Optimist Club will award cash prizes of $300 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. The first place winner will advance to the Pacific Northwest District contest with the opportunity to win a $2,500 college scholarship. The Pacific Northwest District includes Optimist Clubs in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. In addition, one international winner entered through an Optimist Club in Canada, the USA or the Caribbean, will have his or her essay published in the Optimist International Magazine.

To enter, students must first fill out an application form. To receive the application form along with detailed contest rules and information on how to submit essays, e-mail the Coquitlam Optimist Club at coquitlamoptimists@gmail.com. The Coquitlam Optimist Club must receive completed essays by February 10, 2011.

Additional information, including the application form, is available at the Optimist International website http://www.optimist.org/e/member/scholarships3.cfm. However, all application forms and essays from local students must be submitted to the Coquitlam Optimist Club.