Youth Programs/ Scholarships and Community Awards
Youth Scholarships and Awards
Optimist International Essay Contest
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 to win a college scholarship!
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.
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Eligible students must have all of the following:
1) Live in the FCPS attendance areas for Madison, Marshall, and Oakton High Schools (see the boundary locator)
2) Be 18 years old or younger as of October 1, 2024
3) Have not yet graduated from high school.
This year's topic is "How Optimism Has Paved My Road to Success.” Students can write an essay of 700-800 words, which must be submitted to the club no later than Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Interested students should contact the contest chair at essay@optimistclubofgreatervienna.org for more information and to request a contest application.​
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Optimist International Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
This contest offers an opportunity for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to present their thoughts in the community, gaining skills, which can only come from signing or speaking to a large audience. Patterned after the Optimist Oratorical Contest, the Communication Contest For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers hearing impaired youth the chance to compete in speech or sign language. The Optimist International Foundations fund a $2,500 scholarship to any District that meets the minimum participation criteria.
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Optimist International
Oratorical World Championships
The Optimist Oratorical Contest gives youngsters the chance to speak to the world. More than $150,000 in college scholarships funded by the Optimist International Foundations is awarded annually from this program.
First conducted in 1928, this is the second most popular Optimist International Program. Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year. The winners at the Club level receive medallions and Zone winners receive a plaque. Districts have the opportunity to provide a first place scholarship of $2,500, a second place scholarship of $1,500, and a third place scholarship of $1,000.
Sheryl Friedley Scholarship
The Sheryl Friedley Scholarship is to assist students with documented Intellectual Disabilities (ID) who are receiving certificates of completion to continue their education in post-secondary educational training programs.
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Students must reside in the areas served by the Madison, Marshall, Oakton high school pyramids.
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Completed applications, including recommendation letters and required supporting documentation, may be submitted to the Optimist Club of Greater Vienna during the time frame stated on the application form.
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To apply and for more information, please email:
Career and Technology Scholarship
Every spring the OCGV offers the Career and Technical education scholarship for graduating HS seniors residing within the FCPS school pyramids for Marshall, Madison, and Oakton High Schools. The scholarship announcement, including eligibility criteria, and application for the current year are found at the links below. The application period is usually between late March and early May with a winner announced at the end of May.
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To apply and for more information, please email: joi@optimistclubofgreatervienna.org
TR Cook Youth Award of Excellence
The Optimists present the T.R. Cook awards every year to high school juniors for six areas of excellence: academics, citizenship, fine arts, science, sports and technology. T.R. Cook, a long time Optimist member and Vienna supporter, passed away in 2022.
Carol Waite Brennan Youth Appreciation Award
The club has given the Carol Waite Brennan Youth Appreciation Award to high school seniors who, nominated by their school counselors, excel in academics, arts, athletics and community service while demonstrating ongoing kindness, good citizenship, optimism and character. The club renamed this award in 2002 in honor of the late Optimist Carol Waite Brennan [1961-2001], an Oakton attorney who served as president of the Vienna Optimist Club 2000-2001 and, with her husband Matt, started Ethics Day at George C. Marshall High School. The club presents each student with a $2,500 scholarship for college.
Jim Houston Leadership Award
The Optimists present the Jim Houston award each year to a Madison High School senior who is a member of its baseball team and is a leader and a player of high character. Jim was a long time Optimist member and Vienna community supporter.
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Helping Hands Awards
The Optimists present annual "Helping Hands" awards to local elementary schools in the name of sixth grade students who have been nominated by their teachers for going above and beyond to help their friends, school, or community in a special way.
Support of Youth Programs
Special Olympics - Area 26​
The Optimist Club of Greater Vienna has participated each year since 1997 in the Northern Virginia (Area 26) Special Olympics Track and Field event by timing the athletes in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meter races and in the 400 meter relay races.​
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High School Robotics Clubs
The Optimist Club of Greater Vienna sponsors the robotics clubs of our three area high schools; James Madison HS in Vienna, Oakton HS in Oakton, and Marshall HS in Fairfax.
Community Awards
The Optimists also present well-deserved annual awards to our local Police, Fire and Rescue, and Educators for their extraordinary efforts to make our community a better place:
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The Optimist International's Respect for the Law/Promotion of Non-Violence Award to our local Police Departments
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The Optimist Club of Greater Vienna's First Responders Award for our local Fire and Rescue members​
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The Optimist Club of Greater Vienna's Partners in Education Award for our local educators