Optimist Club of Rolla Oratorical Club Contests News Release

The Optimist Club of Rolla invites students from public and parochial schools, as well as home schooled students, in Edgar Springs, Newburg, Rolla and St. James to participate in the 2006-2007 academic year oratorical competition.  The contest is open to students under the age of 16 as of December 31, 2006 and who are educated in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean.  The official topic is “My Biggest Challenge Is…”  Orations must be at least four minutes but not over five minutes in length.  Participating schools are expected to limit the number of preliminary contest orators to one of each gender for every six in-school participants.

The oratorical contest is an education enhancement opportunity that Optimist International has provided since 1928 and which has been provided by the Optimist Club of Rolla since its founding in 1964.  The contest is open to students within commuting distance of Rolla and students interested in competing in the in-school competitions should contact their English, Speech, Debate, Social Studies or Odyssey of the Mind teacher or school principal to obtain contest rules.  The contest rules are available by going to the following URL: http://www.optimist.org/Forms/Oratorical_Rules_Pad_06.pdf or by contacting Lawrence C. George, 2006/2007 Oratorical Contest Chair, Optimist Club of Rolla at lcg57du@fidnet.com, lcg@umr.edu or 364-4216 between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays or between 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Preliminary Contests are scheduled for January 8, 2007 (female contestants) and on January 9, 2007 (male contestants) at the Rolla Middle School.

Lawrence C. George

Oratorical Contest Chair and Reporter

November 20, 2006