Watch Notes from Nick!

Notes from Nick are weekly video messages from 2017-18 International President Nick Prillaman. Every Wednesday, a new Notes From Nick will be uploaded to our YouTube channel , social media accounts, and website . 
100th International Convention

Optimist International would like to thank each and every Optimist Member that attended the Ottawa Convention. The event celebrated the successes of many Optimist Members, provided training for and welcomed new leaders for the 2018-19 year, and ended with a night full of fun at the President's Banquet and Ball. Convention videos of the Opening Ceremony and Business Sessions can be found here . Photos will be posted shortly.
Junior Optimist International

The 2018 Summer edition of The Torch is now available here . The Torch is the official newsletter of Junior Optimist International.

For more information about Junior Optimist International or if you have questions about starting a Junior Optimist Club, click here .
Optimist Junior Golf
The Optimist International Junior Golf Championships completed its third phase this week. It is one of the largest and best-known junior golf tournaments in the world. 

To view the results of the Championships, click here .  
Optimist International Oratorical World Championships 

The 3rd Annual Optimist International Oratorical World Championships took place in June at Saint Louis University Center of Global Citizenship in St. Louis, Missouri. Thank you to all Optimists who made the event successful!

Congratulations to the first place winner, Caleb Smith from South Carolina! To view Caleb’s winning speech, click here .

For more information about the oratorical program, click here .  
2018-19 Scholarship Contests

Optimist International sponsors three scholarship contests for students to earn money to pursue opportunities in higher education: the Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH), the Essay Contest and the Oratorical Contest. The contests are conducted at the Club level, then Zone and Regional (if necessary) and at the District level. District-level scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundations and awarded by Optimist International.

Essay topic for the 2018-19 school year: "When All the World’s Problems are Solved, is Optimism Still Necessary?"

CCDHH/Oratorical topic for the 2018-19 school year: “Is There a Fine Line Between Optimism and Reality?”

For more information, visit www.optimist.org/scholarships
Club Officer-Elect Form

The Club Officer-Elect Reports for 2018-19 officers can still be accepted. The form can be accessed here . If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Charlotte Baker in the Member Services Department at Charlotte.Baker@optimist.org . Canadian forms can be sent to Morenike Fakorede at Morenike.Fakorede@optimist.org . 
Global Spotlight
The Optimist International Global Spotlight was created to provide another means of communication between Optimist International and the Optimist Club Presidents outside of the United States and Canada. The newsletter is sent monthly. 

To view the July Global Spotlight, click   here .
Official Optimist International Suppliers

United States and the Caribbean:
Shumsky
Canada:
Ansell's Awards and Specialties
Contact the International Board of Directors 

If you have comments, concerns or suggestions for the International Board of Directors, please send to   board@optimist.org
Famous Optimists

Did you know Fred Dusenberg (famous car designer who won the Indianapolis 500 three times and created “the Doozy” luxury car), as well as his friend, Louis Chevrolet (famous race car driver and founder of Chevy) were both active Members of the Indianapolis Optimist Club?

Many famous people were Optimists over the years but it can be difficult to track down all the Members and Clubs. Does your Club include past or present famous Optimists? We want to know - share your Club’s famous Members with centennialbook@optimist.org !
Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation

As of June 30, 147 Clubs had already made their donation to the Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation. A donation to the Foundation is one of the criteria of reaching Honor Club status. Did your Club make a donation? For more information about our programs and to make an online donation, visit our website: ccof-foec.org