Community Programs & Projects
Childhood Health & Welness
In response to requests from Optimist Clubs and recognizing the broad range of childhood health-related issues, Optimist International and the Foundations created the Childhood Health & Wellness Program.
The Childhood Health & Wellness Program will build on the highly successful Childhood Cancer Campaign to expand our impact. Clubs and Districts will now have the opportunity to initiate projects and services to improve the quality of life for children in their communities across a broader spectrum of needs.
Childhood Health & Wellness will include four focus areas (not limited to the examples below):
Healthy Lifestyles (Child Obesity, Healthy Eating, Physical Fitness, Happy Heart Advice, March of Dimes)
Chronic Diseases (Childhood Cancer, Juvenile Diabetes, HIV, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Sickle Cell Anemia)
Mental Health (Depression, Bullying, Abuse)
Disabilities – Physical, Intellectual & Developmental (Autism, Special Olympics)
Clubs in our District may complete grant applications from the Optimist International Foundation by going to the OIF website (linked below).
OIF Childhood Health and Wellness
There is an exciting opportunity to start supporting the Childhood Health & Wellness Program to serve more children in our communities!
Childhood Cancer Campaign
WHAT IS THIS PROGRAM?
Cancer has resulted in more deaths among children than any other disease. Optimist International has developed a planning guide to suit to the strengths and resources of its members. Clubs and Districts have the opportunity to provide assistance and services directly to children receiving treatment for cancer, their care partners and service providers, as well as contribute to ongoing research efforts.
MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM
Optimist Clubs and Districts sponsoring Childhood Cancer Campaign (CCC) projects may apply for a matching grant from the Nebraska District to maximize the impact made on childhood cancer patients, their families and their healthcare providers. The application can be found in Addendum 2 of the District Policies.
CCC PROGRAM HISTORY
There is no definitive date when Optimist Clubs first became involved with childhood cancer projects within their own communities but Club involvement continued to grow. By 1999, an ad-hoc Childhood Cancer Committee began developing an Optimist International program for this cause. In December 2001, the Board of Directors of Optimist International passed a motion to make the Childhood Cancer Campaign (CCC) the organization’s primary focus for the next five years. Simultaneously, the Optimist International Foundations pledged up to $400,000 for the same five-year period. On March 24, 2004, Optimist International signed an agreement with Johns Hopkins to create “The Optimist International Research Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.”
Nebraska Academic Decathalon
The Nebraska Academic Decathlon promotes academic growth, teamwork and communication skills among students of all achievement levels through statewide academic competitions.
More than 40 schools from across the state of Nebraska participate in the regional and state competitions.
The Academic Decathlon is an educational growth program for high school students. The program requires participating students to develop an understanding of a specific curriculum and take tests in the areas of Art, Economics, Language & Literature, Math, Music, Science, and Social Science. In addition, they must write an essay, present both a planned and impromptu speech and complete an interview.
For more visit the Nebraska Academic Decathalon website.
Optimist International Junior Golf Championship (OIJGC)
The OIJGC is one of the largest and best-known junior golf tournaments in the world. Each year, more than 600 golfers participate in THE OPTIMIST. Optimists have been involved in the sport of junior golf for more than 30 years by holding local, regional and international tournaments. More than 5,000 golfers compete in official Optimist District qualifying tournaments. The best of these golfers, along with international golfers from around the globe, advance to the annual Optimist International Junior Golf Championships. Former champions and top finishers of the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships include Lexi Thompson, Beth Bauer, Jonathan Byrd, Jason Day, Bill Haas, Brittany Lincicome, Jeff Overton, Stacy Prammanasudh and Jennifer Rosales.
For more on our District competition, visit the Nebraska Junior Golf Site.
Tri Star Sports
Offering a friendly basketball, baseball, soccer, football, in-line or ice hockey skills, lacrosse, curling, or golf competition may be just what your Club needs to serve your community’s youth. The Tri-Star program enables your Club to run one or several successful sports skills contests efficiently and with as little manpower as possible. More than 1,000 Optimist Clubs across North America currently participate in or sponsor sports leagues or teams.
Similar to a punt-pass-kick skills competition, the TriStar Sports Skills Contests are the perfect way to bring together the youth of your community in a spirit of fun competition. Each skill offers exciting opportunities to promote self-confidence and physical fitness, even if your Club has limited resources. Because this program does not involve physical contact or advanced skills, it is an ideal activity for every child, even those who may be physically challenged. Tri-Star Sports Skills Contests are designed for youth ages 8-13, and test three skills in the sport of your choice:
Baseball: Base-running, Hitting, and Throwing
Basketball: Dribbling, Passing, and Shooting
Football: Passing, Place-kicking, and Punting
Soccer: Dribbling, Shooting, and Throwing
Hockey: Shooting, Skating, and Stick-handling
Curling: Drawing, Hitting, and Scoring
Golf: Drive, Chip, and Putt
Volleyball: Serving, Passing, Hitting
The Nebraska District currently offers a District contest for Football (Punt, Pass & Kick [PPK]) and Baseball (Pitch, Hit & Run [PHR]). These contests have expanded the age range both above and below the suggested 8-13 range.
Avenue of Flags
Share your Optimism and patriotic spirit in the community with an Avenue of Flags project. This Fundraiser can help support youth programs and scholarships in your community! Back in 2009, an Optimist from Iowa created a project guide that has been shared with Optimist International. There are several Clubs in our District that have an Avenue of Flags project.
A Kaleidoscope of the Performing Arts
What are the performing arts?
The term “performing arts” refers to forms of art in which artists use their voices, bodies, or inanimate objects to convey artistic expression. The performing arts include a range of disciplines which are performed in front of a live audience. Performing arts may include dance, music, opera, theater and musical theater, magic, illusion, mime, spoken word, puppetry, and even circus arts. Talent showcases highlighting these performing arts are not only fun, but innovative, giving young people the opportunity to express themselves using their own unique talents. Many shows and showcases are held every year because they are enjoyable, involve the community, and give young people a chance to show off their special skills. Showcases are particularly inviting because these events give young people of all ages a chance to participate, either on stage or behind the scenes. Optimist International collected information to help you make your performing arts showcase a reality.
Kids Speak Out
All young people can compete in the Optimist Oratorical Contest. The “Kids Speak Out” contest is a “pre-Oratorical” program that provides a more equitable competition for younger speakers. The real test of this program is not who wins, but rather providing the opportunity for boys and girls to gain experience in speaking to an audience. Although winners can be selected, emphasis should be placed on making all contestants feel like a winner merely by participating.
Your Optimist Club can provide the supplies needed such as forms, certificates and medals.
Latest program guide here.
Musical Happiness
This exciting program is designed to encourage and celebrate youth Instrumental and Vocal categories. There will be awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place at the Optimist International level for each category. The Instrumental or Vocal submission shall be no longer than three minutes. The Musical Happiness Competition – Instrumental and Vocal gives the youth we serve another outlet for their creativity!
Entries in the past have been due on March 1st.
Photography Contest
Photographers for the contest should be students at any age up through high school and prior to post-secondary education. Students are asked to submit photos that illustrate/exemplify one of the ten verses/lines of “The Optimist Creed”.
Purpose
To expose young people to “The Optimist Creed” and our philosophy of Optimism and to assist them with developing an interest in the area of photography.
1. This provides an avenue for a student’s artistic expression through photos.
2. The contest introduces both students and parents to “The Optimist Creed” as our philosophy. It makes them aware of a local Optimist club, its activities, and can serve as an opportunity to promote membership.
Optimists Spark Fun in the Park
This Optimist International event will be staged at the club level annually where clubs can choose any date to host their event. This fun and exciting new event has been coined to target Junior Optimist International (JOI) and College Club members, working with adult Optimist Club members. The event will further facilities camaraderie between JOI, College Club members, adult Optimist members, and the community at large, while providing an avenue for meaningful interaction and care for children with differing abilities by our Optimist members at all levels. This is undoubtedly the core function of an event of this stature and, in essence, it is a fun way of sharing our philosophy of Optimism to a wider cross section of the children we serve globally.
Visual Arts
This exciting program is designed to encourage and celebrate youth visual art skills in two categories – painting and drawing. Scholarships will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place at the Optimist International level for each category. The Optimist Visual Arts Competition – Paintings and Drawings gives the youth we serve another outlet for their creativity!