The Ocean City – Berlin Maryland Optimist Club
Oratorical Contest
 The Oratorical contest was started by the Optimist International in 1928 and has become the longest running program sponsored by the Optimist international. The purpose of the contest is to inspire today’s youth, to motivate and inspire others through the art of public speaking. It provides the contestant the opportunity to compete for a college scholarship and to express their views on pre-assigned topics.
The Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club has sponsored the Oratorical Contest since 1973. Many different club members have served as the Club Oratorical Chairman; Richard Caproni is the current chairman since 2002.
The Oratorical Contest is actually several different competitions. Students are invited to participate through their local school. There is no minimum age, but a participant can not have turned 16 years of age before December 31st of the previous year. The Club conducts a preliminary contest. This year we have over 60 students signed up to compete. The better performers will be selected to compete in a Club Final, where one male and one female representative is selected to compete in a Zone contest against the other club Champions. The winners of the Zone contest then compete in a District Contest that represents Maryland and parts of Delaware. The male and female winners of the District receive a $1,500 college scholarship.
All participants must submit a completed application in order to participate. Applications are distributed to local schools in January of the contest year. Students are encouraged to join the competition by Teachers and Principals of their schools. Winners of the OC-Berlin Optimist Club Contest will receive $500 in proportioned prize money as well as Gold, Silver, and Bronze medallions to mark their achievement.
This Years Oratorical Contest:
Preliminary Competition – April 22
OC-Berlin Club Final – April 23
Zone Competition - April 23
Dinner for Club Competitors and Families – May
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