This year’s Optimist Essay Contest topic wasn’t easy on contestants, who had to write 400-500 words about the “Power of Youth.”
“When I looked at the topic, I had no idea what to write,” said Taylor Benson, 12th grader at Clarkston High School who earned second place out of 24 entries. “I looked at it for about an hour, then it came to me and I wrote my essay in one sitting.”
“It made me look at youth in a different light, the good and bad characteristics,” said first-place winner Erin Gray, ninth-grader at Clarkston Junior High School. “I worked on it for more than a month, researching ideas.”
Gray, Benson, and Jennifer Heuerman, third place, 12th grader at Clarkston High School, were treated to breakfast at the Clarkston Optimist Club’s March 4 meeting, receiving Borders gift certificates, medallions, and award certificates.
“All the papers were really good,” Gray said.
Joan Patterson, Clarkston Optimist Essay Chairman, assembled six judges for the contest, Dawn Frasa, writer; Nancy Larsen Ph.D, high school media specialist; the Rev. Rick Drake, pastor for Clarkston Methodist Church; Derrick Fries Ph.D, associate professor at Eastern Michigan University; Mel Vaara, retired Clarkston High School principal; and Phil Custodio, Clarkston News editor.
“I’m so proud of our judges,” Patterson said. “It’s a very diverse group.”
“I think it’s amazing, all these people coming together to do this for us,” Heuerman said.
The Optimists also recognized Erin Shaw, who teaches ninth-grade, advanced language-arts class at Clarkston Junior High. All three finalists learned writing in Shaw’s class.
“We do everything, essay writing, presentations, literary analysis, oratorical skills, lots of creative writing,” Shaw said. “They’re all thinkers. They think about the world in which they live ? very conscientious students.”
Gray will compete in District Competition for a $650 scholarship. District winners compete nationally for up to $6,000 in scholarships.