Saafia Masoon, a freshman at Platteville High School, recently won the Platteville Area Optimist Club’s essay contest, based on a theme of “How Can I Help My Friends Realize Their Value.”
Masoom was awarded a $100 scholarship for the honor. In addition, the essay will be sent to the district level to be judged along with winners from other Optimist Clubs in the district. College scholarships are available for top winners at the district level.
“Saafia did a wonderful job of articulating this year’s theme,” said club president Christine Storlie. “She expressed herself well through the essay and deserved the honor of first place.”
The Platteville Area Optimist Club has been participating in the Optimist Essay Contest for four years and has been active in the community since 2009. Other programs and service projects that the Club is involved in include an Oratorical Contest, a Tri-Star Soccer Skills Contest, and a Cyber Safety Program for fourth-graders.
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with 93,000 adult and youth members in 3,200 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico and throughout the world. Carrying the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Kids,” Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than 6 million young people each year.