Some of the activities that The Club has sponsored include the following:  

1. Oratorical Contest- (See also Current News) - The Contest is held each year for kids under 16 years of age on December 31 of the current school year. The speech must be between 4 and 5 minutes on the assigned topic.  The Club contest is held the end of March or the beginning of April.  The winner of the Club contest is awarded a $100 US Savings Bond and competes in the Zone contest. The Zone winner competes in the MD/SD District competition held at Ocean City MD at the end of April. Winners of the District competition are awarded a $1500 scholarship.   
   
   The topic for the 2008 Oratorical Contest was "Why Me?  Why Not?"  Click here for the rules and an entry form.  Entries had to be submitted to the Club by March 29; the Club's contest was held on April 3rd, starting at 7:00 PM at the Courtyard by Marriott, 2500 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD.  The Club's Contest was won by Mr. Madison Thomas-Buenos; congratulations Madison; well done!  Contact Peter Martin, Phone: 301-926-7097, for more information on the Rockville Club's contest.  Click here for pictures from the Club's Contest.

    

2. Essay Contest- (See also Current News) - Kids under 19 on December 31 of the current school year are eligible to participate and submit a 400-500 word original essay on the assigned topic. Entries to the Club contest must be submitted by early February.  Volunteers judge entries submitted to the Club and the winner enters the MD/SD District competition. The first place contestant in the Club contest is awarded a $100 US Savings Bond and enters the District competition. The authors of the top three winning essays of the District are invited to read their entries before the District's quarterly conference. The first place essay in the District contest wins a $650 college scholarship and is entered in the national competition. The winner of the national competition is awarded a $6000 college scholarship; second place $3750; and third place $2250. 
   

   The topic for the 2008 Essay Contest was "Today's Choices Shape My Future."  Click here for the rules.  The deadline for essays for the 2008 contest was February 7, 2008.   Congratulations to Sarah Rice for writing the winning essay in the Club's Contest this year and the District's Essay Contest and for taking 3rd Place in Optimist International's Contest.  Click here to read Sarah's Essay.  For more information about the Rockville Club's contest contact Barbara Grewe, Phone 301-340-1506, or Ed Dawson, Phone: 301-460-1176.
   

3. Rockville Public Safety Awards- This is a program to recognize individuals who go beyond the call of duty. Rockville Optimist Club has been a contributing sponsor of this program for over eleven years. This program usually kicks off in the Spring and the Awards Luncheon is held in June. 
   

    

4. Adopt-A-Family- Every year for the holidays the Club adopts a family.  Members buy gifts for the children and gift cards for the adults; then we get together and have fun figuring out how to wrap everything.