Optimists See Great Essay Interest

Winners Honored

The Wolf Point Optimist has set a high standard for other Optimist clubs to follow. This year, the Wolf Point club received 43 entries for the Optimist International essay contest.

That amount is the most of any club in the entire district, which includes Montana, Alberta, Saskatchewan and northern Wyoming.

Club president AJ Allen and other Optimists welcomed students for a pizza party at The Tavern on Friday, March 31. The club thanks teacher Lori Sande for urging seventh- grade students to enter the essay competition.

Topic for the essay was “Who is an everyday hero that brings out the optimism in you.” Essays needed to be between 700 and 800 words long.

Miliek Standing Rock was the local winner. He received $50 from the club and the Optimist Club of Wolf Point sponsored him for the national competition and a chance to win a $2,500 college scholarship.

Standing Rock said it took him about two hours to write the essay. His subject included how his late uncle, Chauncey Whitright III, was a positive role model for him.

Tying for second place were Stephanie Martell and Sequoyah Hotomanie.

Martell’s essay described the influence of her grandmother, Jeri Todd.

Tyana Black Eagle earned third place in the local contest.