Optimist Club of Sussex County names essay contest winners

The Optimist Club of Sussex County congratulates Briana Spradlin, a Laurel High School sophomore who won first place in the club’s essay contest, writing on the theme of How Does an Optimistic Mindset Change my Tomorrow?

Tyler Keyek from Sussex Tech won second place, and third place went to Luci Rawlings from Laurel High School. All three winners received a certificate, a medallion and a monetary prize.

The first-place essay will be sent to the district level to be judged along with winners from other Optimist Clubs in Delaware and Maryland. College scholarships are available for top winners at the district level.

“Spradlin did a wonderful job of articulating this year’s theme. She expressed herself well through the essay and deserved the honor of first place,” said Shelley McBride, club president.

The Optimist Club of Sussex County has been participating in the Optimist Essay Contest for five years and has been active in the community since 2017. Other programs and service projects the club is involved in include the Optimist Oratorical Scholarship Contest, Youth Appreciation Day and Optimist Junior Golf Sponsorship Program.

Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations, with 80,000 adult and youth members in 2,500 clubs throughout the world, carrying out the mission: By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities, and ourselves. Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than 6 million young people each year. For more information, email sussexoptimist@gmail.com or go to optimist.org.