Sussex Academy student wins Optimist Club essay contest
Sussex Academy senior Sienna Tunnell recently won the Optimist Club of Sussex County’s essay contest based on a theme of “Optimism: How it Connects Us.”
Kayla Droge from Cape Henlopen High School won second place, and third place went to Jaline Mazariegos from Sussex Academy. All three winners received a certificate 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.
“Tunnell did a wonderful job of articulating this year’s theme,” said club President Shelley McBride. “She expressed herself well through the essay and deserved the honor of first place.”
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 in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and throughout the world.
Carrying the mission statement, “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 visit optimist.org.
