Hope from a Younger Generation

I had a the good fortune of attending an oratorical contest this past weekend conducted by the Dakotas, Manitoba and Minnesota District of Optimist International.  The oratorical contest has been one of the bedrock programs of the organization for decades (it began in 1928) and currently awards winners at the district level a $2,500 scholarship in the young man and young woman division.  There is even word on the street saying the organization plans to expand the competition in the coming year with cooperation from St. Louis University..

But back to this past weekend.  Four young men and nine young women were in competition and their speeches and performances were nothing short of astounding.  They had to prepare a four to  five minute speech on the topic of "How My Optimism Will Help Me Press On To Greater Achievements of the Future."

The 13 contestants were poised, well prepared, and demonstrated they had practice their remarks time and time again. (I wasn't even close at that age.)  The subjects selected by these high school students demonstrated the depth and breadth of their understanding.  Human trafficking, the power of positive thinking when life isn't so positive, interviewing yourself as a teenager when you are in your mid 40's about what to expect in life and why remaining positive is important were just some of them.  There was one who actually got the audience to participate in the end of her speech so that she could make her final point.  (audience participation in public speaking is critically important) There was the young man who used Robin Williams as a reason and inspiration for him to go into acting. And there was another young man  who used a comment from a sophomore that he would never make it to an Ivy League school, to make him double down on his studies to achieve his dreams.  

He's going to Yale next fall.

This post is titled Hope from a Younger Generation because it is clearly evident from the speeches given May 1, 2015 in Watertown, South Dakota that many of our young people are aware of the challenges we face today in society.  It was also evident they want to be able to do something about it and hope to be able to use optimism as a guiding principal.

Their dreams, desires and determination are being multiplied in speeches across the country this spring as part of this scholarship competition.  They took time out from their busy lives as high school students to examine themselves and their surroundings and found issues and challenges that could be impacted by some optimism and a willingness to apply it to do some great work.

  Maybe all of us should consider doing the same.  My guess is if we did, our neighborhoods and communities would be much better places than they are today.  It is why there is "Hope from a Younger Generation."