The West Plains Optimist Club recently hosted the annual Howell County Spelling Bee at Glenwood School, drawing about 240 student participants from 10 area schools.
The competition began more than 50 years ago through Optimist member Clifford Kintner and continues today in his memory. Kintner and his wife, Mary, enjoyed presenting the winners with dictionaries.
In keeping with that long-standing tradition, student awards include dictionaries and ribbons. Second- through sixth-place winners receive a dictionary, first-place winners receive a hardbound dictionary, and the eighth grade first-place winner takes home a hardbound thesaurus-dictionary.
Club organizers extended their thanks to Michelle Finley for organizing the event, Glenwood School for hosting and the volunteers who assisted with classroom judging.
The West Plains Optimist Club is part of Optimist International, an organization whose mission is to provide hope and a positive vision, and to bring out the best in youth, communities and themselves. Locally, the club sponsors youth programs throughout the year, including Mighty Mite Football and Cheerleading, T-Ball, an Easter egg hunt, an essay and oratorical contest, a poster contest, a youth fishing tournament and the Howell County Spelling Bee. The club also recently launched a spring flag football program for first and second grade students and awards four scholarships each year to graduating seniors.
The club meets weekly at noon at Pizza Inn, except during the first week of each month. Visitors and prospective new members are welcome. For more information, visit wpoptimist.org or email westplainsoptimistclub@gmail.com.
