Dane C. Kirby, a junior at West Plains High School, recently won the Optimist Club of West Plains Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.
The contest theme was “The Moment I Realized I Belonged: My Definition of Community.”
Kirby received a certificate and cash award. He will advance to the district level, where he will compete against winners from other Optimist Clubs in the area for a chance to win a scholarship.
“Through his essay, Dane C. Kirby did a wonderful job of presenting his thoughts about the questions posed to him,” said Club President Shava Norsworthy. “The members of our Optimist Club have no doubt that Dane Kirby has a bright future ahead of him, and we are excited to have him compete at the next level.”
The Optimist Club of West Plains has participated in the Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing for 52 years and has been active in the community since 1972. Other programs and service projects supported by the club include the Substance Abuse Prevention Poster Contest, Speak Out Contest and other youth-focused programs.
Optimist International is a service club organization with more than 80,000 adult and youth members in nearly 3,000 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and other parts of the world. Each year, about 300 Optimist Clubs participate in the Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.
Optimist International carries the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Youth, in our Communities, and in Ourselves.” To learn more, visit wpoptimist.org.
