Butler Students Speak Out at Oratorical Contest‏

The four winning entrants in the Butler Optimist Oratorical Contest are (L-R): Freshman Madyson Koehn,
Eighth grader Dalton VanHorn, Sophomore Gates Bartz, and Eighth grader Sarah Smalley.

Madyson Koehn, freshman, and Dalton VanHorn, eighth grader in the Butler R-V School, recently won the Butler Optimist Club's oratorical contest based on a theme of “How my Optimism Helps me Overcome Obstacles.”

Both students were awarded a cash prize for the honor. In addition, Koehn and VanHorn will be sent to the zone level where they will compete against winners from other Optimist Clubs in the area. The winner of the zone competition will be sent to the district level with the chance to win a scholarship.

Second place in the girls' division went to sophomore Gates Bartz. Eighth grader Sarah Smalley won third in the girls' division.

“All of the students did a wonderful job presenting their speeches about the questions posed to them,” Club President Marcia Rader said. “The members of our Optimist Club have no doubt that these students have a bright future ahead of them.”

The Optimist Club of Butler was formed in the fall of 2011 to help the young people of our community. If you would like more information about the Butler Optimist Club or if you would like to join, contact an Optimist member or send an e-mail to: butleroptimist@yahoo.com .

Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with 100,000 adult and youth members in 3,400 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico and throughout the world. The Optimist Oratorical Contest is one of the organization’s most popular programs, with more than 2,000 clubs participating annually. Carrying the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Kids,” Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than six million young people each year. To learn more about Optimist International, please call (314) 371-6000 or visit the organization’s website at www.optimist.org.

Madyson Koehn was the winner of the 

Butler Optimist Oratorical Contest Girls

Division and receives a cash prize and 

the chance to participate in the Optimist

Zone Competition.

Dalton VanHorn was the winner of the
Butler Optimist Oratorical Contest Boys
Division and receives a cash prize and
the chance to participate in the Optimist
Zone Competition.