Submitted by Steven Sebaugh

The Optimist Club of Jackson and the Noon Optimist Club of Jackson presented the contestants of the Oratorical (Speech) Contest of 2020. Pictured, from left, is Steven Sebaugh, oratorical chairman; Hiren Parekh, winner; Jillian Majors, winner; Justin Samanta, winner; and Shelly Kaiser, oratorical chairwoman. Parekh and Majors will represent The Optimist Club of Jackson, and Justin Samanta will represent the Noon Optimist Club of Jackson in the next level of competition. Prizes were medals and $100 to go for their education. The Oratorical Contest was started in 1928 and has become the longest-running youth program sponsored by Optimist International. Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year. The contest is designed for teens to gain experience in public speaking and to provide them with the opportunity to win $2,500 in college scholarships at the district level and $22,500 in college scholarships at the Optimist International Oratorical World Championships. Each year in February, the two Optimists Clubs in Jackson host the contest.