The Optimist Club of Oxford Hills is encouraging local 0students to contemplate the question, “The Internet: Today’s Evolution or Tomorrow’s Menace?” as part of the Optimist International Essay Contest for 2010.

The Optimist Club will judge the essays and determine the winners who will receive medals. The winning essays will be sent to the district level. Each district will send top entries to the international level. College scholarships are available for top winners at the district and international levels.

“Young students today have so many fresh ideas about the world and their future,” Club President Heather Fanjoy said. “As Optimists, it is our goal to encourage them and do what we can to bring out the best in each of them. This gives them a wonderful opportunity to tap into their creativity and pursue possible scholarships at the same time.”

This is the first year that the Optimist Club of Oxford Hills has participated in the Optimist Essay Contest. The Club was recently formed and the Board of Directors include: Heather Fanjoy, President; Michael Desplaines, 1st Vice President; Sandi Wyman, 2nd Vice President; Julia Herrick, Secretary; Lindy Fogg, Treasurer; Anne Smith, Michelle Hawley and George Matthews, Board Members. Other programs and service projects that the Club is involved in include a current Holiday Food Drive (drop off non-perishable good at McLaughlin Gardens or give to a member of the Club), and the Club is looking to forming an Octagon Club at the high school.

Students wishing to participate in the essay contest can find out more about the contest by contacting the club at (207) 240-4637.

Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with 110,000 adult and youth members in 3,600 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico and throughout the world. 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.