SHS Sophomore, Jaina Johnson, sponsored by Seward Optimist Club Places Third at Optimist State Oratorical Contest
Launch the media gallery 1 playerSeward High Sophomore, Jaina Johnson was selected to represent the Seward Optimist Club at the State Optimist Oratorical Competition held in Seward, NE on Saturday, May 7th at the Seward Civic Center in the Langworthy Auditorium and placed in the top three at the State Contest! She is the daughter of Stephanie Johnson of Seward. There were ten contestants in the contest-sponsored by Optimist Clubs across the state and she placed Third overall, winning a $!000 scholarship!
Jaina presented her five minute, memorized speech on Optimism titled “Staying Optimistic in Challenging Times” to the members of the Seward Optimist Club at their regular meeting on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at the Seward Civic Center at 6:30 pm and to the audience and judges at the Civic Center on May 7th.
On the local level, Jaina was presented with a certificate and First Place medal by Gaylea Sturgis-President of the Seward Optimist Club and thanked by President Sturgis for agreeing to represent the Seward Optimist Club at the State Contest in May. She and her mother were also presented with gift certificates for meals to enjoy –compliments of the Seward Optimist. At the state contest, she was named a state finalist, received a signed, framed certificate, a plaque for Third place, a Third Place Bronze Medal and a $1000 scholarship.
Jaina is a member of the Seward High Speech Team and her speech coach and speech teacher is Erica Crouch of Seward.
The Seward Optimist Club was the host club for the annual Nebraska Optimist State Speech Contest in Seward with contestants from across the state-competing for the first place prize of a $2500 scholarship to the best four to five minute speech on “Staying Optimistic in a Challenging World.”
Judges for the contest were Stephanie Shearer of Wood River Schools-NSAA Certified Speech Judge, Judi Harper of Grand Island, -Chair of the Nebraska State Fair Education Program and Angelina Stinson-with the CU Speech Team. Timer for the contest was Anna Downing of Ulysses, Nebraska.
Optimist member Julie McMeekin served as coordinator for registration, Seward Optimists Jan Schulz and Doris Craig volunteered to coordinate the luncheon for the participants and parents/sponsors, and Optimists Linda Flyr and Lana Urban worked with calculation checks for the ballots and were Sargent of Arms for the contest door entries. Clark Kolterman coordinated the judges and timer for the contest and arranged for the facilities.
Linda Leatherman of Hickman was the General Chair for the Optimist Oratorical program.
For more information on the Seward Opitmist Club, visit their website at www.sewardoptimistclub.org or contact a local Optimist Club member.
Photo: SHS Sophomore Jaina Johnson of Seward High is presented the Third Place plaque by the Nebraska Optimist Club State Governor, Cindy Von Fange at the State Optimist Oratorical Contest held in Seward at the Civic Center on Saturday, May 07, 2022.