From left: Marie Gamble, Logan County Optimist Club Secretary; Cayden Dunn, Owensboro Noon Optimist Club Champion; Joshua Martin, Logan County Optimist Club Champion; and Clarence Gamble, Logan County Optimist Club President.

Cayden Dunn and Joshua Martin, both of Bowling Green High School, each won local Optimist International Oratorical contests, earning them spots to compete at the Kentucky/West Virginia District Competition.

Dunn, the son of Corey and Meca Dunn, is a freshman at BGHS and is being sponsored for the district competition by the Owensboro Noon Optimist Club as their winning orator.

Martin, the son of Keith and Janet Martin, is a junior at BGHS and is being sponsored for the district competition by the Logan County Optimist Club after he won their club contest.

Winners at the district level vie for scholarships up to $2,500 and the district champion goes on to the World Championships to be held in July at St. Louis University, where the champion receives a $15,000 scholarship.

Since its start in 1928, the Optimist Oratorical Contest has become the longest-running program sponsored by Optimist International.

The contest is designed for youth to gain experience in public speaking, perfect self-expression, gain self-assurance, improve communication skills and provide them with the opportunity to compete for a college scholarship.