Ashton Krill, a junior at Brighton High School, recently won the Brighton Optimist Club’s essay contest based on a theme of “How Does an Optimistic Mindset Change My Tomorrow?”
Krill was awarded $500 for the honor. In addition, the essay will be sent to the Michigan District Optimist competition (Michigan’s lower peninsula) to be judged along with winners from other Optimist Clubs in the district. College scholarships of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 are available for top winners at that level. The second-place finisher, Sidney Furge, from Hartland HS won $200; and third-place finisher, Faith Duvendeck, a home schooler in Milford, won $100.
“Ashton Krill did a wonderful job of articulating this year’s theme. He expressed himself well through the essay and deserved the honor of first place, and our contest chairperson, Anita Moliterno, did an excellent job from start to finish,” said Bob Smith, club president.
The Brighton Optimist Club has participated in the Optimist International Essay Contest for many years and has been active in the community since 1977. Other programs and service projects that the Club is involved in include a free fishing derby for kids, euchre benefit nights for other local 501 c3 groups, and much more.
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with 80,000 adult and youth members in 2,500 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and throughout the world. Carrying the Mission Statement “By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities, and ourselves.” Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than six million young people each year. To learn more about the Brighton Optimist Club, call (810) 923-1480 or visit the organization’s website at www.BrightonOptimist.org or its Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BrightonOptimistClub.
