Earl Friedman Oratorical Contest

The Earl Friedman Oratorical Contest gives local students the opportunity to develop their public speaking skills, share their ideas, and compete for prizes and scholarship opportunities.

Each year, students prepare and deliver a speech based on the official Optimist International Oratorical Contest topic.

Standing in front of an audience and sharing your ideas takes preparation, confidence, and courage.

The Optimist Oratorical Contest gives young people an opportunity to develop those skills while exploring a topic that challenges them to think about themselves and the world around them.

Students prepare and deliver their own speech, gaining valuable experience in communication, organization, and presenting their ideas to others.

Local winners are recognized by the Farmington/Farmington Hills Optimist Club, and eligible winners may have the opportunity to advance to higher levels of Optimist competition.

The Farmington/Farmington Hills Optimist Oratorical Contest is open to eligible students who attend school or live within the Farmington/Farmington Hills community.

Contestants must be under age 19 as of October 1, 2026 and must not have completed secondary school or its equivalent.

See the official contest application for complete eligibility requirements and rules.

How My Actions Strengthen Those Around Me

Each year, Optimist International selects a topic that challenges students to think about their experiences, ideas and impact on the people around them.

This year, students are invited to prepare and deliver an original 4–5 minute speech based on the official topic.

Students who advance through the Optimist Oratorical Contest have the opportunity to compete for significant college scholarships.

At the District level, scholarships of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 are awarded for first, second and third place.

District winners may advance to the Regional Championship, where winners receive a $5,000 scholarship and advance to the World Championship.

At the World Championship, students compete for scholarships of $15,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third place.

The Oratorical Contest is about more than delivering a winning speech.

Learning to organize an idea, communicate it clearly, and speak confidently before an audience are skills students can carry into school, college, careers, and their communities.

We’re proud to give young people in Farmington and Farmington Hills an opportunity to step forward, share their perspective, and discover what they can accomplish.