The Torch – Fall 2023

THE TORCH FALL 2023

MASON MCSWEGIN 2023-2024 Junior Optimist International President Hello fellow Junior Optimists!

My name is Mason McSwegin, and I am honored to serve as your Junior Optimist International President for the 2023-2024 year. I am from Dayton, Ohio, and I am currently a junior at the Dayton Regional STEM School.

I have been in this organization for over seven years and have served the roles of Club President, Lieutenant Governor, and International Board of Directors.

One goal for this year is to improve communication from the International level down to Districts and Clubs.

One of the ways we will achieve this is by maintaining our quarterly meetings, which serve as a vital platform for sharing essential updates, ideas, and strategies across our organization. Another one of my goals is to improve member retention. This is a very important goal of mine because attracting new members is essential, but nurturing and retaining existing ones is equally important. One of the ways to help with retention is by providing more support options for Clubs and Districts that might be going through a rough patch. If your Club notices another one in your local community struggling, reach out and offer a helping hand because we are all in this together.

also helps to seamlessly integrate them from the youth side of the organization to the adult-oriented programs and responsibilities within the organization.

I'm incredibly excited to collaborate with my board to make these goals a reality. I can't wait to work with each and every one of you to make this year truly amazing. I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to every JOI member and advisor because, without your unwavering support, none of this would be possible.

I'm looking forward to advancing our organization and working alongside all of you throughout the year. If you have any ideas, questions, or anything else you'd like to discuss, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your input is invaluable, and together, we'll make this year a fantastic optimist year!

One of the main ideas that Past International President Fatima Zaidi and I came up with to help with member retention is to expand the YPOC program. For those who do not know, YPOC stands for Young Professionals Optimist Club. This will serve as a bridge between youth and adult Clubs, which aligns with this year's theme of “Building Bridges with Optimism.” The YPOC program not only empowers young adults to stay connected with the Optimist organization, but it

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Mason McSwegin 2023-2024 Junior Optimist International President

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FATIMA ZAIDI Past President

Hey Junior Optimists! My name is Fatima Zaidi, and I’m the Immediate Past President of JOI. Last year, President Mason and my board worked hard to break barriers with Optimism. I’m so excited to work with him again this year! I hope to continue to serve in the interest of Junior Optimist members and be a voice for youth worldwide. This year, I’m looking forward to bridging the gap between JOI and OI with President Mason and continuing to further this organization.

HANNAH HYSLOPE Director

For those of you I have not received the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Hannah Hyslope. I am a senior from Kettering, Ohio, and this is my ninth year as a Junior Optimist. Some of my favorite things are showing livestock, spending time with friends and family, and doing service projects with my Junior Optimist Club!

Throughout my JOI journey, I have taken on many leadership roles, including Club secretary, Club president, Club lead team Member, District secretary, and I also received the privilege of holding the position of Ohio District Governor for the 2022-2023 year. This 2023-2024 JOI year, I get the chance to serve as one of your International Board of Directors.

One of my main goals for this JOI year is expansion. Expanding members and spreading the word about what JOI is all about.

Member participation is what keeps our organization thriving! I believe that it is extremely important for us to use the time we are granted in this amazing organization to make it expand to as many places in the world as possible. Communication is a huge factor in expansion. This leads me to another one of my main goals this year. Communication. Our communication with our adult Clubs is so important! They are willing to help us with service projects, trip fundraising, and honestly teach us life skills such as public speaking, leadership, responsibility, and more. Reaching out to your nearby adult Optimist Clubs is definitely something your District should put as one of their goals! Communication with surrounding JOI Clubs is so beneficial, and we should make it a priority to reach out to one another and be able to bounce ideas off of each other, such as service projects, ideas for District conventions, and overall just keeping in touch with each other.

Enjoy this year to the fullest, and always remember, “To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.”

I can’t wait to see all of you at our 2024 International Summit! If you ever have any questions or need help with anything, feel free to reach out to me or my fellow board members!

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SYDNEY MAFONG Director

My name is Sydney Mafong, and I am a 10th grader at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California. I have been involved with JOI since 7th grade when I chartered a Club at my middle school. In 8th grade, I was elected to be the District Governor of the California South District, overseeing 16 member Clubs, and have served as the District Governor since then. I chartered another Club last year in 9th grade at my high school. After having three years of experience at the Club and District level, I wanted to continue to expand the reach of the Junior Optimist Club. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work at the International level!

Being involved with JOI at the Club and District levels has truly opened my eyes to the impact we, as Junior Optimists, have on each other and the community at large. My goal as an International Director is to continue to find the qualities that bind us and use our diversity to reach out to more communities. If we are all dedicated to discovering the things that connect us and lifting up our communities, we will continue to expand the reach and impact of JOI. I am committed to listening to your thoughts and opinions and being a representative of your ideas. My email and DMs are always open!

Effective communication is the key to connection. I am looking forward to meeting all of you, whether in person or on Zoom. This is going to be a great year

MICAELA RICH Director

My name is Micaela Rich, and I’m so excited to be one of your International Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 year!

I am from St Johns, Florida, where I attend Creekside High School as a junior. I have been a part of Junior Optimist International for four years. I grew up in an Optimist family, but we are part of a larger family through our district and Optimist International. I have served as President of Creekside High School JOI and as a past Distinguished-Honor President of JOI Around the World, the first virtual and international JOI Club. At the District level, I am a past Secretary-Treasurer and am currently the North Florida District JOI Governor. I am also a recipient of the International Member of Excellence Award.

One of my main goals this year is to increase the rate of retention and transition of our members once they age out of JOI. I believe the JOI Board, working alongside the Optimist International staff and JOI Committee, can involve our sponsor Clubs to help bridge the gap between JOI and adult Clubs.

I look forward to meeting all of you at the International Summit in 2024, and I am so grateful to be serving this organization with such an amazing group of people.

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CARTER SINCLAIR Director

Hi, my name is Carter Sinclair, and I am excited to serve on the Junior Optimist International Board of Directors for the 2023-24 year.

I have been a member of JOI since my freshman year of high school and have served as Club President and Secretary-Treasurer, along with Secretary-Treasurer for the District of Iowa, I am also very excited to be serving as the District Governor of Iowa for the 2023-24 year. As the Secretary-Treasurer of Iowa, I worked with our state legislators to hold a roundtable to learn more about leadership and the importance of working together. As a member of the Board of Directors, I want to teach JOI members worldwide about the same things I helped share with the JOI members of Iowa.

This is why one of my goals this year is to develop leadership in JOI and share with members the opportunities they have just by being members. From going to your district convention to the International Summit, from being your Club President to becoming the International President, the Junior Optimists provide a lot of possibilities for our members. If we help develop our leadership, JOI will grow and be able to be the strongest Youth Organization and continue to help kids for years to come.

I look forward to working with everyone across the Optimist Organization, and I can't wait to meet all of you at next year's International Summit!! Feel free to contact me, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible!

1ST QUARTER JOI VIRTUAL MEETING HOSTED BY: 2023-2024 JOI Board and Committee

FOR: JOI Members, Advisors, and anyone interested in JOI!

• Icebreakers

• Breakout sessions

• Group activities

• Networking

December 3, 2023 2-4 p.m. CST

BUILDING BRIDGES WITH OPTIMISM

Our First Priority is the First Responders!

by R.T. Milwee Jr., Optimist Club North Florida District

First Responders work tirelessly every day to save millions of lives, and while it may be impossible to thank them enough, we at Milwee Middle thought we’ d take a crack at it! We’ve been working hard for the past quarter to gather more than 100 stuffed animals and countless “survival kits” to help our local firefighters and police officers.

It took our Club nearly three days to organize, pack, and deliver them, but it was more than worth it when we saw the looks on the police and firemen’s faces! They were ecstatic, and we couldn’t be happier to help.

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The “survival kits” contained all kinds of charming snacks and treats – as well as a healthy supply of puns – to get these heroes through a bad day. Here are a few of the contents:

Survival Kit Lifesaver:

to remind you of the many times you have been one

Water:

to rejuvenate you on a hot day

Gum:

to help everyone stick together

Mint:

to maintain your cool

Dum Dum:

because you deal with a lot of them

Chocolate:

because it’s so good

Energy:

to give you a little boost when you need it

In addition to that, we also raised more than 100 pristine stuffed animals! The first responders give stuffed animals to lonely children whose parents are not with them due to emergencies. These cuddly playmates give the kids a much-needed friend when pushing through hard times. We spent months working hard to gather around 130 teddy bears, totaling about 15 large boxes.

This precious learning experience gave valuable insight into the tough life of first responders. They often go without sleep, having to answer midnight cases, and firefighters sometimes must stay overnight at work. Due to this high pressure, one must maintain good mental health and training.

Even so, you cannot prepare for everything, and trauma is always a prominent risk. Overall, this job is guaranteed to be very stressful, but they say that saving other’s lives is well worth it.

This was a truly incredible experience, and we were delighted to give back to our local heroes!

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Ruby Blair and Member of Excellence Awards 2022-2023 Ruby Blair winner Shania Thomas from the JOI Around the World Club spearheaded the Toys in Hamper Drive in Barbados and was integral in reaching out to her community to obtain sponsors. Additionally, she personally delivered a significant portion of the hampers herself.

Shania led the 100 Toys for 100 Kids project, created virtual projects, and when the Club President was unavailable, Shania stepped in and led the weekly online meetings.

Shania Thomas

Outside of Junior Optimist, Shania holds many school leadership positions. She is the chosen senior prefect for the Class of 2024 at Harrison’s College and has received the Youth Appreciation Award from the Optimist Club of Barbados Bridgetown. As a team player in everything she does, Shania is the Captain of Harrison College’s BSSAC team for 2023 and has received a “Sports Tie” for her athletic achievement. Shania is dedicated to her studies and has chosen to take advanced courses, all the while being involved in her Club and community; she continues to maintain high academic standards.

2022-2023 Member of Excellence winner Chrisshonna Phillips, of Harrison College JOI Club (HC JOI) and JOI Around the World, was responsible during the last Optimist year 2021-2022 for helping to rebuild the JOI Club at her school, Harrison College in Barbados, and the Caribbean District. In addition to this worthwhile feat, Chrisshonna also found time to assist the Club and school in a joint charity with the Lodge School and their communities on the island.

In addition, Chrisshonna has also accepted further responsibilities in the JOI Caribbean District as JOI Lt. Governor 2022-2023.

Chrisshonna Phillips

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Club Project Awards 1st Place Club Building Project Power Middle School – Farmington Hills, Michigan Students from the Power Middle School in Farmington Hills, Michigan, chose to focus on team-building exercises this past winter. Members created, organized, and implemented activities for each meeting because true leadership isn’t a purely academic pursuit. Student leaders aren’t working in the abstract, but rather in the here and now. They are thrown into situations and must respond.

These games are fun but also allow students to practice leadership skills. Each meeting event focused on group cooperation, introducing activities and goals, playing the game or issuing the challenge, and breaks to reflect on member participation (positive communication styles, use of names, eye context, etc.) Group members learned six new leadership activities they can keep in their future tool belts as they grow as leaders in our schools and communities.

1st Place Club Service Project Granbury High School Junior Optimist Club – Granbury, Texas

Ringing the bell for the Salvation Army

Helping with the food pantry

Scholarship recipients with sponsor Houcine Chraibi

My name is Quinn King, and I am Community Outreach Officer in Granbury High School’s Junior Optimist Club. As an underclassmen, I looked at my commitment to this Club as just another opportunity for scholarships and service hours. It wasn’t until I began volunteering consecutively and getting to know fellow members that I realized the incredible impact that this club had the capability of having not only on me but more importantly, the whole of our community.

Over the summer, I had the distinct privilege of organizing our participation in the local summer meals program for children, allowing me to visualize the depth of need in the city of Granbury. Being able to hear the wholehearted laughs of children and seeing the grateful smiles of families picking up food from our local pantries never fails to demonstrate the raw joy, the genuine optimism, that our Club strives to attain.

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Currently, our JOI Club is one of the largest in the nation. We are actively involved in our community and enjoy serving at our local food pantry, reading to elementary school students, hosting bake sales, ringing bells for Salvation Army, and participating in whatever other events may improve and inspire optimism in the lives of as many individuals as possible. Last school year, our Club was able to fund $6,250 worth of scholarships to 25 dedicated members.

While the appeal of scholarships and personal achievements was something that I once looked forward to, I’ve come to realize that the Junior Optimist Club is about so much more than these materialistic wants.

This Club truly embodies what it means to be a humble leader who is willing to step down to become a servant to the individuals who need it the most. My participation in this amazing organization has been truly life changing, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunities that this year has in store.

1st Place Club Fundraising Project Beechview Elementary – Farmington Hills, Michigan In February 2023, the JOI Club at Beechview Elementary School sponsored “Beach Day at Beechview.”

Students and staff were asked to donate $1 or more in exchange for wearing beach-themed attire. As a result of the event, $784 was raised for Waves of Hope. They did not choose Waves of Hope randomly as the recipient of this fundraiser. This organization was chosen because of a direct connection with a special teacher. Meghan White was a beloved physical education teacher who waged a heroic battle against a formidable foe. She passed away from ovarian cancer in February 2022. She and her family were given a remarkable vacation experience surrounded by the beauty of the ocean to help relieve the stress and anxiety that accompanies cancer patients and their loved ones. On the one-year anniversary of her loss, the Beechview community honored a beloved teacher and created a legacy that will live on in her absence.

Honor and Distinguished Honor Club Awards

Every year, the Honor Club award recognizes Junior Optimist Clubs that recruit new members, maintain and submit specific Club documentation, and conduct great volunteer projects. Further, the Distinguished Honor Club has additional requirements: one member of the Club must reach the bronze level of the PGI Program and assist with the building of a new club or have two delegates attend the JOI Summit.

Honor: Demilio Goodrich

Rollington Town Primary Trail Blazers (#C0310) District 78

Honor: Makaela Morrow

SALT JOI Club (#B2354) District 40

Distinguished: Sanaa Elcock

JOI Around the World (#B2396) District 60

Distinguished: Ryan Tian

Prior Lake High School Jr Optimist Club (#B2035) District 35

O PTI MI ST I NT ER NAT I O N A L YO UT H CO N TE S TS 20 2 3 - 20 2 4 ORATORICAL CONTEST Beginning in 1928, the Oratorical Contest has become the longest-running program of Optimist International.

The contest is designed for young people to gain experience in public speaking and provide them with an opportunity to compete for multiple college scholarships with a pre-assigned topic.

Topic "How to Change the World with Optimism"

District Scholarships: First Place: $2,500 • Second Place: $1,500 • Third Place: $1,000

with a chance to win up to $22,500 at the World Championships level

ESSAY CONTEST The Essay Contest is sponsored by Optimist International to give young people the opportunity to write about their own opinions regarding the world in which they live.

The approach can encompass a young person’s personal experience, the experience of their country or a more historical perspective. In addition to developing skills for written expression, participants also have the opportunity to win a college scholarship!

Topic “Optimism: How It Connects Us”

One District Scholarship of $2,500

COMMUNICATION CONTEST FOR THE DEAF & HARD OF HEARING This contest offers an opportunity for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing to present their thoughts in the community, gaining skills, which can only come from signing or speaking to a large audience. Patterned after the Optimist Oratorical Contest, the contest offers youth the chance to compete in speech or sign language with the chance to win a college scholarship.

Topic "How to Change the World with Optimism"

One District Scholarship of $2,500

KIDS SPEAK OUT! SPEECH CONTEST All young people can compete in the Optimist Oratorical Contest. The “Kids Speak Out” contest is a pre-Oratorical program that provides a more equitable competition for younger speakers.

Follow complete Official Rules posted on www.optimist.org THE

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2023 Junior Optimist International

JOI Summit st

Annual JOI Summit took place in Arlington, Virginia, July 2-4, 2023!

Photo: Melanie Gluck 2023 JOI Summit – Blue and Yellow Color War

Some Highlights Included: • JOI attended the OI Opening Session featuring Keynote Speaker Amy Downs.

• Club Project Showcase

• JOI Yellow & Blue Team Competition

• Teambuilding Activities: Human Knot, Flip the Tarp, Stranded, Parachute

• “JOI’s Got Talent” – Talent Show

• Movie night featuring the popular Mama Mia!

• JOI attended OI’s July 4 morning session with highlights including remarks from: o OI President Fatima Zaidi o 2021 Oratorical World Champion Nayana Celine Xavier o 2022 Oratorical World Champion Samiksha Gaherwar o Keynote Speaker Kelly Shaefer

• Outdoor Group Activities: Yoga, Capture the Flag, Drip Drip Splash • JOI Keynote Speaker Jessie Brar o Topic: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion • Breakout sessions Voting

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• Service Projects o Attendees made and decorated Veteran cards and handed them out to all Veterans on July 4th.

Another project included recycling old T-shirts to make dog toys for local shelters in Arlington.

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• JOI Banquet and Dance • Optional Tour Day to Washington D.C.

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1. JOI President Fatima Zaidi 2. JOI Member participates in the dog toy service project.

3. JOI Board member Tah "Jay" Lawson getting pied in the face.

4. JOI Member participates in group activities.

5. Keynote Speaker Jessie Brar speaks about the concept of priviledge during her address.

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Photo: Melanie Gluck

6. Optimist International Foundation partners with Optimist International to support Junior Optimist International.

7. JOI members make cards for Veterans.

8. JOI future leaders.

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10. 2021-2022 JOI President Maya Gluck leads yoga in the park.

Visit junioroptimist.org for the 2024 JOI Summit information – coming soon!

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Build your own volunteer and service hour resume with the Track It Forward App. (specifically for JOI Members) JOI Members can log their volunteer hours, upload photos, add project descriptions, and document reflections. Members will have access to event calendars, message blasts, and a personalized volunteer and service resume that may be downloaded at any time!

SIGN UP TODAY! If you are an Advisor, please share this information with your students so they can start tracking today!

Currently, the app is just for JOI Members.

Email junioroptimist@optimist.org with any question about setting up your account

The Optimist Creed Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Connect with Junior Optimist International! junioroptimist@optimist.org junioroptimist.org Facebook: Junior Optimist International Twitter: @Junior_Optimist Instagram: @junioroptimist Snapchat: junioroptimist