Clarkston Area Optimist Club honored three Clarkston students in its Optimist International Essay Scholarship Contest.
First place and a $100 Border’s gift card went to Meghna Dhir, Clarkston High School; Drew Niederluecke, Clarkston High School, earned second place and a $75 Borders card; and third, along with a $50 gift card, went to Tyler Trask, Clarkston Junior High School.
‘It’s an honor to win the essay contest,” said Dhir, who advances to district level competition. “It was an interesting topic ? very relevant to today’s youth,?
“I had a hard time connecting with the topic, but when I did, I took it and ran with it,” Niederluecke said. “It’s a good thing to give scholarships to young people. It gives them hope. I’ll probably be an Optimist one day.”
Twelve junior high and high school students wrote essays based on the topic, ‘The Internet ? Today’s Evolution or Tomorrow’s Menace.? The top three attended the Optimists? March 17 meeting at Clarkston United Methodist Church to read their essays and enjoy breakfast.
Judges were Optimists Jerry Schmidt, Maria Rotondo, and Mel Vaara. Top national scholarship prizes total $44,000, with $6,000 going to the top essayist.