Blake Peck wins Optimist Club essay contest

WASHINGTON — Blake Peck, a senior at Mid-Prairie High School, recently won the Optimist Club of Washington’s annual Essay Contest.

Peck was awarded First Place Medallion and a cash prize of $100 for the honor. In addition, the essay will be sent to the district level to be judged along with winners from other Optimist International Clubs in the Iowa District. A college scholarship is available for the winner at the district level.

“Peck did a wonderful job of articulating this year’s theme,” Club President Gordon Olberding said. “He expressed himself well through the essay and deserved the honor of first place.”

The theme of the contest was: “Optimism: How it Connects Us.” Peck wrote about the unwavering hopefulness that spawned Mid-Prairie’s archery team.

“A dedicated and supportive mother wanted to provide her children with an opportunity to participate in archery … She attended the local school board meeting and was given permission to seek funding for a local archery team, but was offered no financial support from the school board or physical facilities at the school for the team to practice,” Peck wrote. “This determined lady wrote grants to obtain financing for equipment and found a nearby public facility that would allow a group of supervised students to practice and store their equipment. The first archery team consisted of 23 students in grades 7 through 12. Interest and enthusiasm grew. This year over 100 students in grades 5 through 12 are participating.”

Other students who entered the essay contest were Frida Romero Ramirez, Washington High School, and Elizabeth Snyder and Samuel Snyder, Richland, with the Washington Home-School Program.

The Optimist Club of Washington has been participating in the Optimist Essay Contest for many years and has been active in the community since 1971. Other programs and service projects that the Club is involved in include October Community Blood Drive, assist with the Saturday Kitchen, Roadside Cleanup, sponsor of Cub Pack 242 in Washington, support to Invention Iowa and other school groups.

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