The Optimist Club of Washington is offering a few scholarship opportunities for Beaufort County students.

In the spring, the club will hold an essay contest and an oratorical contest, in which students will compete for a $250 scholarship in each contest, according to a press release.

The oratorical contest requires students to perform a four-to-five-minute speech about “How My Best Brings Out the Best in Others,” the release stated. The essay contest requires an essay between 700-800 words based on the theme “Lead by Example: Reality or Fiction.”

According to the press release, winners at the local level have the opportunity to compete for more money at the “zone” or “district” levels. The oratorical contest also extends to the national level.

Winners of the essay contest at the district level will receive a $2,500 scholarship, and winners of the oratorical contest on the national stage could win more than $27,000.

Along with the essay and oratorical contests, the Optimist Club also provides four other $1,500 scholarships: two designated Youth Appreciation Scholarships, a scholarship honoring Linley Gibbs and a scholarship in memory of Earl Mitchell, all of which are given to students who are actively involved in community service.

Applicants for these scholarships must be involved in a sport either at school or with the Optimist Club and have a minimum 2.5 GPA, according to the Optimist Club website.

“We’re not picking the top of the class. We’re picking the ones who have been involved in community service,” said Patty Peebles, the club’s scholarship coordinator. “We as an organization strive to bring out the best of the students in our community.”

Peebles said the club’s desire to provide scholarships stems from its motto, “Friend of youth.” The Optimist Club supports sports teams in the area, including its own soccer league, and youth organizations.

“As the student moves up, they have the opportunity to win more,” she said of the scholarship contests. “I think for some of them, if they get the scholarship, it may mean if they’re going to go (to college) or not.”

“Some of them were in need of it, and all of them deserved it,” Peebles added, regarding past winners.

The essay contest entry deadline is Feb. 17, and the oratorical entry deadline is set for March 18. Applications for the other scholarships, including the Youth Appreciation Scholarships, must be postmarked by April 15.

For more information about the Optimist Club scholarships, visit www.optimistclubwashington.org.