Youth Work Activities  
 

The Club conducts a Little League baseball program for youth ages nine through twelve as of August 1 of the current year. The program is divided into two divisions, Minor League (ages 9-10) and Major League (ages 11-12). To be eligible to participate in the Plainfield Optimist Baseball Program, youth must reside in the Plainfield City Limits or Guilford Township. Sign-ups begin in late February or early March, teams are formed and practices begin in March, League play begins in April and concludes with League tournaments by early June1. Club sponsored traveling all-star teams play through July.  The Baseball program is governed by a Baseball Board and all aspects of each season’s program are approved by the Optimist Club’s Board of Directors. For more information on Plainfield Little League Baseball, go to the Plainfield Baseball Website.

The Club conducts a youth football program for youth in grades one through six. The program is divided into three divisions, Rookie League (grades 1-2), Minor League (grades 3-4) and Major League (grades 5-6). Certain age and weight restrictions also apply.  To be eligible to participate in the Plainfield Optimist Football Program, youth must reside in the Plainfield City Limits or Guilford Township. Sign-ups begin in late June or early July, teams are formed and practices begin in August, League play begins in September and concludes with League playoffs in November. Club sponsored traveling all-star teams play through early December. The football program is governed by a Football Board and all aspects of each season’s program are approved by the Optimist Club’s Board of Directors. For more information on Plainfield Youth Football, go to the Plainfield Optimist Football Website.

The Club conducts a youth cheerleading program for youth in grades kindergarten through six. Cheerleading squads cheer for teams in the Optimist Youth Football Program. (That program is divided into three divisions, Rookie League (grades 1-2), Minor League (grades 3-4) and Major League (grades 5-6)).  To be eligible to participate in the Plainfield Optimist Cheerleading Program, youth must reside in the Plainfield City Limits or Guilford Township. Sign-ups begin in May, squads are formed and practices begin in July, League play begins in September and concludes with League playoffs in November. Club sponsored traveling all-star squads cheer through early December. The cheerleading program is governed by a Cheerleading Board and all aspects of each season’s program are approved by the Optimist Club’s Board of Directors.  

The Club conducts both a fall and a spring youth Soccer program for youth ages four through seventeen. The program is divided into divisions based upon ages as of August 1. To be eligible to participate in the Plainfield Optimist Soccer Program, youth must reside in the Plainfield City Limits or Guilford Township. (Players from outside Guilford Township may be accepted and approved by the Soccer Board only if there is no equivalent soccer program in their area of home residence.) Players under 10 years of age compete in the "Plainfield only" Recreation divisions, while players ages 10-17 compete on Recreation Plus teams in a league with nearby communities governed by the West Central Suburban Soccer Association. More competitive "travel" teams may be established in some Recreation Plus divisions.  The soccer program is governed by a Soccer Board and all aspects of each season’s program are approved by the Optimist Club’s Board of Directors. Spring sign-ups begin about February 1, practices begin about April 1, League play begins in mid-April and concludes in late-May.  Fall practices begin about September 1, League play begins in mid-September and concludes in mid-October. For more information on Plainfield Youth Soccer, go to the Plainfield Optimist Soccer Website.
                       

Plainfield's Distinguished Young Woman Program, an official local preliminary of the America's Distinguished Young Woman scholarship program (Formerly known as Junior Miss), is sponsored by the Plainfield Optimist Club. The program awards college scholarships to young women who have distinguished themselves at school and in their communities. The goal is to provide the Distinguished Young Woman experience to every eligible young woman in our region. Those who participate in Distinguished Young Woman programs develop interview skills, self-confidence, and other life skills that lead to future success.  Contestants from Plainfield, and Cascade appear before five judges. Winners advance to state competition, at Indiana's Distinguished Young Woman. The state winner then competes in our national competition, America's Distinguished Young Woman, in Mobile, Alabama.

Most Optimist Clubs celebrate Youth Appreciation Week during the second full week in November. The purpose of the program is to recognize youth who are making a positive contribution in their schools, community, churches, youth organizations, etc. The Plainfield Optimist Club recognizes one boy and one girl in each of the grades six through twelve as selected by the counseling staffs at the Plainfield Community Middle School, Plainfield High School, and St. Susanna School. Each student to be recognized is assigned to an Optimist member who must gather information (accomplishments, awards, activities, interests, and a funny story or two) on that student. The sixteen students and their families are invited to a club meeting where we "toast and roast" each honoree as they are introduced by their Optimist representative. This is always a very rewarding program. As each student is introduced, it is obvious that they are making a difference in a very positive way and are rapidly becoming our leaders of tomorrow. For a list of students recognized, see the Club's December newsletter.

                                                                                                           

The Club annually conducts a basketball skills competition for boys and girls ages 8 through 13. The contest, which is conducted in early January, tests the skills of passing, shooting and dribbling the basketball. There are separate contests for each age group and for boys and girls. Awards are presented to the top three finishers in each age group at an Optimist Club meeting. Local winners advance to zone and district competition. The contests is funded by the club's fund raising efforts, thus there is no cost for registration. 

The Club annually conducts a football skills competition for youth ages 6 through 13. The contest, which is conducted in October, tests the skills of punting, passing, and kicking the football. There are separate contests for each age group. Awards are presented to the top three finishers in each age group at an Optimist Club meeting. The contests is funded by the club's fund raising efforts, thus there is no cost for registration.    

The Club annually conducts a soccer skills competition for boys and girls ages 8 through 13. The contest, which is conducted in October, tests the skills of throw-ins, shooting and dribbling the soccer ball. There are separate contests for each age group and for boys and girls. Awards are presented to the top three finishers in each age group at an Optimist Club meeting. The contests is funded by the club's fund raising efforts, thus there is no cost for registration.

The Club sponsors the Plainfield High School Octagon Club. The Octagon club provides opportunities for high school students to participate in community service projects and to develop leadership skills. The Club is affiliated with Junior Optimist Octagon International (J.O.O.I.). Club meetings are held at 7:00 AM on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays during the school year in the "LGI" room at Plainfield High School.

2012-2013 Octagon Club Officers

Recent Projects:

Reading with Elementary School Students:    Club members visit local grade schools to visit and read with some of the students.
Volunteer Work: Club members have worked as "buddies" for kids with special needs in the Optimist Miracle Workers Buddyball, Swimming, Bowling, and Golf programs.  They have also raked leaves in the fall at the homes of elderly people throughout the communitty in their annual "Rake & Run" program, and served in a variety of other volunteer work projects.
Support: The Club has supported families in need with food and gifts during the holidays, participated in childhood cancers support projects, raised funds to support such groups as Sheltering Wings (home for battered women), the Red Cross Foundation, and others.

The Club sponsors the Plainfield Community Middle School Junior Optimist  Club. The Junior Optimist club provides opportunities for middle school students to participate in community service projects and to develop leadership skills. The Club is affiliated with Junior Optimist Octagon International (J.O.O.I.). Club meetings are held at 2:40 PM on the 3rd Wednesday each month in Library at the Plainfield Community Middle School.

2012-2013 Junior Optimist Club Officers

The Club (with great support from Plainfield High School) sponsors an essay contest for high school students. The theme of the contest is based upon "optimism" and is a part of a District competition. The Local competition is conducted in January. The top three essays receive awards at an Optimist Club meeting and the winning essay is submitted for district competition. The student submitting the winning essay from the Indiana South District is awarded a $2,500.00 scholarship. The local contest is funded by the club's fund raising efforts, thus there is no cost for registration. The District college scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundation.   

                        Essay Rules and Entry Form

The Club (with great support from Plainfield High School) sponsors an oratorical contest for any student through grade twelve. There are separate contests for boys and girls. Students must present a 4-5 minute speech on a given topic. The contest is a part of a District competition. Preliminary speeches are presented in the classroom in January and February with at least three boys and three girls advancing to compete before a panel of judges at an Optimist Club meeting. The winning boy and girl advance to regional,  and district competition. The winning boy and winning girl at the Indiana South District competition in May are awarded $2,500.00 college scholarships. The local contest is funded by the club's fund raising efforts, thus there is no cost for registration. The College scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundation.   

                        Oratorical Rules and Entry Form

The Club annually participates in the Indiana South District Qualifying Tournament for the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships by sponsoring a youth participant and/or sponsoring a hole.  Junior golfers interested in participating can get more information from the Player Entry Form.  Individuals or businesses interested in participating as a sponsor can get more information on the Sponsors Form.

                                                        Player Entry Form                                Sponsors Form

The Club has sponsored youth participants in Respect for Law Camps conducted by the Indiana State Police. The camps are made possible in part by the support of Optimist Clubs in the Indiana North and South Districts of Optimist International.

The Club (with support from Plainfield High School and the local American Legion) annually sponsors a High School Junior boy to attend Hoosier Boys State and a High School Junior girl to attend Hoosier Girls State.

The Club (with support from Plainfield High School) annually presents three $1,000.00 scholarships to graduating seniors from Plainfield High School. Click the link below to download an application, which must be submitted to the Guidance Office at the High School by April 1.  A committee of Optimist members determine the recipients based upon their academic achievements, community service, extra-curricular activities, references, a short essay, and need.  

Scholarship Application