Optimist Club of West St. Paul

Nominate a Young Person for Optimist of the Year

Thanks to Mississippi Valley Montessori School for their support. Located in West St. Paul since 1967, they’re an AMI-accredited Montessori school serving children up to age 6. Email us for more info.

After nearly 20 years of recognizing adult optimists, the Optimist Club of West St. Paul is shifting gears to focus on young optimists. They’re now accepting nominations for the 2025 Young Optimist of the Year award.

“Optimists are needed in every age demographic,” said Kelly Spavin with the Optimist Club of West St. Paul. “We have always offered ways for young people to write and speak about an optimistic viewpoint so we thought it was a good time to recognize one of those young people for their ideas and their actions.”

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  • Who: Nominees must be ages 12 to 18 and live, work, volunteer, or attend school within ISD 197.
  • Why: They’re looking for someone who has made a positive impact on youth and made this area a better place to live, work, and play.
  • How: To nominate someone, send your contact info, the nominee’s name, and reason why they deserve recognition to ivorykey2b@gmail.com. Include any accomplishments, projects, or other examples of how this person has made a difference in the lives of children.
  • Deadline: April 30, 2025

“Optimism begins at a young age,” said Spavin. “We invite teachers, coaches, clergy members, employers, and parents to shine a light on good works and positive influences that may otherwise be overlooked.”

Bonus: The winning recipient will be honored with a surprise presentation in May and an invitation to ride in the Explore West St. Paul Days parade on June 7.

History: The Optimist Club of West St. Paul started in 1971. They hold speech and essay contests, a singing competition, send letters to service members, and conduct candidate forums.

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