The 2015 Optimist Oratorical Contest will be held at James Clemens High School on March 5 at 6 p.m. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – High school students in the City of Madison will compete in the 2015 Optimist Oratorical Contest on March 5.

Optimist Club of Madison is sponsoring the event, which starts at 6 p.m. in the audio-visual center at James Clemens High School. The public is invited.

Students who are 18 years old or younger and have not graduated from high school are eligible to enter. This year’s topic is “How My Optimism Will Help Me Press On To ‘Greater Achievements of the Future.'”

“Three winners will receive prizes of $300, $200 and $100,” Optimist member Sarah Sledge said. “This contest is the first of four levels of competition; finalists will compete for scholarships worth up to $2,500.”

Registration deadline is March 2. Student must submit applications at Madison Public Library, 130 Plaza Blvd. “Students at Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools have been contacted about the contest, but we hope to catch some last-minute private and home-school students,” Sledge said.

For an application or more information, call Sledge at 256-461-0046 or email to ssledge@hmcpl.org. For information about Optimist Club of Madison, visit optimistclubofmadison.org.