Each February, in conjunction with Optimist International, Gulf Breeze Optimists offer young people the opportunity to express their own opinions regarding the world in which they live by addressing a specific topic in essay form. In addition to developing skills for written expression, club winners can advance to the District contest and compete for a $2,500 college scholarship. The District-level scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundations. To learn about the local essay contest, contact Rhonda Merrill at rmerrill@gbumc.org