The Berry/Kauffold Scholarship 2024
The Berry/Kauffold Scholarship is designed to help students further their music education. The purpose of our scholarship is to provide monetary incentives to musically talented high school students. The money can be used to purchase/lease new or upgraded instrument(s) or to offset expenses for band camp or for private instrumental instruction from a qualified teacher or program.
The award of scholarship support is based upon completion of the application and the recommendation forms and a two-to-five minute video/audio file.
Through this program, we will be awarding $2000 to deserving high school students in Michigan.
Our goal is to encourage long-term involvement in music performance and to make students aware of the opportunity to continue performance with a community music experience and to pursuing music education after high school.
In order to apply, Scholarship applicants must :
- Attend High School in the state of Michigan
or
be sponsored by a current Michigan District Optimist Club - Be in the ninth (9th) through eleventh (11th) grade
- Current members of their high school instrumental or orchestral music program.
Application and Reference Forms
are due by April 15, 2024
All applicants with complete applications will be on the status of his/her scholarship application process.
SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION OF AWARDS*
- Scholarships will be awarded during the Michigan District Optimists Third Quarter Conference in May.
Time and date TBD. - Should this award presentation be postponed or cancelled due to Covid 19, the award announcements will be made via USPS mail.
- Scholarship Awards will be made at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee and must be used by September 15, 2024. The decisions of the Scholarship Committee and Judges are final.
*If the Scholarship will be used for Private Lessons a Verification Log is required
The Private Lesson Verification Log is to be sent to the address listed below no later than October 1, 2024.
The award will be known to the recipient within thirty (30) days after the log has been received.
Payment will be made directly to the student thirty (30) days after the log has been received and verified .
Send Verification Log to:
Michelle Kauffold
8898 Longview Drive
Stanwood, MI 49346
If you have any questions, please contact the
Scholarship Committee Michigan District Optimist/Optimist International
Debra Berry
(ph)248/467-0592
(email) deb@debinparis.com
or
Michelle Kauffold
(ph) 313-510-6300
(email) newmichelle@att.net
The Governor’s 3 Under 3 – November 26, 2024
In this edition of The Governor’s 3 Under 3, Governor Sean Mueller is back with special guest Jan Oord-Graves, Past Michigan District Governor and Optimist International President. Together, they share important news for club leaders and exciting goals for the upcoming year.
New Membership Packets
This year, Optimist International is going paperless with new member packets. Every time a new member joins, they’ll receive a warm welcome through email. The welcome packet includes:
- A New Member Magazine: This magazine features a letter from the Optimist International President and information about opportunities for new members.
- Email Notifications: Both the Club President and Secretary will get an email with important documents attached. These include:
- The Optimist Creed
- The Purposes of the Organization
- The Core Value Statement
- A personalized Member Certificate
Members can also order new member pins directly through Optimist International, with easy access to an order form here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=F9KmLNhq40aygRh7G-lrrIVA94IqVJVOu_iLNprDojFURTVGVUhCN0xWTUtUTzhaWjZINjkyQ1gwRi4u.
Optimist Goals for 2024-2025
President Jan emphasizes the importance of aligning club goals with Optimist International’s objectives. This alignment is key to achieving success. Here are the main focus areas for the upcoming year:
- Growth and Retention: The goal is to achieve a net membership increase of 5%.
- Marketing and Communication: There will be a stronger focus on reaching out to potential members outside the organization.
- Financial Health: Optimist International is committed to maintaining a healthy financial status.
Recognizing Achievements in Childhood Health
A significant milestone was achieved as four Michigan Optimist clubs received the Childhood Health and Wellness Grant from the Optimist International Foundation. This grant supports initiatives aimed at:
- Nutrition
- Mental health
- Physical activity
- Overall wellness
Congratulations to the following clubs for their hard work:
- Optimist Club of Farmington Hills-Breakfast
- Royal Oak Optimist Club
- Optimist Club of Detroit Faith, Hope & Love
- Optimist Club of Southfield-Lathrup Village
Your dedication is making a real difference!
Thank you for joining Governor Sean and President Jan in this update. Your commitment to supporting youth and communities shines through. Remember, staying connected is essential—subscribe to the bi-weekly eblasts and follow them on social media for future updates. Together, we can create a brighter future for our YOUTH, COMMUNITIES, and OURSELVES!
Michelle Kauffold
Scholarship Committee