By Ferrell Miller, JC Breakfast Optimist Club Secretary/Programs Chairperson
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club has established a Junior Optimist International (JOI) Club at St. Xavier’s Catholic Schools. The process began in November of 2022 when Ricardo Gutierrez brought the idea to the JC Breakfast Optimist Club Board of Directors. Many questions had to be answered before approval would be given to not only start a JOI Club, but also to sustain it.
A committee was formed to address the issues of the Board of Directors if approval were given. The committee met and responded back to Board members with the following: the purpose of the JOI Club would be to grow the concept of service in youth; have a JOI Club or clubs as a feeder to our JC Breakfast Optimist Club; have the adult club be an active participant with youth in our community; establish mentorships with youth; teach youth how committee and clubs are organized and work and address the need to teach cooperation and appreciation for other’s opinions and cultures.
Having received permission to proceed, the committee decided to start with St. Xavier’s Catholic Schools and invited the Principal, Sean Augustine to a meeting to hear the proposal and seek his approval. His response was an enthusiastic YES!!!
A meeting place and time were mutually agreed upon for a monthly meeting with seventh through twelfth grade students at the school. JC Breakfast Optimist Club members Amy Johnson and Ricardo stepped up to be the facilitators of the youth group and then the work began to create bylaws, meet all the requirements, and obtain a charter from Optimist International (OI) to form a JOI Club.
Having met all the OI requirements to charter a JOI Club, the charter was made official on March 14, 2023. The JOI Club at St. Xavier’s Catholic Schools has elected officers who include Noah Fields, President; Samuel Haines, Vice President; Dana Davis, Secretary and Treasurer, Rebecca Peterson. Other members of the JOI Club are Danika Ellis, Anabelle Haines, Sierra Smith, and Vienna Wolfe, Activities Coordinator.
An official charter from Optimist International was received on March 14th and was then presented to Mr. Augustine, JOI Club Officers and members at an assembly in the school gymnasium on April 19, 2023.
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club sponsored Junior Optimist International Club at St. Xavier’s Catholic Schools is the only JOI Club in the state of Kansas that regularly meets. Nita Miller, JC Breakfast Optimist Club President, stated that “this is an exciting adventure for us and the students to learn, grow and serve our community together with a focus on The Optimist Creed”.