CUMMING — The Forsyth County winners of the 2016 Optimist Club student oratorical competition were honored at a recent recognition luncheon held at Northside Hospital-Forsyth. 

The local event is sponsored by the Sawnee-Cumming and Forsyth-Cumming Optimist Clubs. The theme this year was “How My Best Brings Out the Best in Others.”

The young orators were the finalists in the countywide competition that began with more than 4,500 students from 26 schools.  They advanced to represent Forsyth County in the zone contest. 

The finalists were Reagan Smith, Vickery Creek Middle; Morgan Champion, North Forsyth High; Charlie Dougal, Pinecrest Academy; and Raymond Qin, South Forsyth High. They each won $500 awards.

Champion and Dougal then won at the zone level. Dougal also won the area competition and advances to the district contest, which includes all of Georgia and eastern Tennessee.

"Our young orators are incredible and so inspiring,” said Jan Norman, oratory committee chair of the Sawnee-Cumming club. “With support from the community, school administration and teachers, we have such a large competition that two representatives from Optimist International flew in to attend the contest and observe our young talent, and particularly, learn how we attract so many participants.”