Joshua Lang, a fifth-grader at Johns Creek Elementary School, prevailed in the finals of the elementary school oratorical contest hosted by the Forsyth-Cumming Optimist Club on Monday, March 4, at the Forsyth County Courthouse.

Fiona Qi of Sharon Elementary took second, while Sarah Hackett of Chestatee Elementary placed third.

Almost 1,800 local elementary school students competed in the contest, making it the largest in Optimist International.

Contestants gave a speech, no longer than three minutes, on the topic, “Is there a fine line between optimism and reality?”

The oratorical contest is designed to give youth experience in public speaking and compete for a scholarship.