Dean Rusk Middle School eighth-grader John Haas was recognized by the Cherokee County School Board at their September meeting for his victory in the Georgia Optimist Oratorical Contest held this summer in Macon.

John, the son of John and Katrina Haas of Woodstock, wrote and presented an original speech entitled “How My Optimism Helps Me Overcome Obstacles.”

He competed and won in his language arts classroom, at the school level at Dean Rusk MS, at the Zone Contest held in Canton; at the Area Contest in Cumming; and, finally, at the State Contest. He competed with elementary, middle school and high school students from across Georgia.

The Optimist International Oratorical Contests are held nationwide each year.  John was sponsored by the local Woodstock-Midday Optimist Club.