Iowa District JOI, Welcomes you!
Iowa District JOI Board 2023-2024
Iowa District JOI Convention 2024
When: Saturday, March 29, 2025
Where: Valley Community Center in West Des Moines, IA
Cost: $40 – includes Lunch and a t-shirt – TBD
Online Registration Form
Downloadable Registration Form
Agenda:
10:00 Welcome / Agenda/Iowa District Officer Intros (Governor Carter)
10:10 Icebreaker ( Cadence and Haley )
10:20 Team Building ( Bradley )
10:45 International discussion
11:00 JOI Club Sharing – Project Ideas
11:45 Costume Contest (Haley and Cadence + Photos of Winners / Group)
12:00 Speaker Mark French
12:30 Lunch / Games ( Cora and Carter)-Change into JOI shirts
1:30 Dog Toy Service Project ( Cora and Haley )
2:00 JOI Optimist International Awards/PGI
2:15 Iowa District Officer Candidate Speeches / Elections – Leadership Opportunity Discussion
3:00 Group Photo in Iowa District JOI T-shirts
3:15 Discussion / Brainstorming on JOI Communication, Outreach, Marketing & Growth (all)
3:45-4 Wrap-up (Governor Carter) and Close with Optimist Creed
Junior Optimist International Website
Junior Optimist International Board 2023-2024
Junior Optimist International Convention – TBA
2024 JOI Convention Registration
2024 JOI Convention – Hotel Reservation
2024 JOI Convention Schedule
JOI Medical Consent Form
JOI Convention Code of Conduct
JOI Chaperone Rules
JOI Policy for Governance Amendments
JOI 2024 Election Information
JOI Policy for Governance POLICY XIX: DUTIES OF INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS
JOI International Office Qualifications
2025 JOI Convention Information Homepage
JOI District Chair – Gerri Barnett
Phone: (319) 470-0417
WHAT IS JOI (pronounced “joy”)
JOI stands for Junior Optimist International and is a service-learning organization that connects all of the Optimist JOI Clubs throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and France.
Much like Optimist International, JOI is governed by an International Board of Directors as well as by District officers. Each year, Optimist JOI Club members attend District and International Conventions to elect their peers to fill these important offices. Administrative support for JOI comes from the JOI Clubs Department at Optimist International.
JOI’s MISSION
Junior Optimist International is an all-inclusive youth organization that embraces the positive values of optimism, respect for self and others, and independence of mind through the unlimited opportunities of community service and sponsorship by Optimist International.
THE BEGINNING OF JOI
Junior Optimist International was created to enable kids to do community service. JOI reached the international level in 1989. Since that time, JOI has grown to 17,600 members in 690 Clubs throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and France. And guess what? The numbers are rising all the time thanks in part to visionary educators who recognize the desire so many kids have to help other kids in their community.
JOI INTO THE FUTURE
JOI’s vision is to become a prominent youth service organization in the world.
WHY SHOULD STUDENTS JOIN?
Students can learn about teamwork, communication, self-esteem, money management and citizenship in non-traditional, fun ways.
— When kids help other kids, everyone wins.
— JOI looks great on college applications.
— It can fulfill high school graduation requirements for community service.
— JOI is fun.
“JOI is the best school of life and everybody can be a part of it! We choose optimism as a way of life, and it is a choice that can only bring positive things in your life and to those around you.”
– a former JOI International President
JUST WHAT DO JOI CLUBS DO?
The beauty of JOI Clubs is that Members of each individual Club can decide the projects they want to do. But JOI is always ready with suggestions for those who need some ideas to get started.
Here are just a few:
SERVICE PROJECTS
- Clean up school grounds
- Make food baskets for the underprivileged
- Toys for Tots
- Conduct a recycling project
- Plant trees
- Sponsor a book drive
- Start a pen pal program
- Collect supplies for a local animal shelter
FUNDRAISERS
- Have a car wash
- Organize a bake sale
- Have an ice cream social
- Baby sit
- Penny Wars between grades/homerooms
- Sell school spirit items
OVERSEEING THE LOCAL JOI CLUB
Each JOI Club has an adult who is involved in the day-to-day operations of the Club. This adviser attends all meetings and projects the Club does and oversees all aspects of the Club. The Club Adviser does not have to be an Optimist member and in many cases is a faculty member of the school where the JOI Club exists. Strong, helpful advisers are essential to the success of a JOI Club.
For more information click here: OI JOI Information
