Commander Willie Goodman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW) Post 10643, announced the kick-off of the VFW’s annual Patriot’s Pen
youth essay competition. Middle school students in grades 6 to 8 in this area
have the opportunity to compete and win thousands of dollars in national
awards.
The VFW enacted the Patriot’s Pen competition in 1995 to
encourage young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own
experiences in modern American society by composing a 300 to 400 words
patriotic-themed essay. The theme for this year’s competition is “The America I
Believe In”.
Students begin by competing at the local post level. Post
winners advance to district competition with district winners advancing to the
state competition. State first place winners compete for their share of
thousands of dollars in awards, and the national first place winner is awarded
$5,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.
In the Voice of Democracy Scholarship competition, local
high school students must write and record a three to five minute essay on the
selected theme using an audio CD or flash drive and presenting their recording,
typed essay and completed entry form to their local VFW Post by November 1. The
theme this year is “My Responsibility to America”.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) started
the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national
sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in
1961. The competition was created to provide students grades 9 to 12 the
opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principals.
Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards
more than $2 million in scholarships every year.
Each year more than 125,000 students participate
nationwide. Deadline for student entries is November 1, and interested students
and teachers should contact their local VFW post 10643 at 207-228-4329 or email
WGoodman@aol.com for more information.
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