PHOENIX – Commander Mark Short of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. Post 9400 announced the kick-off of this year’s VFW’s Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Scholarship competitions. Local high school and Middle School students have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars awards.
Voice of Democracy – 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 present their recording, typed essay and completed entry form to their local VFW Post by October 31. The 2017 theme selected is American History: Our Hope for the Future.” Students begin by competing at the local Post level, then Post winners compete at the District level with the winner advancing to the state competition. All state first-place winners receive a four day trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to compete for their share of more than $150,000 in scholarships. The first-place winner receives a $30,000 college scholarship.
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 9-12 the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles. Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards more than $2.1 million in educational scholarships every year.
Patriot’s Pen – 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-word patriotic-themed essay. The theme for the 2017 competition is “America’s Gift to My Generation”. 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.
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.
Interested students and teachers should contact the Voice of Democracy Chairman at VFW Post 9400 by phone at (602) 361-0147 or email at [email protected] for more information.
FOR DETAILS VISIT: www.vfw.org/VOD or www.vfw.org/PatriotsPen.
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ABOUT THE VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans’ organization. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With nearly 1.7 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in almost 6,500 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans’ service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.
