VFW offers scholarship opportunities for middle, high school students
With hot summer days and summer storms keeping young people from the beach, Rehoboth Beach VFW Post 7447 and its Ladies Auxiliary think summer is the best time to prepare entries in the VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest and Patriot's Pen Essay Contest.
The VFW Ladies Auxiliary also has Young American Creative Patriotic Art awards for those with artistic talent. Students in public, private, and parochial schools as well as home-schooled students can participate. Students must be sponsored by a VFW Post. Prizes are available at the local post, district, state, and national levels. The Rehoboth Beach VFW and Ladies Auxiliary look forward to seeing entries from local students soon.
The Voice of Democracy Contest for students in grades nine to 12 consists of a three- to five-minute audio essay with a theme this year of Why Veterans Are Important to Our Nation's History and Future; the deadline for entries is Nov. 1. The top national prize is a $30,000 scholarship.
The Patriot's Pen Contest for students in grades six to eight consists of a 300-400-word typewritten essay with a theme this year of Why I Appreciate America's Veterans; the deadline for entries is Nov. 1. The top national prize is $5,000.
The Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest for students in grades nine to 12 has a entry deadline of March 31, 2015. The top national prize is $10,000. Entries must be original and on paper or canvas. Watercolor, pencil, charcoal, tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen and ink or oil can be used, but digital art will not be accepted. The top winner's art is published in the National VFW Ladies Auxiliary Magazine.
There are also the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Awards for teachers in in grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Prizes are awarded not only to teachers, but also to their schools.
Membership in the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary has many advantages, which include the VFW Ladies' Auxiliary Continuing Education Scholarships for its members, as well as Ladies' Auxiliary cancer grants (gifts) to its members who have been diagnosed with cancer and have been members for at least a year. For information about joining the Rehoboth Beach VFW, Men's or Ladies' Auxiliary, contact the post at 302-227-3469 or stop in at 101 State Road, Rehoboth Beach after noon daily for membership applications and criteria.
For contest information, contact Rehoboth VFW Post 7447 Ladies' Auxiliary Scholarship Chair Barbara McGowan at 302-645-7689 or email barbaramcgowan1@verizon.net, contact the post at 302-227-3469, or call post quartermaster Arthur Frampton at 302-588-3079.
