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VFW patriotic essay and scholarship contest entries due Oct. 31

October 3, 2018

Commander Everett Beach of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7447 Rehoboth Beach announced the kickoff of the VFW’s annual Patriot’s Pen youth essay competition for middle school students and the Voice of Democracy scholarship competition for high school students. Wednesday, Oct. 31, is the deadline for entries for both competitions.

Middle school students in sixth to eighth grade can compete in the Patriot’s Pen contest. The theme for 2018-19 is Why I Honor the American Flag, and students can submit essays of 300 to 400 words based on America’s history and their own experiences in modern American society.

Entries are judged at the local post level, and winners advance to district competition followed by state competition. State first-place winners compete for 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 can email rehobothvfw@aol.com and go to www.vfw.org/PatriotsPen for more information.

Local high school students can enter the Voice of Democracy competition by writing and recording three- to five-minute audio essays on the 2018-19 theme of Why My Vote Matters, expressing their views on democratic ideals and principles. Submissions should include an audio CD or flash drive with the recorded essay, along with a typed copy and completed entry form. 

Students who advance through the local post and district levels will earn prizes, and all state first-place winners receive a four-day trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to compete for more than $150,000 in scholarships. The first-place national winner receives a $30,000 college scholarship. The VFW awards more than $2.1 million in educational scholarships every year.

Interested students and teachers can contact Voice of Democracy Chairman Everett Beach by emailing rehobothvfw@aol.com or go to www.vfw.org/VOD.

 

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