The Frankfort VFW Post 1110 has released information about upcoming essay contests for varying grade levels with cash prizes at the
national level.
According to the VFW, every year, nearly 68,800 students in sixth through eighth grade enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest through the national Veterans of Foreign Wars organization for a chance to receive a portion of the nearly $1 million in state and national awards by flexing their knowledge and research abilities of American history in conjunction with modern American society.
Each first-place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first-place essay writer will receive a prize of $5,000. The essays will be 300-word to 400-word essays where the writers will express their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Prior to the submission of the essay, entrants must download the 2024-2025 entry form or receive the form as it will be distributed to local schools in the near future. Applications are due by midnight on Oct. 31.
“The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history along with their own experience in modern American society by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay expressing their views,” the organization released.
This year’s essay theme will be “My Voice in America’s Democracy” for students between sixth and eighth grade.
A similar Voice of Democracy essay contest will be running for students in ninth grade through twelfth grade that tasks students with submitting an audio-essay for chances to receive large scholarships intended to be utilized for American university, college or vocational or technical school.
The Voice of Democracy audio-essay contest was established in 1947 and provides high school students with the opportunity to express themselves in regard to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Every year, the contest sees nearly 25,000 ninth through twelfth grade students submit an entry from across the country for a chance to receive a portion of the $1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program and organization.
The national first-place finisher will receive a $35,000 scholarship that will be paid directly to an American university, college or vocational or technical school for the winner’s continued education. A complete list of national scholarships provided through the organization range from $1,000 to $21,000, and every winner from each VFW Department wins at least a scholarship of $1,000 from the audio-essay program.
Prior to the submission of the essay, entrants must download the 2024-2025 entry form or receive the form as it will be distributed to local schools in the near future. Applications are due by midnight on Oct. 31.
This year’s essay theme will be “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?” for those between ninth and twelfth grade.
For additional information, contact the Frankfort VFW 1110 at vfwpost1110officers@gmail.com or 757-310-9060 by Sept. 1.