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2022 Virtual Parade of Winners

Join us April 1 at 7 p.m. CDT for the 2022 virtual Parade of Winners and see who takes home the top $30,000 prize!

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Every year, nearly 230,000 of our nation's youth compete in the VFW's Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen audio essay competitions for their chance to win a portion of more than $3 million in college scholarships and awards.

The competitions culminate with the Parade of Winners event, designed to celebrate and recognize the contests’ top national winners. 

This year, the VFW will host its annual Parade of Winners virtually on April 7 at 7 p.m. CDT, live on Facebook. B e sure to tap “interested,” then “going” on the Facebook event to ensure you stay up-to-date and receive all event notifications. To listen to the winning essay from your state, click here . 

During the historic event, VFW and VFW Auxiliary state and national leadership, representatives from program sponsors Twisted X , and this year’s 52 Voice of Democracy Department (state) winners will come together from all over the world as we crown the 2022 national Voice of Democracy first place winner.

Open to eligible middle and high school students, the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen essay competitions require students submit an essay based on a selected patriotic theme. Winning entries selected by local VFW Posts go on to compete at their District and Department (state) level, with state winners competing at the national level.

The Voice of Democracy top prize is the $30,000 T.C. Selman Memorial Scholarship, and the Patriot’s Pen grand prize winner receives the $5,000 Paul A. Spera Past Commander-in-Chief Award.

Voice of Democracy

Established in 1947, our Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay.  Each year, nearly 25,000 ninth through 12th grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program. 

The national first place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. A complete list of other national scholarships range from $1,000-$21,000, and the first place winner from each VFW Department (state) wins at least a scholarship of $1,000. Before submitting your essay, download the  2024-2025 entry form here  and find your sponsoring  local VFW Post  as applications must be turned in by  midnight, Oct. 31 . 

The 2024-25 theme is:  "Is America Today Our Forefathers' Vision?"

About the 2023-2024 winner ...

Sophia Lin, a high school junior at BASIS Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, was named the 2023-2024 Voice of Democracy first place winner. Sophia's speech on the theme, "What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?" won her a $35,000 college scholarship. Sophia was sponsored by Scottsdale VFW Post 3513. Watch as Sophia delivered her speech during the VFW's Parade of Winners award  ceremony or read it here .

Want to catch up on everything that happened this year? You can watch the full Parade of Winners ceremony which was streamed live on Facebook, or see this year's complete list of winners .

Patriot's Pen

Each year, nearly 68,800 students in sixth through eighth grades enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of nearly $1 million in state and national awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000! 

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Before submitting your essay,  download the 2024-2025 entry form here  and find your sponsoring local VFW Post  as applications must be turned in by  midnight, Oct. 31 . 

The 2024-25 theme is:  "My Voice in America's Democracy?"

Bryant Day, an eighth grade student from Ashland, Ohio, was named the 2023-2024 Patriot's Pen first place winner. His essay on the theme, "How Are You Inspired by America?" won the national first place $5,000 award. Bryant was sponsored by VFW Post 9943 and its Auxiliary in Mansfield, Ohio.

Watch as Bryant delivered his winning essay during the VFW's Parade of Winners streamed live on Facebook, or read  his essay here.  See the complete list of 2024 national winners .

Find Out More

Patriot's Pen

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VFW Post 2197

Patriot’s Pen 2022-23

The 2022-23 theme is:  “my pledge to our veterans.”, 2022-2023 official entry form, for more information.

Each year, nearly 68,800 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s  Patriot’s Pen  youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000! 

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Before submitting your essay,  read the rules and eligibility requirements , and  find your sponsoring VFW Post 2197 as applications must be turned in by  midnight, Oct. 31 .  Download and complete the 2022-2023 entry form here . 

About the past 2021-2022 winner …

Syed Ali, an eighth grade student from Lafayette, Louisiana, was named the 2021-2022  Patriot’s Pen  first place winner. His essay on the theme, “How Can I Be a Good American?” won him a $5,000 award. Syed was sponsored by New Iberia, Louisiana, VFW Post 1982.

Watch as Syed delivered his winning essay , during the VFW’s  virtual Parade of Winners  streamed live on Facebook, or see the  complete list of 2022 national winners .

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7th Grade Student Selected as VFW Essay Winner

February 17, 2023

7th Grader, Leighton Peters – Wins 1st Place at State VFW Patriot Pens Essay Contest

Congratulations to seventh-grade student, Leighton Peters, on winning the State-wide VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay contest. In November 2022, Leighton submitted her essay to the local VFW and advanced to the regional level. After regionals, she advanced to the state competition held in Oshkosh. She won an overnight trip to Oshkosh with her family to attend the awards ceremony along with students across the state who advanced in the state Patriot’s Pen Essay contest, Voice of Democracy contest, and the state teacher of the year winners. As a part of the ceremony in Oshkosh, she read her essay to the veterans who were present. There were many tears in the room as she read her essay. She earned a check for $1,000, a plaque and a certificate for her essay. Leighton’s grandfather is a veteran and a big part of her inspiration for the essay.

On Monday, March 6th the National Winner will be live-streamed from the National VFW Convention in Washing, D.C. Join in to watch the presentation and cheer on Leighton! Live-Stream: www.vfw.org .

More about the Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest:

Each year, nearly 68,800 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first-place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first-place winner wins $5,000!

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.

Group Picture below:

Dennis De Gidio, Adjutant VFW Post 2204 Jim Peters Amy Peters Randy Engness, Commander VFW District 9 Middle: Juliana Peters, sister Front: Louise Engness, President Rice Lake VFW Auxiliary Leighton Peters, State Winner Patriot’s Pen contest Jim Garey, Commander VFW Post 2204

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PATRIOT PEN

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. 

The Arizona 2022- 2023 Patriot's Pen winner was, Avery Hicks from Kingman! He represented Arizona on the national level and won 7th place. Check out the complete list of National Scholarship winners!

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2023-2024 PATRIOT’S PEN ESSAY PROGRAM

" How are you Inspired by America ? ”

All information pertaining to the theme, judging, eligibility, awards, and other aspects of this program are contained in the Veterans of Foreign Wars program booklet for the Annual Patriot’s Pen Essay Program.  District Commanders are responsible to ensure that their District Chairman are conducting their programs within these rules and deadlines.  District Commanders are solely responsible for the conduct of the programs within their Districts.  Make sure that copies of this program are distributed to all the Posts within your District in sufficient time to ensure that there is a successful competition.

Judging the Contest

The suggested number of judges is five to nine, with a minimum of three.  Judges should be from outside your Posts and Auxiliaries and should represent your community.  Judges must not in any way be connected to the students in the competition.  Set the date for your judging and invite the judges at least 60 days in advance.  Remind them a week before the competition with a letter or email, and two days before with a phone call.

Eligibility

Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade students in public, private, parochial, and home schools in the State of Arizona.  Former first place winners at the State and National level of competition or any Foreign Exchange students are not eligible. Students do not have to be relatives of a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars or its VFW Auxiliary to participate.

Essays must be typed, or computer printed in English, between 300-400 words, on a single sheet of paper, with no added color or art.

To receive credit for participation in the Patriot’s Pen Essay Competition, a Post must sponsor the program in their community. While it is important to offer the Patriot’s Pen Essay Program in our schools, it is not solely a program for the schools.  You may offer the competition to any sixth, seventh, or eighth grade student.  All entries must be submitted directly to the Post. They may be sponsored through local schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Church youth groups, Junior ROTC programs, the home schooled, etc.  Posts are encouraged to solicit participants from as many sources as possible.  The Post will hold their own judging and may submit to the District the number of students permitted by the following:

·        1-15 Student Participants:  1 Top Post entry is allowed to advance to District.

·        16-30 Student Participants: 2 Top Post entries are allowed to advance to District.

·        31-45 Student Participants: 3 Top Post entries are allowed to advance to District, etc.

Note:  No Limit

Posts may advance as many winners as they select based on the total number of students participating.  Post judging is the responsibility of the Post Chairman and must be conducted in accordance with the National Judging Criteria.  The Post may forward each first-place winning entry to the District.  Each student entry submitted by a Post to the District must be an equal first place winner. This means that each Post student entry must receive the same award.  For example, a Post has fifty-five student entries and is eligible to send four entries to the District for judging.  Those four entries must each receive an equal first place award from the Post.  If the Post lists them as first, second, third and fourth place, then they can only send in one entry as the first-place winner.  Note:  First place Post winner’s entry packets must include a completed Student Biographical Questionnaire and School Release Form when sent to the District.  Post packets will not be accepted unless complete.

Each District shall be responsible for the conduct of the program and judging of entries within their District.  District Chairman are expected to promote the expansion of the program by encouraging the participation of additional Posts.  It is not always possible to restrict sponsorship strictly along VFW District Boundaries.  Posts may solicit student participation from any geographical area within the State of Arizona if they do not interfere with the sponsorship of other Posts.  District Chairman are expected to assist Posts in the coordination of sponsorship of all schools in the District.  It is unacceptable that a school is not contacted.  Each District may submit only one entry to the Department for judging. This entry must be certified on the proper National Entry Form by the District Chairman to be the District First place winner of the District Program Judging.  The following items MUST accompany the District Entry to the Department for Judging:

·        One Student Essay in accordance with the above rules.

·        One completed student entry from the National Program Booklet.

·        A quality head and shoulder photograph, wallet size only.

·        One typed copy of the student’s essay.

·        One signed Student Release Form (Link below).

·        One Student Biographical Questionnaire (Link below) must accompany your District Winner.

It is the responsibility of District Chairman to ensure that all materials are included.  Any entry that does not include all the required above items may not be judged.

To obtain program credit the Post Chairman portion of the Student Entry Form must be completed and submitted to the District with each Post entry.  The form must include the number of students participating from the school and the approximate cost for the program and awards.  Proper credit cannot be given without this information.  District Chairman are required to submit a consolidated report of Post participation within their District using the District Report form and the District Summary Form.  The reports MUST accompany the District Entry to Department.  It is the responsibility of the Post, District, and Department Adjutants to input the Patriot’s entries into the All-American Dashboard.  This is to include all monetary values spent on this event.  Failure to do so can cause the Post, District, and/or Department to show a NOT MET in this category.

The deadline for Post sponsored entries is October 31, 2023.   Post judging may not be held before November 1, 2023, and must be completed in time to ensure that winning entries are delivered to the District Chairman by November 16, 2023.    District judging may not be held before November 16, 2023 , and must be completed in time to ensure that the winning entry with all required materials are in the hands of the Department Director by December 16, 2023.   The Department deadline for District entries is December 16, 2023 .  This deadline is absolute, and it includes all paperwork.  Department judging will be closed and will be the responsibility of the Department Committee. Please be advised that the state judging will be attended only by the VFW Department Committee members, VFW State Auxiliary Committee members, and the State Judges.  The Committee has the authority to disqualify from the Department judging any entry which is in violation of the rules as stated in the Department Program and the National Program Booklet.

All Post and District awards are the responsibility of those organizations.  Department awards will be presented at the 2024 Department of Arizona Winter Conference.  All District winners are expected to be present.  Each District must assume the cost of their winner’s transportation, meals, and lodging. Department will provide each District winner with one banquet ticket.  Banquet tickets for family members and other guests are the sole responsibility of the District in cooperation with the sponsoring Post.

Address , AZ Contact Us via Email

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PATRIOT'S PEN

2024-2025 THEME: 

"My Voice in America's Democracy"

WHAT IS THE PATRIOT’S PEN?

Conducted nationwide, this VFW-sponsored youth essay competition gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. We invite you to join the more than 73,000 students who participated last year in this contest.  

WHO CAN ENTER?

Patriot’s Pen is open to 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students enrolled by the Oct. 31 deadline in public, private or parochial schools in the U.S., its territories or its possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools. Home-schooled students also are eligible. Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (the application which has not been denied) and intends to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law. (Foreign exchange students are ineligible.)

PATRIOT’S PEN Deadlines: The deadlines for Patriot’s Pen are as follows:

 1.     Midnight, October 31, Entries to the Post*

2.    November 15, Completion of Post judging**

3.    December 10, Completion of District judging**

4.    December 10, January 15, Posts need to submit report on dashboard to acknowledge that they participated in Patriot Pen*

5.    December 13, Email or fax a copy of your winning essay to the email or fax above*(Email preferred)

6.    December 15, District winning entry packet  with head shot picture of winner must be received by Department Chairman*

7.    January 10, Completion of Department judging**

8.    January 15, District participation reports to Department Chairman* District chairmen should roll up the post reports into one District report. All District reports must be received by 15 January and include the phone number and email address of the chairman of that district .*

9.    January 15, Districts must submit a report and approve post reports on dashboard to acknowledge that the posts and District participated in Patriot Pen*

10.  January 15, Department winners to National*

11.  January 31, Department reports to National*

  *required deadlines

**suggested deadlines

DO NOT mail District entries and required forms to State Headquarters!

Mail them directly to the State Patriot’s Pen Chairman!

Department (State) Awards:

First, second, and third place state winners will receive awards presented by State Chairman at the Mid-Winter Conference.

Click here to view the Rules & Eligibility Requirements:  Patriots-Pen-Rules-and-Eligibility.pdf

Click here to download the current year Entry Form:  Patriots-Pen-Entry-Form-Fillable.pdf

  Contact our State Patr iot's Pen Chairman for more information:

Address 10185 Mammoth Baton Rouge, LA 70814 Contact Us via Email Phone: 225.928-5025

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PATRIOT'S PEN

The veterans of foreign wars believes strongly in good citizenship and fostering patriotism. that’s why we encourage youthful minds to examine our nation’s history and their own experiences in modern american society through our patriot’s pen youth essay-writing contest.  each year more than 125,000 students in grades 6-8 enter the veterans of foreign wars (vfw) patriot’s pen youth essay contest. the first-place winner from each state competes for national awards totaling $50,000, with each first-place state winner receiving a minimum of $500 at the national level. the national first-place winner wins $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to washington, d.c., in march..

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300 to 400 word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.

Who can enter?  The competition is open to students in grades 6-8, who are enrolled in public, private or parochial school or home study program in the U.S., its territories or its possessions. Dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools can participate too. (Foreign exchange students and former winners that placed in the National finals are excluded from the contest.)

What do students need to do to enter?  Students submit a 300 – 400 word original essay on the theme listed below. See the rules for details.

The 2021-2022 theme is:   " How Can I Be A Good American? "

Read the  rules and eligibility requirements

Download and complete the  2021 - 2022 Patriot's Pen entry form

Deadline:  Submit your entry to a local VFW Post by  October 31st .

Address PO Box 1512 Monument, CO 80132-1512 Contact Us via Email Phone: (719) 375-5464

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7829, Third Wednesday, 7pm. Contact POC VFW Post 7829 Communication Committee  [email protected]

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PATRIOT'S PEN

Patriot's pen.

Each year, nearly 68,800 students in sixth through eighth grades enter the VFW’s  Patriot’s Pen  youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000! 

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Before submitting your essay,  read the rules and eligibility requirements , and  find your sponsoring  local VFW Post  as applications must be turned in by  midnight, Oct. 31 .  Download and complete the 2024-2025 entry form here . 

The 2024-25 theme is:  "My Voice in America's Democracy?"

Address 35 E Chestnut St Ste 506 Columbus, OH 43215 Contact Us via Email Phone: 614-224-1838 Fax: 614-224-3861

M:  8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. T:  8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. W:  8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Th:  8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. F:  8:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Office: 614-224-1838 Fax:     614-224-3861

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Links Site Admin Webmail Follow on Facebook VFW National VFW Store National Auxiliary Site