VFW opens annual writing, speech contests
FORUM FILE PHOTO
Marleigh Weichinger, center, a sixth grade student from St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic School, won second place in the local VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay contest last year. She received a certificate from Program Director Jeremy Cobb, left. This year’s submission deadline is Oct. 25.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars hosts a patriotic essay-writing competition for sixth, seventh and eighth grade students called the Patriot’s Pen, as well as an audio essay competition for high school students called the Voice of Democracy.
Seth Ray David VFW Post 442 in Maryville is sponsoring the programs locally and is looking for contest entrants.
The theme for both contests this year is, “How Are You Showing Patriotism And Support For Our Country?”
Local entries for both contests should be submitted to Jeremy Cobb either by mail at 524 Merrill Ave., Maryville, MO 64468, or by email at [email protected]. For more information, call Cobb at 573-418-1671. Fillable entry forms are below.
The contest due date is Saturday, Oct. 25, which will allow time for local judges to decide which contestants to send to district competition.
Patriot’s Pen
According to contest information, the Patriot’s Pen Program is conducted nationwide, and provides students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. More than 60,000 students participated last year in this contest.
The contest is open to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students in public, private or parochial schools; or home school students in the U.S, its territories or its possessions.
The prizes for the local Patriot’s Pen contest are as follows: first place – $100, second place – $50, third place – $25. The first-place national award is $5,000.
Voice of Democracy
According to contest information, since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the VFW’s premier scholarship program. Each year, nearly 26,000 high school students compete for more than $2 million in scholarships and incentives.
The contest is open to students in grades 9-12.
Local prizes for the Voice of Democracy contest are as follows: first place – $200, second place – $100, third place – $50. The competition’s grand prize is $35,000.
