Veterans carry the colors during the 2025 Mahopac Memorial Day Parade.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars is inviting local middle and high school students to reflect on the lessons of military service and compete for national awards and scholarships through two annual essay competitions.
VFW District 2, Department of New York, is encouraging students in grades 6-12 to participate in the 2026-27 Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy competitions, both of which share this year’s theme, “What a Veteran Taught Me About America.”
The deadline for submissions is midnight on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The theme encourages students to explore what they have learned from veterans about citizenship, service, sacrifice, American history and democratic values. Essays may draw inspiration from family members, neighbors, teachers, community veterans, historical figures or other encounters with the experiences of those who have served in the military.
According to the VFW, the goal is not to promote a particular political or historical viewpoint, but to encourage young people to develop and express their own understanding of what veterans' experiences can teach them about the country.
Patriot’s Pen is open to students in grades 6-8 and requires an original essay of 300 to 400 words addressing the annual theme. The national first-place winner receives $5,000, with additional awards and recognition available at various levels of competition.
Voice of Democracy, the VFW's national high school scholarship competition, is open to students in grades 9-12. Participants must write an original essay and record themselves delivering it in a three- to five-minute MP3 audio recording. A typed copy of the essay must accompany the recording and entry form.
The national first-place scholarship is $35,000, with additional scholarships and awards available throughout the competition.
Both programs begin at the local VFW post level. Winning entries may advance through district and state competitions before reaching the national level. New York's first-place Voice of Democracy winner also participates in the VFW's national program.
The competitions are part of the VFW's longstanding efforts to promote civic awareness, patriotism and an understanding of military service among young Americans.
Students interested in participating must submit their entries to a participating local VFW post by Oct. 31.
For information on entering either competition, contact Timothy J. McArdle, adjutant of VFW Post 5491, at 914-582-3025.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here