Youth Scholarship & Education

Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest
Patriot’s Pen gives 6, 7, 8 grade students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills, while they compete for award and prizes. Cumulatively, the awards provided from all levels of the competition total $1.2 million each year. Each Department’s (state) first-place winner competes for $55,000 in award money at the national level with the first-place national winner receiving $5,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. Each state winner will receive at least $500 at the national level.

Voice of Democracy (VOC) Scholarship Competition
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition in 1947. The Veterans of Foreign Wars became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. Many notables have participated in the Voice of Democracy including journalist Charles Kuralt, Miss America Anita Bryant and former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Voice of Democracy competition provides high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors the opportunity to write and record an audio essay on a patriotic theme, competing for more than $2.1 million in college scholarships and incentives. Each first place Department (state) winner is brought to Washington, D.X. in February to enjoy our nation’s capital and compete for $154,000 in national college scholarships – first place receiving $30,000. Each state winner will receive at least $1,000 at the national level.

VFW Youth Scholarships

Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award
The VFW wants to identify and recognize America’s best educators in one (1) category (K-12) who instill a sense of national pride in students. Teachers who promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism are prime candidates. It offers commemorative citations for those worthy teachers and their schools. Posts are encouraged to submit a candidate for these awards to their Department Headquarters by January 1. The Department then selects a single candidate for the award and submits that entry to National Headquarters by February 1.

VFW Teacher of the Year